# Do Anti-Depressants Hinder Fat Loss?



## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Just wondering if anyone could clarify if anti depressant meds can slow down or make weight loss more difficult?

The doc says it shouldnt be a concern, and kinda brushes it off as though it's a silly thing to worry about. He never seems to answer my questions with a definate yes or no on the rare occasions I see him.

Training is going well and I can see changes, but need to loose some fat, but it is proving hard at the mo. Seems stubborn to move.


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## Andrikos (Sep 10, 2008)

Not all anti depressants are the same.Can you be a bit more specific ?


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

40 mg Citalopram, daily. Thanks x


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## Gym Bunny (Mar 25, 2009)

Hmmm. The relationship between anti-Ds and weight isn't clear cut. Some are associated with weight gain, due to increased appetiten

You may gain weight because of fluid retention, lack of physical activity or development of a better appetite when your depression symptoms decrease. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are generally less likely to cause a lot of weight gain.

I remember reading a study about a causal link between T suppression due to anti-Ds which would then cause weight gain/prevent loss.

From personal experience. It is harder to lose weight when taking anti-ds


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## Gym Bunny (Mar 25, 2009)

jess124 said:


> 40 mg Citalopram, daily. Thanks x


This is an SSRI so weight related problems should be less pronounced. If however you are having serious difficulty losing weight and this is affecting your treatment then talk to your doctor about trying a lower dosage where the side effects are less pronounced.


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Gym Bunny said:


> This is an SSRI so weight related problems should be less pronounced. If however you are having serious difficulty losing weight and this is affecting your treatment then talk to your doctor about trying a lower dosage where the side effects are less pronounced.


Hmmm was on 20mg til about 3 months ago but was still having ****ty days so had to go up a bit. Hopefully will taper down in the next 12 months.


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## Gym Bunny (Mar 25, 2009)

jess124 said:


> Hmmm was on 20mg til about 3 months ago but was still having ****ty days so had to go up a bit. Hopefully will taper down in the next 12 months.


In that case, concentrate on getting better. If you're still suffering even on the anti-ds I recommend upping your intake of fish oil and investigating rodiola rosea. This is an adaptogenic herb, that, unlike St John's Wort, does NOT interfere with SSRIs. I take it and it helped significantly, and I am now able to function supplementing with that alone.



> *Rhodiola Rosea Powder*
> 
> Rhodiola, sometimes known as Golden Root or Roseroot, is a potent adaptogenic herb found growing wild in cool mountainous regions of Northern Europe and Asia. Used as a traditional medicine for centuries to deal with a variety of stress related ailments, it has only in the last few decades come to be recognised by the scientific community as a herb with some potent benefits.
> 
> ...


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## Andrikos (Sep 10, 2008)

jess124 said:


> 40 mg Citalopram, daily. Thanks x


Not to my knowledge , even if it does interfere I don' t think it's significant.

Exercise acts as an anti-depressant and is suggested by doctors , is your doctor aware of this?

Are you on a caloric deficit and not losing weight?


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Gym Bunny said:


> In that case, concentrate on getting better. If you're still suffering even on the anti-ds I recommend upping your intake of fish oil and investigating rodiola rosea. This is an adaptogenic herb, that, unlike St John's Wort, does NOT interfere with SSRIs. I take it and it helped significantly, and I am now able to function supplementing with that alone.


Cheers, I appreciate that x


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## smaj210 (Aug 1, 2009)

citalopram is supposed to have less sides (such as weight gain) than other ssri's


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Andrikos said:


> Not to my knowledge , even if it does interfere I don' t think it's significant.
> 
> Exercise acts as an anti-depressant and is suggested by doctors , is your doctor aware of this?
> 
> Are you on a caloric deficit and not losing weight?


Yep told my doc what I do daily exercise wise, like I said he kinda side steps the subject. Think he thinks I'm just being a typical weight obsessed bird.

I eat well mon-fri, relax a bit on wkends. But I don't over eat, train a lot, cardio every day. Ive been a constant gym goer for over 2 yrs now and never had a problem loosing weight in the past when I cut down on the crap food and exercised.


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## Andrikos (Sep 10, 2008)

jess124 said:


> Yep told my doc what I do daily exercise wise, like I said he kinda side steps the subject. Think he thinks I'm just being a typical weight obsessed bird.
> 
> I eat well mon-fri, relax a bit on wkends. But I don't over eat, train a lot, cardio every day. Ive been a constant gym goer for over 2 yrs now and never had a problem loosing weight in the past when I cut down on the crap food and exercised.


I am not suprised that your doctor neglects that exercise can have an antidepressant effect, however this is very well recognised.Sounds like a smug attitude to me.

Besides this, there a few doctors that think there is an over prescribing of anti-depressants , confusing sadness in the diagnosis with depression.

I would suggest you get a second (preferably more) view(s) on your condition.


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## frowningbudda (Dec 16, 2008)

Gym Bunny said:


> I recommend upping your intake of fish oil and investigating rodiola rosea. This is an adaptogenic herb, that, unlike St John's Wort, does NOT interfere with SSRIs. I take it and it helped significantly, and I am now able to function supplementing with that alone.


Im no expert, but from personal experiance rodiola rosea is much

better for me than st johns wort.

I got sides such as groggyness and concentration issues from st johns wort, whereas none from rosea.

Been taking it on and off for 6-8 months now.

I've also started supplementing with L Glycine, early days for that though.


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## Ordidge2 (Feb 23, 2010)

jess124 said:


> 40 mg Citalopram, daily. Thanks x


Im on these as well and Im trying to lose weight so Ill let you know how it does..... fingers crossed it doesn't slow it down


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

Your Doc sounds like an asshole! my partner was on citlopram and she didn't feel any better, they switched her to fluoxitine(prozac) and she feels great, more alive etc, i was seriously depressed last year(off the scale) and they gave me prozac too, prozac does act like an anti-catabol and if some people are predisposed "nervous skinny" it will put on weight


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

The most common effect of antidepressants on appetite is to reduce it slightly - many antid's, including SSRI's, as well as working on serotonin also have a secondary sympathomimetic effect - they mimic noradrenaline, and this has an appetite reducing effect... but crucially also a metabolism raising effect.

Citalopram as far as I'm aware isn't linked to weight gain as a seperate side effect (as something like Mirtazapine is) and does affect noradrenaline slightly... so if it does anything at all it should help lose weight rather than hinder it.


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Dtlv74 said:


> The most common effect of antidepressants on appetite is to reduce it slightly - many antid's, including SSRI's, as well as working on serotonin also have a secondary sympathomimetic effect - they mimic noradrenaline, and this has an appetite reducing effect... but crucially also a metabolism raising effect.
> 
> Citalopram as far as I'm aware isn't linked to weight gain as a seperate side effect (as something like Mirtazapine is) and does affect noradrenaline slightly... so if it does anything at all it should help lose weight rather than hinder it.


Bollox. matbe I'm just a fatty then by natural design :-(


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## bigsteveferguso (Apr 18, 2009)

I maintain that Citalopram and Setraline stopped me form loosing weight.


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## Tomwlsn99 (May 30, 2009)

Jess your hardly a fatty are you.....I'm on 50mg sertraline a day and I'm losing fat at around 2lb a week through diet and cardio. So for me personaly I don't think it's having a great effect on my goals.


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## jess124 (Apr 7, 2009)

Tomwlsn99 said:


> Jess your hardly a fatty are you.....I'm on 50mg sertraline a day and I'm losing fat at around 2lb a week through diet and cardio. So for me personaly I don't think it's having a great effect on my goals.


No ok fatty maybe not, But i'm just frustrated as training is going well and I am hardening up but with a layer of fat its hard to see the difference clearly. Have made a few changes to diet and adding extra cardio and will see how it goes in the next few weeks.


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## Tomwlsn99 (May 30, 2009)

Yeah stick with it and you'll get there. Consistency is key I believe. I can't remember if you said you did your cardio in the morning first thing but this is what I'm doing. Really good because it not only burns alot of fat but also elevates your metabolism for some while so good all round.


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## Tomwlsn99 (May 30, 2009)

If you post a naked pic we will all be able to give you a much better idea on what to do regarding diet, training etc.....I'm sure others would agree that this is probably the most accurate way of doing it ;-)


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## dstyrrell (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Jess,

I believe they do, as well as make my sex drive non existant.

Ive been on Citalopram for the last year and a half and i definatly hold more fat whilst on them, i now feel like im ready to start to come off them and have started a slow withdrawl plan under supervision of my doctor, ive already noticed i feel more cut and my sex drive is better than it was and it early days yet.

Ive now got my diet spot on and my training is going really well and ive also incoorperated Dr UDO's essential oils into my diet. the little bit of fat i have is on the decline and i hope to be around 7% body fat and shredded over the next month.

Looking at your profile picture i dont think you have a lot to worry about.

take care and i hope you reach your goals


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## Andrikos (Sep 10, 2008)

jess124 said:


> No ok fatty maybe not, But i'm just frustrated as training is going well and I am hardening up but with a layer of fat its hard to see the difference clearly. Have made a few changes to diet and adding extra cardio and will see how it goes in the next few weeks.


It takes time to see noticeable improvement , be patient ffs


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## cecil_sensation (Jan 26, 2009)

i was given anti d's about 4 months ago. and to this day i still havent taken any of them, i refuse. id rather sort myself out with my head. as i was worried about putting on weight and getting addicated to them.


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## dstyrrell (Feb 8, 2008)

oliver Roberts said:


> i was given anti d's about 4 months ago. and to this day i still havent taken any of them, i refuse. id rather sort myself out with my head. as i was worried about putting on weight and getting addicated to them.


Well i dont think they are addictive but i can cetainly say that i hold slightly more weight when on them than when im not.

Citalopram is great at sorting out depression though.


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## Ordidge2 (Feb 23, 2010)

Been eating relatively health last week and doing around 30 mins of cardio 5 times last week. Im currently on citalopram and lost 4.4lbs  (granted most will be water weight but still a little bit of fat must have been burnt  )


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