Does Clonidine cause weight gain?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
Does Clonidine cause weight gain?
Yes, Clonidine does cause weight gain. This side effect is reported by a number of people who took this medication. Some people gained weight after the prolonged use of Clonidine, however, some case studies showed weight gain soon after the treatment with Clonidine began.
This side effect is still considered inconsistent as some people may gain weight at the beginning of the treatment but it may stop as the treatment progresses.
Why does Clonidine cause weight gain?
There are a number of possible explanations as to why Clonidine can make you gain weight. Experts have explained the causes of weight gain in both short-term and long-term Clonidine use (1). Some of these include:
- Increase in appetite
- Water retention
- Slow fat-burning metabolism
Increase in appetite
Clonidine has been shown to increase appetite during clinical trials and it is considered one of the main reasons why this medication is associated with weight gain as a side effect.
It is a known fact that when you start to eat more than your body requires for its normal physiological functioning, the excess calories begin to store as fat in your body. This does not happen overnight and an increase in appetite is the cause of long-term weight gain in people taking Clonidine.
Water retention
Clonidine can also cause water retention in your body. Fluid retention is the main cause of short-term weight gain in people. When you begin to feel heavy just after a few doses of this medication, it’s not actually fat that makes you heavier on the scale.
Fat doesn’t get stored in your body overnight. It’s the excess fluid that shouldn’t have been retained in the body, but as a side effect of Clonidine, it does. This weight gain is usually temporary and you begin to lose it soon after your body eliminates the excess water.
Slow fat-burning metabolism
Clonidine can also make you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism. This way your body does not burn as much fat as it should naturally and the excess fat gets stored in your body.
This is also linked to long-term weight gain and it is harder to lose. You will need a good lifestyle change to lose weight gained for this reason.
How to get rid of Clonidine-induced weight gain?
There are a few ways through which you can lose the weight gained by taking Clonidine. These include:
Choose good foods when you feel hungry
As one of the causes of weight gain on Clonidine is increased appetite, you should always opt for healthier food choices to satiate your appetite. If you continue to eat healthy and fulfilling foods, your elevated appetite will not be the reason for your weight gain.
However, make sure you don’t starve yourself. Starvation or creating a big calorie deficit can result in unhealthy weight loss. In fact, if you restrict yourself from eating all the foods you love, you will soon fall into a binge-eating episode and will gain all the weight back, or even more.
Limit your salt intake
As Clonidine is associated with water retention which could be the reason for short-term weight gain with this medication, you should limit your salt intake.
This is because salt, which has the basic element sodium in it, can make your body absorb more water to maintain your body’s homeostasis. This can increase your water weight and blood pressure.
Opt for metabolism-boosting foods and activities
In order to eliminate the third way through which Clonidine can possibly make you gain weight, you should look for healthy ways to boost your metabolism. For this purpose, you should choose foods and drinks that can help you achieve that goal like good protein intake and coffee.
You should also incorporate a good exercise regimen in your daily routine as exercise is the best way to boost your metabolism, strengthen your immune system, and make your physiological composition healthier.
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References
1.-
Yasaei R, Saadabadi A. Clonidine. 2022 Jul 19. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29083638. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459124/
2.-
MedlinePlus. Clonidine: MedlinePlus drug information [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2022 Feb 15; cited 2022 May 2]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682243.html.
