Why does Doxepin 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
Why does Doxepin cause weight gain?
Doxepin causes weight gain because of the following reasons:
- Increase in appetite
- High glucose levels
Increase in appetite
One of the common side effects of Doxepin is a rapid increase in appetite. Doxepin is an antidepressant and the majority of these meds are known for causing weight changes (1).
People taking Doxepin may experience extreme cravings and irregular eating patterns. This can lead to mindless eating, as people tend to satiate such cravings when they are depressed or are not in their best mental health.
It is a known fact that when you begin to eat mindlessly, you begin to gain weight. This is because your body uses food as a basic source of energy. This food is broken down to convert into energy.
When there’s a surplus of food or calories, your body stores the remaining unused food in the form of fat. This fat deposition can make you gain a significant amount of weight over time.
High glucose levels
Doxepin can make your glucose levels go high. It can also produce insulin insensitivity in your body which plays a major role in the abnormal regulation of sugar in your body.
This can not only cause weight gain but can also make it difficult for you to lose it. It can also increase the risk of diabetes mellitus, which is a metabolic disorder and does not go away that easily. It can stick with you for life.
How to get rid of Doxepin-induced weight gain?
There are a few things you can do to lose the weight gained on Doxepin. These include:
Talk to your doctor
The most important approach to getting rid of Doxepin-induced weight gain is to talk to your healthcare provider. Your doctor will determine the safety and efficacy of Doxepin if your treatment is to be continued.
If this antidepressant keeps making you gain weight, it can cause a number of complications for you. For this very reason, your doctor may switch you to another antidepressant which will not cause weight gain as a side effect.
In fact, if you have gained a tremendous amount of weight, your doctor may put you on an antidepressant that can help you lose weight, like Bupropion.
Take your medication at bedtime
Doxepin is usually taken once daily. You can try to take this antidepressant at bedtime. This may prevent an increase in appetite as you’ll be asleep when the drug reaches its peak concentration in your body.
You may feel extremely hungry in the morning, but a good protein-based breakfast can be an easy fix for that. It will satiate your hunger and will make you feel full for a longer period of time.
However, make sure you do not stop taking Doxepin abruptly. Some people may discontinue antidepressants suddenly, either because of a side effect or to avoid failing an upcoming drug test – as Doxepin may cause a false positive for amphetamines.
This practice is not considered safe and should be avoided.
Cut back on sugar
The most important thing to do while you suffer from Doxepin-induced weight gain is to cut back on sugar. This is because Doxepin can also increase the level of glucose in your body which can cause a number of other complications for you. This is why it’s best to cut back on sugar when you’re being treated with Doxepin.
Do some exercise
Exercise is the most important addition to your routine if you wish to lose weight. Make sure you work out at least 3-4 times a week. It can not only help you lose weight but can also help you with depression as exercise is known to release happy chemicals in your brain.
Don’t choose unhealthy foods when Doxepin makes you hungry
When Doxepin increases your appetite, the best way to deal with it is to choose good and healthy foods to satisfy your hunger. This way you can eat as much as you want without gaining a significant amount of weight.
Drink some coffee in the morning
Coffee is known to increase your metabolism when it’s taken without any sugar or cream. It can also help increase your mental alertness. However, do not drink an excessive amount of coffee. Caffeine can increase your anxiety if you drink it mindlessly.
Sleep well at night
It is important to sleep well at night, especially when you are being treated with an antidepressant. This is because lack of sleep can cause mood disturbances which may trigger an episode of cravings or mindless eating. Make sure you sleep at least 7 to 9 hours each night.
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References
1.-
Sep-Kowalikowa B, Prokopowicz A, Pankiewicz P. Przybór masy ciała u chorych leczonych środkami przeciwdepresyjnymi [Weight gain during antidepressant therapy]. Psychiatr Pol. 1992 Jan-Apr;26(1-2):37-43. Polish. PMID: 1298003. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1298003/
2.-
MedlinePlus. Doxepin: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 1]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682390.html
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