Prozac and Weight Gain
Prozac users each have their own list of personal side effects that they attribute to the drug, and some people believe that Prozac contributes to weight gain. Since it has been around the longest of all antidepressants (since 1988), Prozac is probably the most studied of all antidepressants. However, neither the label nor the drug fact sheet list weight gain as a known side effect.
No Warnings about Weight
People taking Prozac (Fluoxetine) who experience weight gain should look at their diet in the same way that any non-Prozac user would. Prozac improves a person’s mood and sense of well being, but consuming more calories than are burned is what causes weight gain. Studies have not been done on long term weight gain and Prozac use but the manufacturer, Eli Lilly & Co., does not list weight gain as a known side effect of Prozac.
Prozac and Weight Gain
There are many emotions that come into play when people eat. Prozac as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor can modify moods and also alter appetite. It is possible that some people recovering from depression acquire a more stable mood and a more active appetite which might promote the intake of more food. But this has not been proven. Since depression is uniquely different for every person who has it, recovery will also be unique. One person may insist that Prozac caused them to gain 10 pounds in one month; another person will be equally correct to say they did not gain any weight at all since starting treatment with Prozac.
Humans are Unique
Every human being has a unique set of genes, chromosomes, DNA and physical characteristics. Gaining or losing weight is mostly triggered by food intake or lack of it and exercise. Prozac and weight gain do not necessarily go together but some people may be more prone to gain weight than others while taking Prozac. Individuals’ metabolisms cannot be predicted to work the same way under the same conditions however because each individual alone is unique.
There are many opinions and articles available that state that Prozac has been proven to cause weight gain, but the proof is not provided. Individual people relay their own personal battles with weight gain attributable to Prozac, and others talk about how Prozac caused them to lose weight.
