Many people have heard that Lexapro, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety and depression, can be used as a weight loss drug. But is this true? The answer depends on whom you ask. Some people say they lost weight while taking the medication, but no research has been done to prove this claim. In other words, we don’t know whether Lexapro will help you lose weight. We do know that it’s not approved for use as a weight loss drug—and there are some reasons why this may not be your best bet for reaching your goals (more on those in a minute). So let’s start with what we do know about Lexapro and how it works.
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Lexapro is a prescription drug used to treat anxiety and depression.
It’s also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Lexapro belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications block the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain by interfering with its transport back into neurons. This results in more serotonin available for use by cells in your brain and throughout your body.
It’s also been used as a weight loss drug, but it isn’t FDA approved for this purpose.
You may have heard that Lexapro is a weight loss drug. The truth is that it isn’t FDA approved for this purpose, and has never been studied as one. It’s a prescription drug used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. Some people claim that taking Lexapro helps them lose weight, but there’s no hard evidence of its effectiveness in this area–and plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting otherwise!
Some people report losing weight on Lexapro, but this isn’t proven by research.
While some people report losing weight on Lexapro, this isn’t proven by research. Studies have shown that Lexapro can cause weight loss in some people, but the findings have not been consistent across all studies. Some studies have found no significant difference between taking Lexapro and placebo when it comes to weight loss or gain. Additionally, even when there is a statistically significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) during treatment with escitalopram (the active ingredient in Lexapro), this effect tends to be temporary and reversible once you stop taking the medication.
The bottom line: If you want to lose weight–and keep it off–it’s important for you and your doctor to work together toward solutions that work for your body type rather than relying solely on one drug or another as an answer all its own
The most common side effects of Lexapro include dizziness, insomnia, nausea and vomiting.
The most common side effects of Lexapro include dizziness and insomnia. Dizziness is a feeling of lightheadedness or unsteadiness, often accompanied by nausea and headache. Insomnia refers to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for at least three nights per week for at least four weeks (or the presence of trouble sleeping in general on more days than not). It’s also worth noting that nausea and vomiting are less common side effects associated with Lexapro use; however, if you experience either of these symptoms while taking this medication it can be helpful to speak with your doctor about how they should be managed in conjunction with treatment plans designed around managing depression
Some people experience sexual dysfunction as a side effect of Lexapro.
Sexual dysfunction can include erectile dysfunction, decreased libido and delayed ejaculation.
Sexual side effects are common with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants like Lexapro. They’re thought to be caused by the way SSRIs affect levels of serotonin in the brain. Although many people find that these side effects fade over time, others may want to consider other treatment options if their symptoms persist or get worse after starting Lexapro for depression treatment.
Weight loss due to Lexapro is unproven but may be possible for some people.
Lexapro has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss. However, it’s possible that some people may experience weight loss while taking Lexapro.
There are several reasons why you might lose weight while taking this medication:
- You have less appetite or eat less due to nausea or other side effects. As a result, your calorie intake decreases and therefore your body mass index (BMI) decreases as well–which is a sign of being at a healthy weight for your height and age.
- Your mood improves so much that you start exercising more often (or even begin enjoying exercise again), which burns calories and helps with muscle tone.* You feel better about yourself because of the positive impact Lexapro has had on your mental health–and this makes it easier for you to stay motivated about eating right and exercising regularly.*
Lexapro is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, which means that more of this neurotransmitter stays in the synaptic space between neurons. The result is an increase in its availability to be used for communication between cells. Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep and appetite; when it’s out of balance you may experience symptoms like anxiety or depression. Lexapro also decreases norepinephrine levels–another neurotransmitter involved with mood regulation–which can help improve overall mental health.
Lexapro is one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the United States. The drug works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, which can help relieve symptoms of depression. The drug also increases norepinephrine levels. This neurotransmitter helps regulate mood and energy levels, which may further reduce depressive symptoms.
Although it’s not approved to treat weight loss or obesity, some people have reported that Lexapro helped them lose weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise program. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that patients who took Lexapro lost more than five pounds on average over two years compared to those who used placebo pills instead.
The drug works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the body while simultaneously reducing the amount of norepinephrine.
Serotonin and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit signals from one neuron to another. Serotonin is a mood stabilizer and helps regulate sleep cycles by increasing the amount of melatonin in your brain. Norepinephrine is a stress hormone that tells your body to release energy when you’re under stress or feeling anxious. When you take an SSRI like Lexapro, it increases the amount of serotonin in your system while simultaneously reducing the amount of norepinephrine–in other words, it makes it easier for you to relax because there’s less anxiety-inducing chemicals coursing through your bloodstream.
This helps improve mood, reduce anxiety and decrease obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
When you take Lexapro, it increases the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain. Serotonin and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that help regulate mood, appetite and sleep. The more serotonin you have in your body, the better able you’ll be to feel happy or content with life (which is why antidepressants like Lexapro are sometimes called SSRI’s).
Norepinephrine also plays an important role in regulating blood pressure and heart rate; when there’s an imbalance between these two systems–too much norepinephrine–it can cause anxiety attacks or panic attacks by increasing your heart rate too much while simultaneously constricting blood vessels throughout the body so they don’t get enough oxygenated blood reaching them quickly enough through their normal processes of getting air into their lungs via breathing patterns that involve expanding chest cavity size through inhaling air into lungs via diaphragm muscle contraction which expands chest cavity size allowing more air into lungs at once thus allowing more oxygen exchange between atmospheric CO2 levels vs atmospheric O2 levels inside body tissues where CO2 levels get higher than outside due to increased respiration rate during exercise/exertion activities such as running faster than normal walking speed speeds up metabolism rate so less CO2 produced per minute means less chance for any build-up over time which could lead up towards hyperventilation syndrome conditions
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you understand the basics of how Lexapro works. If you’re interested in trying it out for yourself, speak with your doctor first and make sure they know what kind of side effects might be expected from taking this drug. It’s important to note that while many people report losing weight on Lexapro, there is no scientific evidence proving this claim–and there are also plenty who don’t see any results at all!
