Does taking lithium cause weight gain?

If you’re someone who takes lithium or is considering taking it, one of the many questions running through your curious overthinking head might be – does it cause weight gain? After all, no one wants to find themselves rolling on a gym ball to shed a few pounds because they started popping pills.

Let’s dive

into this topic and see if there’s some truth behind the claims that lithium causes weight gain. Should we start prepping for an upcoming heartbreak with our weighing scales? Find out below –

What is Lithium?

Before jumping straight to the question at hand, let’s first take a moment to understand what lithium therapy entails.

Lithium refers to medication that belongs in the drug category known as mood stabilizers. It is typically used for treating bipolar disorder (BD) and depression. This wonder-drug has been around since 1948! In fact, it was approved by FDA in 1970 which means by now; manufacturers have pretty much gotten quite good at making them.

But despite its successes with several studies indicating their effectiveness in improving patients’ odds against hospitalization compared to patients not taking lithium medicines, rumors continue whirling about how they may contribute towards unwanted paunches.

So…Does Taking Lithium Lead To Extra Flab?

Studies suggest so! Numerous pieces of research report that increase / excessive amounts of prescribed drugs along with long-term consumption can make adverse changes in metabolism leading up-to significant alterations within body mass ratio prompting possible transformations culminating into irrational lunacy – yes I know right?!?
It should go without saying as well that certain individuals are weaker/more susceptible than others resulting from hereditary traits.<br So yeah… Sad.

How Likely Is The Chance Of Developing The Symptoms During Treatment?

There isn’t any solid answer when it comes down to how often – or if the patient will gain weight during their time taking lithium (2).

However, evidence suggests that you could be at a greater risk of gaining additional pounds than before. This might manifest as hair loss issues too. Results generally depend on an individual basis though and so don’t fret just yet.

Here are some factors which can come into play:
– Genetics
– Duration of medication use
– Dose(s)
– Age

Is It Overweight Or Water Retention?

It’s important to note that there are numerous possibilities for why someone may display increased breadth after starting to take medication like Lithium.

Water retention is one such known side-effect, leading to temporary extra poundage due to fluid fluctuations (3).

2 Major Hypotheses About Weight Gain

Two significant theories suggest why individuals taking lithium face increased body mass index (BMI). These include:
1) Reduced metabolism because of drugs
2) Your brain becoming unresponsive towards satiety signals

By the way – Satiety refers to our feeling full after eating; once we have had enough food, we stop consuming it.

Let’s unpack these in further detail:

Theory #1: Medication Slows Metabolism

Frequently cited^4 research purports decreased metabolic speed likely resulting from Lithium consumption yields slower energy burn-out rates causing incrementally ballooning waistlines/weigh scales tipped towards obesity! But what does this mean?

To break it down into everyday language – increases longevity within digestion creates more time/space for producing/calculating energy -meaning those who consume fewer calories get “punished” the most by these metabolic slowdowns.(gasp@penguins_cry)#SoBeFair when caloric deficits exist⚠️!

Theory # 2: Brain Becomes Unresponsive Towards Signals Indicating Fullness

Our mind is pretty smart. There’s a particular signal we get from our brains telling us when we’ve had enough food to consume. But this only becomes trickier to observe while undergoing Lithium therapy according to some studies (3).

See if you can follow this – previous research outlines how the drug begins interacting with hunger hormone mechanisms located within neural pathways resulting in modifications towards appetite signals ~ which come into play when feeling fulfilled (5). This kind of behavior could cause individuals on lithium a harder chance at knowing when it’s time for them to stop consuming food, leading up-to ‘stuffed’ bellies!

Summarizing Those Theories:

Now that we know exactly what lithium might do – let’s summarize theories one and two:
– Essentially, reduced metabolism induced by medications similar to Lithium may lead towards decreased exercise mechanics due towards slow rebuilding/recovery phases post-run or other activities.
– Hammering down moving past recommended meals portions remains difficult considering once beginning consumption; you might not feel satisfied until having eaten an unnatural amount! Both increase chances of suffering from excessive body mass growth.

Do Its Effects Change With Time?

It should be noted that over-time many patients lose weight gained during initial treatment stages (6). Researchers speculate that after your bodies adjust repeatedly taking medication dosages/millielectrical voltages specified by physicians clinical perspectives slowly restore any lost commitment ensuring less of a weight impact long-term.

However, it remains essential always referring/ridding self-harmfully quirky conduct followed around compensating for adding ounces upwards with rigorous physical activity never ending lunches binge behaviors––– trying instead these practical day-by-day steps mentioned below:

Six Simple Suggestions To Stay Healthy While On Lithium

1) ¡Bienvenidos reSTRING—Lithia agua!
Drink plenty(liquorish)mildly flavored hydrates throughout‼️
2) Evening Primrose Oil
Adding this fluid intake/regular pills consumed may stuff bottomless-seeming pits if I sound a bit like Mosby then apologies…
3) Regular Walks Around The City
Take advantage of all Netflix seasons you missed during initial treatment start-up by spacing outside with your walking buddy and pretending to choose story arcs while doing circles around leaves kicked out from trees (google habits vs. goals).
4) Exercise Routines With Dorm Room Equipment
Buy some dumbbells, barbells your favorite board game–whatever it takes to stay active on-the-go.
5) Carb-Free Lunches – But Not Every Day
Lithium fans should try to have more diverse meal options as recommended by their doctor so that they don’t feel hopelessly chained into certain diet regimes necessarily tailored only for them⛓!
6) Speaking To Your Doctor When Initiating Changes/Risk Taking Behavior Induced By Symptoms 
You’ll thank yourself later

Conclusion:

To answer the question initially presented- Yes!!!!!!!!!!! Lithium causes weight gain in various ways depending on who is taking medication;<br (6)

Although factors such as dosage, metabolism alteration or brain functionality affect respective patients’ experiences~ modifying exercise regimens/additional support systems can be effective mechanisms coinciding alongside dosages/millielectrical voltages altered over time.7

Hopefully, now that we’ve gone through these findings – you aren’t clueless about consuming drugs meant for treating brimful emotions of vice-versa happiness & sadness but still wary of the associated side-effects‼️

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