Strattera and Weight Loss

by on June 16, 2012

Does Strattera Cause Weight Loss?

Strattera (atamoxetine) does have some effect on the weight of patients who use this medication to control their ADHD.

In children taking the medication, initially for the first year their weight and height development is less than their peers. This does not mean they are losing weight, it means that they are not growing as quickly as children of the same age not taking Strattera. By three years of treatment however and the children taking Strattera have put on the weight they should be putting on, and an extra half a kilo on average. After three years their height will be 0.4cm below their predicted height. Therefore initially, taking Strattera reduces a child’s growth, but after three years those taking Strattera will be half a kilogram heavier than they were predicted to be, but also half a centimetre shorter.

The FDA has not recorded any effects on adult weight in their guidance on Strattera.