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Medications and weight gain

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Did you know that certain medications can make you more prone to weight gain. It’s important not to confuse emotional eating with physiological responses to medications that can make you less active or hungrier or otherwise impact your calorie in/calorie out balance. Talk to your doctor if you believe a medication might be causing hunger or weight gain. Here are the more likely culprits:

  • Antihistamines and sleep aids, which can sap your energy, so you move less.
  • Antidepressants, which can make you hungrier by affecting the neurotransmitters in your brain that modulate appetite and mood.
  • Birth control pills, which can cause you to retain water.
  • Migraine medications, which can make you hungrier thanks to its active ingredient.
  • Oral steroids, which are notorious for making you moody and hungry.

Also remember to tell your doctor if you are taking vitamin supplements and any herbal supplements.  They can interact with your medications even if they fall under the "natural products" label.