Anti-Depressants = Pro-Fatteners

With only one exception, every woman who has come into Biologic Labs weighing over 120kg was using anti-depressants (SSRI's, specifically). And EVERY one of those women had gained 20-60kg AFTER starting the anti-depressants. None were using anti-depressants BECAUSE of their weight!

In most cases, the prescribing doctor chastised the ladies for even suggesting the drugs were making them fat! They told the women to not blame the drugs for their own bad eating habits. Yet, in most cases, the women had reduced their previous food intake after seeing the anti-depressant induced weight gain!

So, like alcohol, anti-depressants drug you fat! REALLY fat! For some reason, it is particularly bad in women.

But the very worst news is, once you've gotten fat from anti-depressants, the weight doesn't ever seem to return to 'normal'; even after long-term cessation of the drugs.

Certainly in the short term, our anti-depressant using clients have lost a huge amount of fat and gained a lot of muscle. But they seem to stall out and get 'stuck' at a point that is much fatter and heavier than people who just ate themselves fat. Most notably, anti-depressant users just don't lose much WEIGHT!

I have no idea why anti-depressants so fundamentally wreck human metabolism. But neither do the Psychiatrists who prescribe them nor the drug companies who make them. I have a weak theory that it relates to a disruption in Leptin (the "anti-obesity hormone") function. Leptin 'works' (in simple terms) through brain dopamine receptor activity. An interesting study recently showed that SSRI's cause serotonin to be taken up by dopamine vesicles; theoretically reducing dopamine activity and exacerbating the SSRI induced serotonin/dopamine imbalance.

Dieting with the help of a dopamine agonist (such as bromocriptine or dostinex) is probably the only solution for people who have gotten fat from anti-depressants. (Dopamine agonists help to maintain the effectiveness of any diet for an extended period without continual reductions in calories). Good luck getting your GP to prescribe one. But a good anti-ageing doctor will be more open minded. And I am more than happy to discuss dopamine-agonist use in dieting with anyone (including doctors).

Doctors, Psychiatrists and drug companies flat-out deny that anti-depressants cause weight gain. Well, as a Body Recompositioning Specialist, I'm telling you that they most absolutely certainly DO!!! SSRI's will break your metabolism for life!