Antidepressants used off-label for weight loss

DennisD. · Silver Member Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 152

More and more doctors are prescribing their patients dieters drugs to lose weight that are not approved for that purpose by the Food and Drug Administration.
Drugs that are being prescribed the most are antidepressants and drugs used to treat hyperactivity Adderall, Ritalin and Wellbutrin.

Many health experts are worried about this ongoing trend and describe it as risky since there is no evidence that these drugs would be efficient and above all safe when used off-label. The side effects that could occur include abdominal pain and anxiety and the list certainly doesn’t stop there.

Although making huge amounts of money for this purpose alone, pharmaceutical companies are also warning about the drugs’ off-label use. Adderall, drug that has been approved for treating ADD/ADHD has increased its sale by 3000% in the last few years. Wellbutrin, sold as an antidepressant, saw an increase by1000% since 2003 when it was released.

Those who have been prescribing these drugs for weight loss claim that obesity is a disease that can’t be cured just by dieting and exercise. Those who have been taking them say it is the only way they can curb their constant hunger.

Antidepressants used off-label for weight loss

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