Clozapine causes average weight gain of 5 pounds, but in some as much as 28 pounds

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Thursday, November 10, 2005 7:47 am Email this article
Clozapine, an antipsychotic drug, causes an average weight gain of 5.3 pounds, but weight changes vary widely among individuals, ranging from a weight loss of 38.5 pounds and a weight gain of 28.4 pounds according to a new review paper about drugs that cause weight gain. HOW CLOZAPINE MAY CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN

Clozapine may cause weight gain by changing leptin levels

Clozapine-induced weight gain may be an effect on leptin levels.

 

9% GAIN IN 8 MONTHS

Clozapine increased leptin levels and cause 9.1% weight gain

One study reported that scizophrenic patients given clozapine showed increased levels of leptin during an eight month study during which they gained 9.1 percent of their body weight.

Normally, I would think that a drug that increases leptin levels would reduce appetite and cause weight loss, if anything.

However, the opposite happened in this study.

I wonder if perhaps clozapine may have blocked leptin receptors or some other such effect that caused leptin levels to rise, but preventing it from attaching to receptors, thus preventing it from reducing appetite, and instead, doing the reverse.

 

CLOZAPINE-INDUCED BINGE EATING

Increased appetite and binge eating in 75% of clozapine-treated patients

Previous studies have reported that 75 percent of patients treated with clozapine report increased food intake and/or binge eating.

 

LEPTIN, WHAT IS IT?

Leptin release from fat cells, lowers appetite

Leptin is a chemical that was discovered in 1994 which is released by fat cells, and reduces appetite and increases metabolism, at least in some animals, but possibly not humans.

 

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

Alternative drugs less likely to cause large weight gain

Antipsychotic drugs listed as alternatives to Zyprexa, and are less likely to cause large weight gain, include Abilif (aripiprazole) and Geodon (ziprasidone).

REFERENCE

Malone M. Medications associated with weight gain (ce) (december). Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Nov 8.

AUTHOR’S CORRESPONDENCE

Department of Pharmacy Practice
Albany College of Pharmacy
106 New Scotland Ave
Albany, NY 12208-3492
518/445-7302 fax
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Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Antipsychotic drugs

• Clozaril (clozapine)

• Weight-gaining drugs