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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Healthcare provider. Antidepressants are commonly associated with weight gain. This association is so strong that many people who are prescribed antidepressants stop using them either due to weight gain or concerns about weight gain during treatment.Although there’s some evidence that you may gain weight after you start using antidepressants, the link isn’t as strong as many people think. According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, most people who use antidepressants only gain a small amount of weight over 12 months — for most medications, an increase of less than one percent of their original, pre-treatment body mass index (BMI).Unlike other antidepressants, bupropion typically doesn’t cause weight gain. For example, in the study above, the researchers found that people who used bupropion experienced fluctuations of less than 0.25 percent of their original BMI over the course of 12 months of treatment.Clinical trials of bupropion have also found that it typically doesn’t cause weight loss. In trials for Wellbutrin, a popular brand of bupropion, only 9.4 percent of people gained weight compared to 35 percent of people who received tricyclic antidepressants. Additionally, 28 percent of bupropion users actually lost more than five pounds.Other studies have also found that bupropion causes mild weight loss when used over the long term.In short, bupropion doesn’t appear to cause weight gain, at least not to the same extent as other common antidepressants. Most studies show the opposite — that bupropion either produces little change in weight or a small amount of weight loss. Although uncommon, bupropion may cause a range of more serious adverse effects, including adverse reactions that may require medical attention. We’ve listed these below and provided information on each potential side effect, as well as what you can do if you’re affected.Suicidal Thoughts and BehaviorsLike other types of antidepressant medication, bupropion carries a “black box” warning from the FDA stating that it, as well as other medications in this category, may produce an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, adolescents and young adults.Clinical trials of antidepressants do not show this risk in people over the age of twenty-four. Despite this, the FDA recommends monitoring for signs of suicidal thoughts or behavior in anyone prescribed an antidepressant. This warning is common to antidepressants and also appears on the packaging of most SSRIs, SNRIs and other medications prescribed to treat depression and major depressive disorder. A less severe warning is used on the packaging of Zyban, a form of bupropion prescribed for smoking cessation.If you experience suicidal thoughts, worsened depression or other abnormal thoughts after you start using bupropion, contact your healthcare provider as soon as you can. Call 911 if you think you are having a medical emergency. SeizuresBupropion may cause seizures. Use of bupropion is associated with seizures in approximately 0.4 percent of people at typical dosages of 450mg or less per day, making this a rare side effect. Seizures are significantly more common at dosages higher than 450mg per day.The risk of seizures in people using bupropion is
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