Will Lexapro Cause Weight Gain? What Studies and People Report
Short trials found little change, but large record studies and people on r/lexapro tell a fuller story. Here is what to expect, why it happens and what to raise with your prescriber.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-10-23 · 5 min read
Medical review pending. Written by the Claro editorial team from the FDA label and published studies.
Key takeaways Short clinical trials of Lexapro found no clinically important change in weight, but gain often builds over months. In 84 r/lexapro threads about weight, gain was the most common report, typically about 25 pounds among those who gave a number. In a 2024 study of 183,118 people, escitalopram was linked to about 0.4 kg more gain than sertraline over six months, at the top of the list with paroxetine and duloxetine. Raise a steady change with your prescriber early, and do not stop Lexapro on your own to control weight. On this page
What 301 people on r/lexapro said about their weight Why does Lexapro cause weight gain? Why does the Lexapro label say weight did not change? How does Lexapro compare with other antidepressants for weight? What can you do if you gain weight on Lexapro? What should you tell your prescriber about weight gain? Lexapro (escitalopram) can cause weight gain, though not everyone gains, and for some people weight drops instead. The label and people's stories differ mostly because of time. The trials were short, while gain usually shows up over months.
What 301 people on r/lexapro said about their weight
We read 84 recent threads about weight on r/lexapro, comments included, and 301 people said whether their own weight went up, down or stayed the same. These are people's own accounts, not measured weights, and people who gain are more likely to post than people whose weight stayed put, so they show what gain looks like when it happens, not how often.
Gain was the most common report, but not the only story:
What people reported Of 301 people Gained weight 194 Lost weight 53 No change 36 Lost at first, then gained, or the other way round 18
Counting the 194 who gained and the 18 whose weight went both ways, 212 people gained at some point. Of them, 125 gave a number: the typical gain was about 25 pounds, with half between 15 and 40. Of the 212, 51 pointed to a bigger appetite or cravings, and 24 said they ate the same as before and still gained. Of those who had stopped Lexapro, 29 lost some or all of the weight and 6 had not.
Why does Lexapro cause weight gain?
Researchers have not found one single cause. Weight change on an antidepressant usually comes from several things at once. Appetite can come back as mood improves, cravings can appear, and energy and sleep can change. The medication itself plays a part, and the mix differs from person to person.
Appetite was the reason people named most often. One person on r/lexapro wrote:
i knew pretty quickly i would because my appetite dramatically increased. like what would fill me up suddenly didn’t anymore.
Others had the opposite reaction. Another person wrote:
I actually lost weight on Lexapro as it has suppressed my appetite completely.
If your appetite changes after starting Lexapro, note when it started. That timing helps your prescriber judge whether the medication is behind it.
Why does the Lexapro label say weight did not change?
The trials behind the label were short. In the placebo-controlled trials, adults on Lexapro showed no clinically important weight change compared with placebo. Those trials ran for weeks, while gain on antidepressants tends to build over months. The same label also lists increased weight and increased appetite among reactions reported in trials, and decreased appetite in 3% against 1% on placebo; it doesn't say when in treatment these happened.
Longer studies show more. A 2010 review of 116 studies found weight gain with amitriptyline, mirtazapine and paroxetine even in the short term, and some loss with fluoxetine (only early on) and bupropion. The other antidepressants did not change weight much in the short term, and the differences grew clearer over the long term. A 2018 UK study followed nearly 295,000 people, some of whom took antidepressants. Those on antidepressants had 11.2 new episodes of gaining 5% or more of body weight per 100 person-years, against 8.1 in those who didn't, and the extra risk stayed raised for at least six years, though the authors say the link may not be causal. So little change in the first month does not tell you much about month twelve.
How does Lexapro compare with other antidepressants for weight?
Escitalopram sits at the higher end, but the average differences are small. A 2024 US study of 183,118 people compared each of seven common antidepressants with sertraline, six months after starting. Only 28% to 41% of people were still taking their medication at six months, so the figures show the effect of starting a drug, not of six months on it; counting only people who kept taking it, the differences were larger but less certain.
Medicine Weight change vs sertraline at 6 months Escitalopram (Lexapro) about 0.41 kg more Paroxetine (Paxil) about 0.37 kg more Duloxetine (Cymbalta) about 0.34 kg more Venlafaxine (Effexor) about 0.17 kg more Citalopram (Celexa) about 0.12 kg more Fluoxetine (Prozac) about the same Bupropion (Wellbutrin) about 0.22 kg less
Escitalopram, paroxetine and duloxetine were each linked to a 10% to 15% higher risk of gaining at least 5% of body weight, and bupropion to a 15% lower risk. The ranges for escitalopram and paroxetine overlap, so neither is clearly worse than the other. An average of under half a kilo hides a wide spread: some people gain much more and many gain nothing. If weight matters a lot to you, raise it when choosing or switching medications.
What can you do if you gain weight on Lexapro? Clinical section: medical review pending
Notice the change early and raise it with your prescriber, without stopping Lexapro on your own. Your prescriber can weigh it against how well Lexapro is working for your mood. The clinical view:
Weight can change on an antidepressant, and noticing a change early gives you the most options.
In the first weeks, some people lose a little weight because of nausea or a smaller appetite. Gain, when it happens, usually builds over months. It varies a lot between people on the same medication.
What you can do:
Mention a steady rise at your next appointment, while the change is still small. Raise weight loss that keeps going, or an appetite that has not come back after the first weeks. Your prescriber may adjust the dose or suggest a medication with a different profile. Stopping on your own to control weight can bring on withdrawal or a return of symptoms.
What should you tell your prescriber about weight gain?
Tell your prescriber what changed, when it started and how much it bothers you, and say if weight is making you think about stopping. It helps to tell them:
When you started Lexapro, your dose and any dose changes. When you first noticed a change, and whether it's still going. Changes in appetite, cravings, energy or sleep since starting. Whether your clothes fit differently. How much the change bothers you. If weight is making you think about stopping, say so out loud. It helps your prescriber choose the right treatment with you.
Download on the App Store Weight gain on Lexapro usually builds over months, so it is easy to miss until it is large. The withClaro app lets you log appetite, energy, sleep and mood each day, linked to your dose, and turns it into a report for your prescriber.
Frequently asked questions Can Lexapro cause weight loss? Yes, for some people. In the trials, 3% of adults on Lexapro reported decreased appetite, against 1% on placebo, and 53 of 301 people on r/lexapro said they lost weight. If your appetite has not come back after the first weeks, tell your prescriber.
Does Lexapro make it hard to lose weight? Many people say so, often pointing to a bigger appetite or lower energy. Researchers have not pinned down one mechanism. Tell your prescriber if your usual habits stop working, since a dose or medication change can help.
Does Lexapro permanently change your metabolism? There are no data showing that it changes metabolism for good. Of 35 people on r/lexapro who stopped and said what happened, 29 lost some or all of the weight. Plan any stop with your prescriber, because stopping suddenly can bring on withdrawal.
Which antidepressant is least likely to cause weight gain? In the 2024 US study, bupropion was linked to the least weight gain of eight common antidepressants. It is not right for everyone. Ask your prescriber whether a switch makes sense for you.
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Sources LEXAPRO (escitalopram) prescribing information, US Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed, revised April 2024 Petimar J, et al. Medication-induced weight change across common antidepressant treatments: a target trial emulation study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2024 Gafoor R, Booth HP, Gulliford MC. Antidepressant utilisation and incidence of weight gain during 10 years' follow-up: population based cohort study. BMJ, 2018 Serretti A, Mandelli L. Antidepressants and body weight: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2010 NHS. Side effects of escitalopram NHS. Common questions about escitalopram r/lexapro: How much weight have you gained? r/lexapro: Anyone not gain weight on lexapro? r/lexapro: Are there people who did not gain weight on Lexapro? r/lexapro: No one can convince me lex doesn’t cause weight gain r/lexapro: Weight gain on lexapro. Thinking about switching to Wellbutrin? Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).