MEDICINE FOR WEIGHT GAIN

 

๐Ÿ’Š Medicines for Weight Gain

(to be considered under physician supervision)

1. Appetite Stimulants

  • Cyproheptadine – Antihistamine with appetite stimulant effect, sometimes used in underweight patients.

  • Megestrol acetate – Used in cachexia due to cancer or chronic illness.

  • Dronabinol (cannabinoid) – For AIDS/cancer-related anorexia.


2. Anabolic / Nutritional Support

  • Anabolic steroids (Oxandrolone, Nandrolone) – Used in specific cases (burns, severe muscle wasting). Risk of liver/cardiac side effects → not for general use.

  • Nutritional supplements (protein powders, high-calorie formulas, omega-3, multivitamins).


3. Hormonal Therapy (only if deficiency proven)

  • Thyroxine adjustment – If hypothyroidism undertreated, weight gain may be natural with correction.

  • Insulin – In Type 1 DM patients, correct therapy helps restore weight.

  • Growth hormone – In GH deficiency in children/adolescents.


4. Psychiatric Indications

  • Some antidepressants (Mirtazapine, Amitriptyline) and antipsychotics (Olanzapine, Clozapine) cause weight gain → sometimes used in patients with severe undernutrition due to psychiatric illness.


⚠️ Important Notes:

  • These medicines are not recommended for cosmetic weight gain.

  • First-line: nutritional counseling, high-calorie diet, exercise (strength training), treatment of underlying disease (TB, malabsorption, thyroid, diabetes, depression).

  • Medicines are used mainly in disease-related weight loss (cachexia, HIV, cancer, severe malnutrition, psychiatric illness).


Mirtazapine is an antidepressant (Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant – NaSSA) often used for major depressive disorder, and it also has the side effect of increased appetite and weight gain.

๐ŸŒ Common Trade Names of Mirtazapine

  • Remeron – Original brand (by Organon/Schering-Plough, available in many countries)

  • Mirtaz – (Sun Pharma, India)

  • Mirnite – (Intas, India)

  • Mirzaten – (International markets)

  • Avanza – (Some European countries & Australia)

  • Zispin – (UK, Ireland)

๐Ÿ’Š Available strengths: 7.5 mg, 15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg tablets

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