Does prednisone cause weight gain?

Key Points

• Prednisone is a steroid medication that reduces inflammation.
• Prednisone is known to increase both appetite and fluid retention, leading to weight gain.
• You can mitigate prednisone weight gain by altering your diet and exercising regularly.

Have you recently been prescribed prednisone and are wondering what to expect? Maybe you’ve been taking it for a few weeks and have started to notice some side effects. Many people wonder: does prednisone cause weight gain?

The steroid medication can unfortunately cause weight gain due to an increased appetite. However, there are ways to manage and reduce weight gain while still taking this important medication.

Let’s talk about what prednisone is, why it can cause weight gain, and what you can do about it.

What is prednisone?

Prednisone is a steroid medication that treats a range of health problems including allergies, blood disorders, skin diseases, inflammation, infections, and certain cancers. It reduces inflammation and swelling and can also calm down your immune system, which can help with autoimmune conditions.

Prednisone comes with a range of possible side effects. The likelihood and severity of side effects increase with the dose and the duration of treatment.

Side effects may include:

• Upset stomach
• Mood changes
• General fatigue and discomfort
• Change in appetite
• Nausea
• Headache
• Weight gain

Does prednisone cause weight gain?

According to the UK NHS, more than 1 in 100 people experience weight gain when taking prednisone for several weeks. This is largely because the medication can increase hunger and cause water retention.

However, once you stop taking prednisone, both your appetite and water retention typically return to normal.

If you start to gain weight in your upper back or belly, or experience a puffy, rounded face (called “moon face”), contact your doctor right away. Alongside slow wound healing and headaches, this can be a sign of Cushing’s syndrome.

Why does prednisone cause weight gain?

Prednisone is a synthetic version of cortisol, a hormone that reduces inflammation in your body. Cortisol also stimulates appetite and alters your body’s salt balance. This results in three things:

Prednisone increases appetite

The medication stimulates hunger by binding to a part of the brain that controls hunger. This often leads people to eat more when taking prednisone, eventually leading to weight gain.

Prednisone causes water retention

Prednisone causes the body to hold onto sodium, which brings water along with it. This causes swelling in the feet, hands, legs, and face.

Prednisone leads to fat redistribution

Finally, prednisone can change the areas where your body stores fat. This often occurs in undesirable areas like the face, abdomen, and upper back.

The longer you take prednisone, the more likely you are to experience these side effects. The dose also impacts the severity of the side effects.

While all of these side effects are real and frustrating, they typically subside after you taper off the medication. You can work with your healthcare provider to find ways to mitigate these effects, such as:

• Starting with a high dose then tapering down
• Taking your dose every other day
• Prescribing the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time based on the condition

No matter what you experience while taking prednisone, never stop taking the medication on your own. Always talk to your doctor first and follow their direction. Steroid withdrawal can be serious and may lead to relapse.

How to manage prednisone weight gain

Limit sodium

Prevent fluid retention by eating a low-sodium diet. Aim for no more than 2,000 mg per day. Increasing your potassium intake can also help fight water retention. High-potassium foods include:

• Bananas
• Baked potatoes
• Milk
• Cooked spinach
• Grapefruit
• Apricots
• Dates and prunes
• Yogurt
• Tomato juice

Manage your food intake

Managing a persistent increase in hunger can be challenging. While you of course want to mitigate weight gain to the best of your ability, remember that these effects are usually temporary and your hunger levels should restore to their normal baseline once you stop taking the medication.

Try not to be too harsh on yourself if you find yourself gaining weight while treating a condition that requires steroid use.

Here are some doctor- and dietitian-approved tips for how to eat while taking prednisone:

• Eat small, frequent meals. This may help sate your increased appetite while preventing overeating. Ensure each meal is high in protein and fiber to promote satiety.
• Prioritize protein and limit carbohydrates. A high-protein diet is essential for reducing fat while preserving muscle mass. Protein also helps promote a sense of fullness for longer.
• Focus on complex carbohydrates. The carbs you eat should come primarily from fruits and vegetables, rather than simple carbs like chips, candy, baked goods, or other processed foods. This helps regulate blood sugar levels and is also more satisfying.
• Crank up the calcium. Prednisone may alter how your body processes calcium. To combat this, increase your calcium intake with extra yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, shrimp, sardines, or oranges. This also helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
• Work with a registered dietitian. Navigating medication side effects can be difficult, especially when you don’t feel well to begin with. Working with a dietitian takes all the guesswork out of mitigating prednisone weight gain. Your provider will create a personalized plan to help you eat well while managing your weight while taking the medication and teach you everything you need to know to stay healthy.

Find a qualified weight dietitian now.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is key not just for weight management but also to mitigate undesirable fat redistribution. This also helps fight muscle atrophy, which can also occur when taking steroids.

Depending on what condition you’re treating, exercise may be difficult. Try to find small ways to add movement into your day, whether that be a series of short walks, gentle stretching or yoga, or something more intense like weight lifting or swimming.

Talk to your doctor about what exercise is safe for you.

Work with a dietitian to fight prednisone weight gain

If you’re dealing with weight gain as a result of prednisone and aren’t sure what to do, don’t worry. A qualified dietitian can help you manage your weight while you taking the steroid medication.

Working with a registered dietitian (RD) can help you implement effective strategies to reduce weight gain and manage appetite changes. Your dietitian will create a meal plan tailored to your needs and the condition being treated with steroids. They will put your health first and ensure that your plan is aligned with your ongoing medical treatment.

If you’re not sure how to find a qualified nutrition provider, don’t fret. It’s easy with Fay. Fay provides access to a database of board-certified dietitians who work virtually or in person, offering high-quality nutrition services wherever you are.

To get started, input your health insurance information and filter the search results. With a few clicks, you can set up an initial consultation and be on your way to finding a solution.

Connect with a qualified weight management dietitian now.

The views expressed by authors and contributors of such content are not endorsed or approved by Fay and are intended for informational purposes only. The content is reviewed by Fay only to confirm educational value and audience interest. You are encouraged to discuss any questions that you may have about your health with a healthcare provider.