These popular antidepressants cause the most weight gain: Harvard research

Lexapro, Paxil and Cymbalta carry a higher risk of packing on pounds than Zoloft, while Wellbutrin users are less likely to gain weight, according to a new study of eight popular antidepressants.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute (HPHCI) researchers analyzed the weights of more than 183,000 adult antidepressant users six months, a year and two years after they started taking the drugs.

Data from taking Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Wellbutrin (bupropion), Cymbalta (duloxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine) was compared to Zoloft (sertraline), which is the most prescribed antidepressant in the US.

At six months, Lexapro, Paxil and Cymbalta users were 10% to 15% more likely to gain at least 5% of their starting weight than Zoloft consumers.

Prozac was not associated with a six-month weight change, while Wellbutrin users were 15% less likely to experience a 5% weight gain. Wellbutrin continued to be associated with the least weight gain at the one- and two-year marks.

The findings were published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.