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Does Xanax Cause Weight Gain or Loss?

Xanax (alprazolam) is a medication utilized primarily for the acute management of anxiety disorders – particularly panic disorder.  When administered, Xanax crosses the blood-brain-barrier and modulates the activation of GABAA receptor alpha-1 subunits.  This GABAergic modulation hyperpolarizes neurons via chloride ion influx and induces negative membrane potentials. The induction of negative membrane potentials makes neurons …

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Lamictal & Weight Gain vs. Loss: What Should You Expect?

Lamictal (lamotrigine) is an anticonvulsant medication prescribed for the prophylaxis and/or management of epilepsy and bipolar disorder.  Research suggests that Lamictal modifies neurochemistry by: inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels, blocking various calcium channels (L-type; N-type; P-type), antagonizing sigma and 5-HT3 receptors, upregulating GABA signaling, and suppressing the release of glutamate and aspartate.  Through the aforementioned mechanisms …

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Lithium & Weight Gain: How Much? (And Why It Happens)

Lithium is a naturally occurring element that’s commonly prescribed in the format of “lithium carbonate” for the prophylaxis and/or management of bipolar disorder.  Additionally, lithium is sometimes prescribed as an adjunct to treat refractory cases of major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.  Throughout treatment, lithium is understood to modulate numerous aspects of a user’s neurophysiology to …

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Trintellix (Vortioxetine) & Weight Gain or Weight Loss?

Trintellix (Vortioxetine hydrobromide), formerly sold under the name Brintellix, is an antidepressant that was jointly developed by the pharmaceutical companies Lundbeck and Takeda.  In 2013, Trintellix received FDA approval for the treatment of major depressive disorder in the United States.  Trintellix is classified as a “serotonin modulator and stimulator” in that it functions as an …

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Drinking Coffee & Weight Loss? What You Should Know

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from the roasting of coffee beans, which technically, are seeds of berries produced by the Coffea plant.  Specifically, when Coffea plant berries ripen, they are picked, processed, dried, roasted, ground, brewed with boiling water, and served as the beverage we’ve come to know as coffee.  Although the Coffea plant …

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Synthroid (Levothyroxine) & Weight Gain: An Uncommon Reaction

Synthroid (Levothyroxine) is a medication commonly prescribed for the treatment of hypothyroidism, and is also a popular intervention for goiters, nodular thyroid disease, and thyroid cancer.  Administration of synthroid reverses neurophysiological irregularities associated with insufficient thyroxine (T4) and reduces concentrations of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).  Within several months of synthroid administration, many individuals report improvements in …

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Invega (Paliperidone) & Weight Gain: What Should You Expect?

Invega (Paliperidone) is considered a newer spin-off of the antipsychotic Risperdal in that it contains the same active metabolite, but is thought to have fewer side effects and drug interactions.  It was initially approved in 2006 for the treatment of schizophrenia and was since granted approval for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder in 2009.  While …

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