Does Prozac cause weight gain?

Key Points

• Prozac is an antidepressant sometimes associated with moderate weight gain.
• SSRIs may cause weight gain, but whether the medication itself causes weight gain is unclear.
• You can manage your weight while taking Prozac by eating well, cultivating healthy habits, exercising, and sleeping enough.

Are you struggling with your weight while taking Prozac®? Maybe you’re considering taking the antidepressant but are nervous about how it may impact your weight.

You may have heard that antidepressants like Prozac cause weight gain. It’s understandable to be concerned about this – taking care of your health includes supporting both your brain and body. But what does the research say about Prozac weight gain?

Let’s examine whether Prozac causes weight gain and how to manage your weight on antidepressants.

The benefits of Prozac

Prozac is the brand name of a mood medication containing fluoxetine. It is prescribed for depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorders, and some eating disorders.

Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which means it helps increase serotonin in the brain and boosts mood.

The benefits of Prozac include:

• Reduced feelings of anxiety
• Increased energy
• Enhanced focus
• Heightened interest in life
• Improved relaxation
• Better sleep and improved appetite

Medications like Prozac can help you get back to the life you love and engage more meaningfully. You may be able to reconnect with loved ones and hobbies that you found challenging before. If you suffer from an eating disorder, you may find recovery easier as the “fog” in your head clears, allowing you to think more clearly.

Do SSRIs make you gain weight?

More research is needed, but studies show that SSRIs aren’t always linked with weight gain. Current research suggests that weight gain may occur as a result of decreased depression, as many people find it hard to eat when depressed or anxious. Your appetite may improve as your mood improves.

Some studies suggest that SSRIs are less likely to cause weight gain when used for six months or less. For a year or longer, opinions are mixed.

One study drawing on data from more than 183,000 people between the ages of 20 and 80 found antidepressants correlated with a modest amount of weight gain over an extended period of time (24 months). However, most of those people were overweight or obese when they started taking the medication, and it’s not clear if the medication is the cause of the weight gain.

“The consensus is we don’t really know exactly why these medications might cause weight gain,” says Rita Faycurry, RD. “Many believe it is largely due to appetite recovery. But in my experience, everyone reacts to SSRIs differently, so I take an individual approach with each client.”

SSRIs also interact directly with your gut. Most serotonin is produced in the gut, which is why some people experience gastrointestinal upset when they start taking antidepressants. Serotonin levels can influence appetite. While it’s not exactly clear how this works, it’s possible that this is another reason for weight changes with SSRIs.

How to deal with Prozac weight gain

Prozac has been found to cause the least weight gain among the leading SSRIs in the United States. A small percentage of patients experience weight loss due to loss of appetite, diarrhea, or nausea as they begin taking the medication. However, it is usually expected for weight to stabilize as you adjust to the medication.

If you are experiencing weight gain on Prozac, here are some tips to try:

Analyze your food habits

Tracking what and when you eat is a helpful way to analyze your food habits. This gives a more objective view of how you’re eating and can serve as a data-driven way to improve your eating.

“Keep a diary or use an app for at least one week to track every meal, including all ingredients and timing,” says Rita Faycurry, RD. “This could reveal a pattern of overeating or comfort eating. You might find that you eat too little in the first half of the day and too much in the second half.”

Rather than judge yourself for any faults you might find, try to look at this as pure data to inspire small, sustainable changes. Don’t try to overhaul your eating all in one day. Make small changes over time for a real, lasting impact.

If you find yourself feeling obsessive about tracking, however, there are other ways to analyze your habits that may be healthier for you. Talk to your dietitian or doctor about how to improve your eating without tracking.

Eat mindfully

Eating too quickly can easily lead to overeating. Chewing too quickly means you don’t savor your food and eat the whole meal faster, which often leads to a diminished sense of satisfaction with the meal and may lead you to continue to eat even after finishing the meal you prepared.

To combat this, chew slowly and try to savor each bite. Aim for 15-20 chews for each bite of food; this not only helps slow down your eating but also breaks down the food properly for easier digestion.

Support your gut

As mentioned, SSRIs like Prozac interact directly with your gut. As such, supporting your gut health is vital when taking antidepressants.

Adding probiotic and prebiotic foods may help regulate your gut as you adjust to Prozac or other similar medications. If probiotic foods like kimchi, miso, kombucha, yogurt, or kefir don’t make a difference, consider a probiotic supplement. Talk to your dietitian or doctor about which probiotic might be right for you.

Other gut-supporting habits include eating balanced meals at regular intervals, chewing your food slowly, eating collagen-containing foods like salmon, and managing stress levels.

Get enough exercise

Exercise has countless benefits that extend far beyond weight management. It improves cardiovascular fitness, a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy weight. It can also boost your metabolism and improve your mood, both of which help limit overeating.

Specifically, running can help reduce symptoms of depression by increasing the availability of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, making it a great complement to other treatments such as Prozac.

Prioritize sleep

Many people experience better sleep on Prozac, which is good news for weight management. Sleep deprivation has long been linked to weight gain. Sleep loss has a negative impact on your thinking, learning, memory, and recall abilities – all of which can impair your ability to make smart food choices.

Sleep deprivation is associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and more. Restricting sleep for as little as five days has been shown to lead to weight gain. People tend to make poor food choices when tired, causing them to gain weight.

As such, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is vital not just for weight maintenance but also your general health. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. That means not changing your sleep schedule significantly on the weekends or sleeping early some nights and late on others.

Manage food cravings

If you’re experiencing significant food cravings while taking Prozac that you feel are negatively affecting your intake, take a moment to consider why they’re coming up. Are you restricting too much? Are you being too strict with your food choices and feeling deprived? Are you surrounded by too many temptations?

“There are plenty of ways to fight food cravings while still honoring your body,” says Faycurry. “Focus on building protein- and fiber-rich meals. Protein and fiber both help keep you full for longer and offer greater satisfaction.”

Staying mindful while eating is another helpful tip. Focus on savoring each bite and chewing slowly to enjoy the experience.

Get more tips on fighting food cravings here.

Work with a dietitian to fight Prozac weight gain

If you’re struggling with your weight while taking Prozac or another SSRI, working with a dietitian is one of the best ways to combat weight struggles. A qualified dietitian can look at your current food intake and eating habits, as well as other lifestyle factors, to create a completely custom approach to help manage your weight. They will give you the tools you need to find sustainable, lasting change.

Fay makes it easy to connect with a board-certified weight loss dietitian. Simply input your health insurance information and filter by your area of concern to find a qualified RD. With Fay, your nutritionist services are covered, and you could pay as little as $0 per session.

Get started with a weight loss dietitian today with Fay.

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.