eli5 How do antidepressants and other medications cause someone to *gain* weight?
In: 90
According to one of my doctors, amitriptyline increases the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. It doesn’t discriminate, it just increases absorption.
A very similar medication, protriptyline, does not have this side effect.
Source: I was prescribed the med to increase absorption due to a medical condition. I know others who have been prescribed it due to a limited ability to absorb fat.
In my experience, it’s extremely rare a doctor knows this is what’s happening. When I explain even to other GI doctors that’s why I take/took the drug, they don’t believe me until reading the notes from my prior GI.
No idea about why other antidepressants have that side effect.
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