antidepressants

[noahfor123]

Does anyone know if antidepressants affect the ability to grow muscle at all?

 

[Thaibox]

The type of drug you're referring to is important. There are many different classes of them. Some have been known to effect certain variables that would definately effect training and some don't at all.

 

[RusPA81]

If you are refering to SSRI's, which are the more common ones like prozac, paxil, zoloft etc., it should not be a problem.

 

[2Shy]

Actually, a side effect of paxil can be weight gain. I wonder if you ate right and lifted if that weight gain would be muscle instead of fat. Anyone know?

With me, alas, it was fat. But I wasn't lifting then.

 

[noahfor123]

I was referring to celexa which is an ssri. One of its side effects is weight gain as well, but I wonder if it causes one to gain weight or just increases one's appetite.

 

[RusPA81]

I was referring to celexa which is an ssri. One of its side effects is weight gain as well, but I wonder if it causes one to gain weight or just increases one's appetite.

I took celexa for a while, I didnt notice either side effect.

 

[2Shy]

No, celexa doesn't have weight gain problems. My doctor switched me from paxil to that for that very reason (paxil = weight gain; celexa = no gain). Celexa does have the sexual dysfunction side effect that is common with a lot of SSRIs.

 

[Basophillic]

The weight gain from paxil is from either metabolic slow-down via unknown mechanism or through histamine. In either case, it ain't gonna grow muscle.

 

[RusPA81]

But the point is that it won't stop muscle growth either.

 

[deltreefitness]

In my experience and many others anti-depressants (mainly SSRI's and MAOI's) tend to make packing on fat really easy. They are resistant to proper diet and exercise. It took me 2 months after stopping AD's to start loosing the spare tire paxil gave me.

 

[2Shy]

Well, I didn't think paxil would work for muscle, but since I wasn't lifting weights when I was on it, wasn't certain if the gain could be tailored by proper diet. Figures that it couldn't be!

 

[jiujitsumma]

Man I hope what you said about metabolic slow down isn't true and also about resistance to diet and exercise. All I know is I started Paxil for anxiety in June and have gained thirty pounds of fat. Any suggestions about what to switch to? I am also curious if it could be used to muscle up when I cut down the fat.

 

[Pamela]

Man I hope what you said about metabolic slow down isn't true and also about resistance to diet and exercise. All I know is I started Paxil for anxiety in June and have gained thirty pounds of fat. Any suggestions about what to switch to? I am also curious if it could be used to muscle up when I cut down the fat.

Does anyone know if Zoloft would be helpful for him?
I don't think it's as strong as some of the SSRI's.

 

[2Shy]

You couldn't pay me to take paxil again. I also gained, and believe me, I didn't need to!

Talk to your doctor about your concerns. I'm sure there is something else you could take that doesn't have that side effect.

Also, don't forget to deal with what's causing the anxiety. Don't just medicate. If you see someone to help you maybe you can drop the meds altogether one day.

 

[deltreefitness]

Man I hope what you said about metabolic slow down isn't true and also about resistance to diet and exercise. All I know is I started Paxil for anxiety in June and have gained thirty pounds of fat. Any suggestions about what to switch to? I am also curious if it could be used to muscle up when I cut down the fat.

Once again, living proof. Your cause of weight gain is most likely linked (probably directly) to Paxil. I have been on most SSRI's and MAOI's for anxiety...which lead to depression. I have gained excessive weight on all of them while remaining on my diet and exercise program. I have only since stopping been able to go back to my normal weight. It takes weeks for those things to clear out of your system. So the longer you've been on them the longer it takes for you to get back to "normal"

There are other ways to control anxiety and depression. Although thanks to our "moral" government looking out for out safety and lobbying power of pharm companies you're most likely to only ever (legally) get the ones with the most problems and largest price tags.

 

[johnny1111]

I have to say, ever since I started using Zoloft, my workouts and training have been great. I am feeling less anxiety, little depression, and therefore I get in the gym more often, & have better workouts. -john

 

[deltreefitness]

I have to say, ever since I started using Zoloft, my workouts and training have been great. I am feeling less anxiety, little depression, and therefore I get in the gym more often, & have better workouts. -john

Johnny,

How long have you been on Zoloft?

Please email me. [email protected]

 

[collegiateLifter]

before antidepressants, try fishoil (6g epa/dha a day)!!!! of course you don't hear about it from doctors and big pharm companies, but it has a a documented anti-depressant and anti-psychotic effect.