Will depression make you lose weight? Yes, depression may cause weight loss sometimes. Due to reduced appetite, changes in mood, changes in the brain, antidepressant medications, and metabolic system.
Triggering causes of stress, feeling sad, grief, and anxiety may cause a decrease in weight loss.
Some people with depression eat a comforting diet to ease the feeling of sadness, but it is temporary.
When someone is depressed, Nights are on the bed of thorns; there is a feeling of anguish and pain in his soul and heart, how they can get normal eating.
Changes in the brain due to depression may lead to weight alteration 1:
Does depression make you lose weight fast? We can understand it better through research.
2016 study shows that depressed people may have dual pictures. Depression may cause changes in the brain that may cause an increase or decrease in appetite.
These behaviours are related to hyper or hypoactive insular regions of the brain that support and monitor the body’s physiological state. The changes in a particular area of the brain are responsible for appetite changes in depression and may cause weight alteration.
How can depression make you lose weight?
The link between depression and weight changes:
Changes in sleep:
Sleep changes or hypersomnia in depression may cause hormonal and metabolism disturbances and cause weight reduction.
Changes in appetite:
In depression, appetite changes occur due to hormonal changes in dopamine and serotonin. It may cause a reduction in craving food.
Motivational issues:
Depressed persons are usually less likely to be motivated regarding food if they are hungry.
Decreased in physical activity:
Changes in physical activity may cause burn calories and cause weight reduction.
Medication’s side effects:
Some medications cause an effect on appetite changes. Further, they reduce the nutrient absorption from food into the blood.
In some cases, due to appetite changes, individuals get weight gain.
In 2010, higher-weight patients were 55% more likely to develop depression than lower-weight patients.
Anti-depression Medications that can reduce, gain, or not cause any weight changes.
The Link between depression and weight changes2:
Emotional eating is a behavioural mechanism linking depression to obesity and abdominal obesity. Moreover, adults who sleep less and eat more emotionally may gain weight faster.
Further, researchers should assess the clinical significance of our observations and tailor weight management programs accordingly.
Still, questions arise: can depression make you lose weight fast?
According to research, depression has two types of symptoms 3:
- Included weight loss due to appetite loss, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.
- Including weight gain due to increased appetite, excessive sleeping, metabolic disturbance, and less physical activity.
According to research, some higher-weight people may suffer from depression; it also showed that some depressed people are obsessed; both are interlinked.
Depression with anhedonia ( changes in eating patterns) may also linked with weight alteration.
Changes in sleep patterns may also cause weight changes.
Anti-depressant that causes weight loss:
- SSRIs, including fluoxetine, duloxetine and sertraline, contribute to short-term weight loss.
- Another SSRI Paroxetine effect is long-term weight gain.
- Dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion is associated with short-term weight loss.
- Sibutramine (monoamine re-uptake Nor adrenaline NE and serotonins 5-HT) is an anti-depressant agent used as an anti-obesity to reduce weight loss.
Anti-depressant drugs that cause weight gain 4:
Tricyclic anti-depressant:
- amitriptyline
- amoxapine
- desipramine
- doxepin
- imipramine
- nortriptyline
- protriptyline
- trimipramine
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor:
Some mono-amine oxidase inhibitors that cause weight gain:
- phenelzine
- isocarboxazid
- tranylcypromine
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor:
Long-term use of some SSRIs may cause weight gain:
- paroxetine
- sertraline
- fluoxetine
- citalopram
Some atypical anti-depressants include Mirtazapine, which may cause changes in appetite and cause weight gain.
Keep in mind these anti-depressant effects may vary from person to person.
Some other medicines are less likely to cause obesity effect 5.
Besides the weight changes, anti-depressant’s side effects may include nausea, vomiting and insomnia.
How changes in hormonal levels may affect weight in depression:
Hormonal changes in depression that may cause weight changes:
Cortisol stress hormone that may be released in depression may also cause an increase in insulin resistivity.
Different research shows that cortisol may cause increased glucose concentration, decreased beta cell functions and increased insulin resistivity, which indirectly cause obesity5.
Other potential causes of weight loss:
- Chronic diseases
- · Increased physical activity
- · Reduced calorie intake
- · Stress or anxiety
- · Illness or infection
- · Hyperthyroidism
- · Diabetes
- · Cancer
- · Gastrointestinal issues
- · Medication side effects
- · Substance abuse
- · Depression
- · Eating disorders
- · Malabsorption disorders
- · Aging
- · Pregnancy (early stages)
Please note that unintentional or significant weight loss can be a sign of underlying health issues and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
How to manage depression-related weight gain:
As we know, depression’s symptoms include loss of interest, less physical activity, sleep and eating pattern disturbance, which may cause weight changes.
Weight management can be done by controlling symptoms of depression through anti-depressants.
Additionally, a person motivates himself to exercise, eat healthy diets, attempt motivational sessions, and do activities such as walking, swimming and breathing exercises. These not only cause weight reduction but also create calming effects.
If anti-depressant medicines may cause adverse effects like insomnia, you should consult with your doctor to change the medications.
Hence, the sleep cycle also affects weight changes.
Hormonal changes in depression may cause weight changes, so we should try to remove the triggering factor of stress and try to remain in a calm and peaceful state.
Frequently Ask A questions:
Can depression make you lose weight even if you eat?
Yes, this is due to the fact that depression can result in several physical and psychological changes that might induce weight loss, such as changes in appetite, metabolism and behaviour.
What is rapid weight loss considered?
It’s difficult to pinpoint when unexplained weight loss turns into a medical issue. However, a lot of medical professionals concur that if you lose more than 5% of your body weight in six to twelve months—especially if you’re an older adult—you should get evaluated medically. Weight is affected by calorie intake, physical activity and absorption of nutrients from meal to blood 6.
how can I lose belly fat fast?
Any activity that increases heart rate, such as walking, dancing, jogging, or swimming. Playing with your kids, gardening, and housework can also fall under this category. Exercises like yoga, Pilates, and strength training can also aid in the reduction of abdominal fat.
How to lose 1 pound a day?
To lose one pound a day, you must burn 3500 calories, and depending on what you do for a living, that number could range from 2000 to 2500 calories. In order to burn off the remaining calories, you must starve yourself throughout the day and engage in as much exercise as possible.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818200/ ↩︎
- https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-019-0791-8 ↩︎
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/depression-weight-gain#the-link ↩︎
- https://www.healthline.com/health/antidepressants-that-cause-weight-gain#takeaway ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3050109/ ↩︎
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/unexplained-weight-loss/basics/definition/sym-20050700#:~:text=The%20point%20at%20which%20unexplained,you’re%20an%20older%20adult. ↩︎
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