Ablify and Weight Problems
Common Beliefs Regarding Abilify Weight Problems
There are many myths and beliefs regarding weight problems while using Abilify. According to many doctors and people who have previously used Abilify, if you are taking Abilify, there is always a chance that you may gain weight or lose it. A lot of research has been conducted to answer the preceding question whether Abilify causes weight gain or not. As a result of various researches, it has been concluded that use of Abilify can lead to weight gain in several people. However, some of the studies have also shown contradictory results in a few people showing constant weight or weight loss.
Weight Gain and Its Plausible Reasons
It has been discovered that weight gain is caused by some medications that are used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This weight gain can become a complication in itself as it can cause serious health consequences. It has been found that also improper use of Abilify can lead to weight gain.
This weight gain caused by Abilify is referred as medication-induced weight gain. It may be even more of a problem, because of 'metabolic syndrome'.Metabolic syndrome has become a major weight gain problem for a number of reasons. It can occur due to the number of anti-depressant medications that one takes including Abilify. The most likely reasons for metabolic syndrome are high cholesterol level and high blood sugar level. Also, if you have good cholesterol i.e. HDL level less than 50 mg/dl and waist circumference more than 88 centimeters, there is a strong possibility that you may get metabolic syndrome.
In some cases, weight gain has been associated with causing mood problems that exhibit symptoms of bipolar disorder such as depression and emotional disturbance. However, this theory does not prove credible. It is because it is not possible to detect bipolar disorder from just weight gain and weight gain caused by medications for bipolar disorder would make mood problems even worse.
Another reason given for weight gain is that during such mental conditions, people ingest lots of junk food that eventually leads to weight gain. In some cases, it has also been noted that if Abilify is started from high dosage, long term use results in weight gain.
Weight Loss and Latest Researches
There have also been reports of weight loss while patients were using Abilify. One of the reasons attributed to it was that patients lost their appetites while suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Another reason given was that adverse reactions of Abilify caused digestion problems which in turn lead to weight loss.
A research was carried out in USA by renowned psychologists, in which the short-term trials for Abilify lasted for four to six weeks. The occurrence of side effects like abnormal movements, muscle stiffness/shaking or an uncomfortable restless feeling from Abilify was low and there was no weight gain. The patients’ either lost weight or their weight remained the same as before without significant variation. Long–term data suggested the same results with weight loss after 52 weeks use of Abilify.
In most of the cases, as reported in a report by FDA in 2005, Abilify does not appear to cause much weight gain. This was assessed in risk benefit evaluation of Abilify when it was compared to other medications.
Abilify has been counted as a medicine that does not necessarily cause weight gain among other antipsychotic drugs. Also, because Abilify is a relatively new medicine as compared to other antipsychotic drugs, lesser data is available in this regard.
Maintaining a Balanced Weight While Using Abilify
Physical activity and diet help in maintaining a normal weight routine while using Abilify. It is clear that excess weight gain is a health problem, with impacts on heart risk through cholesterol levels, blood pressure as well as increase in cancer risk. It becomes necessary that while using Abilify, one keeps a regular check on their weight in order to avoid further complications.
To conclude, it can be said that though in some people Abilify has been known to cause weight gain, yet, in other it did not cause any such problem. Abilify may not be the only weight gaining factor. Other factors like diet and lack of exercise also combine together to make a patient gain weight. |
