It is a commonly known fact that depression and weight gain are interlined more often than not. Both can be actually a cause and effect for the other. In other words, weight gain can trigger depression in a lot of people just the way depression can lead to behavioral changes resulting in weight gain. It is hardly surprising that a lot of antidepressants include weight gain as a side effect. However, research has shown that Wellbutrin which is commonly used as an antidepressant can actually reduce weight. This article takes you through how fast or effective Wellbutrin is for weight loss.
So, read on…
Contents
How Fast Is Weight Loss on Wellbutrin?
Before letting you know what Wellbutrin is and if should be used for losing weight, let me address the query – How fast for weight loss is Wellbutrin?
In order to find out the correct answer to this, let’s delve a bit deeper into what clinical evidence suggests about it…
- Even though weight loss was observed to be one of the side effects of Wellbutrin or Bupropion, a 2012 study on obese adults on a recommended diet revealed that subjects were able to lose double the weight of the placebo group after a period of 48 weeks.
- A 2016 study also indicated that Wellbutrin could lead to weight loss for sure but another study in 2019 showed that it was not very different from other antidepressants and there was no significant weight loss among the subjects of the study.
- Significantly enough, FDA approved a combination of bupropion and naltrexone called Contrave as a treatment for obesity in 2014 (Wellbutrin alone is not typically prescribed for weight loss). Under clinical trials, it was observed that subjects lost 5% of their body weight with Contrave after one year. In other words, if you are someone who tips the scales at 200 lbs, you may lose 10 lbs within this drug after one year. I am sure you would agree with me when I say that there are other weight loss pills and other ways to reduce weight that can help you get far more significant weight loss results.
What is Wellbutrin (Bupropion)?
Wellbutrin, as mentioned above, is the brand name for an antidepressant drug called bupropion. It is somewhat different as compared to other antidepressants. Most antidepressant drugs are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs and they work by balancing serotonin levels in the brain. It is worth noting here that serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is known to regulate mood, cognition, memory, and a lot of other physiological processes in the human body.
Bupropion, on the other hand, is a norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). It is known to work by boosting dopamine and norepinephrine both of which are also neurotransmitters that are known to regulate your energy levels, sleep, and alertness.
Even though Bupropion was initially developed to treat depression, it is known to have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of quitting smoking.
Like most of the other antidepressants, bupropion is also available only through prescription. Moreover, it is commonly prescribed when other antidepressants fail to get any positive results. Moreover, this is a medication that should be taken only under the supervision of a physician since stopping it abruptly can often lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Wellbutrin Side Effects
It is important to note that some of the most common side effects of SSRIs include sexual dysfunction and weight gain. A lot of patients prefer Wellbutrin because this drug does not have these two side effects. However, it does not mean that it does not have other side effects.
Some of the other side effects of Wellbutrin could include the following:
- headache and dizziness, nausea
- irregular heartbeat
- dry mouth
- difficulty sleeping or insomnia
- sore throat, etc.
It is worth noting that most of these side effects last only the first couple of weeks when you start taking this medicine. Having said that, in close to 10% of cases, Wellbutrin can lead to skin rashes, anxiety and jitters, stomach pain, or sweating, etc. Not just this, there is also a risk of seizures in case the recommended dosage is exceeded.
Is Wellbutrin a Good Choice for You?
Wellbutrin is a drug that may be used to treat clinical depression and even though one of its side effects is weight loss, it may not support the magnitude of weight loss that most overweight people desire. Losing just about 10% of your body weight in a year is not really appealing to most overweight people.
I would not be hesitant to say that even with a traditional approach including diet and exercise, it is possible to achieve better weight loss results.
As such, using Wellbutrin or Contrave is certainly not the best option to lose weight.
Alternative Weight Loss Solutions
When seeking an effective weight loss solution, you may consider either of the following natural weight loss pills:
- Burn from Capsiplex (for men)
- PhenQ PM (for both men and women)
Burn from Capsiplex
Burn From Capsiplex is one of the best fat burners especially formulated for men. It includes a wide range of ingredients that not only boost your metabolism but also help curb your appetite. Not just this, it is also known to boost testosterone in men which further helps boost your metabolic rate. Some of the ingredients in it include Capsimax, Innoslim, Vitamins B3. B6, and B12, Iodine, Chromium, tyrosine, arginine, black pepper extract, etc.
It has been getting incredibly positive user reviews since it is not just effective for losing weight but is also safe and devoid of negative side effects. Read my complete Burn Review by clicking here.
PhenQ PM
PhenQ PM is a unique fat burner for both men and women. What makes it stand apart is that it is a night formula. In other words, it has to be taken just one hour before you get to sleep.
It ensures a 3 fold effect to boost fat burning in your body by:
- stimulating HGH or human growth hormone secretion in the body
- flushing out excess Cortisol from the body which again supports faster fat burning in the body
- curbing your appetite so that you do not experience those cravings
PhenQ PM consists of all natural ingredients including l-arginine, l-lysine HCL, l-theanine, 5-HTP, Chromium, Biotin, Molybdenum, Vitamins C, B1, B6, B5, Choline, etc.
It has been getting exciting user reviews and comes with a complete money-back guarantee too. Not just this, you can also avail of the popular Buy 2 Get 1 Free or Buy 3 Get 2 Free offers. Check out my detailed and unbiased PhenQ PM review by clicking here.
