What happens when you mix ADs and weight-loss supplements?

[Lovesick Loner]

Just curious....Are there any antidepressants you can safely mix with weight-loss supplements? What would happen? I quit taking my supplements after I started on AD's for fear of some adverse reaction in my heart or chemical imbalance in the brain. I was taking hydroxycut, along with regular exercise, and a healthy diet. It helped me lose 20 pounds and gave me lots of energy to work out. I didn't even bother asking my MD, because I figured the answer would be no. Right now I'm on Bupropion, and tapering off citalopram.

[Vini Vidi Vici]

there could be a potential interaction between Bupropion and Hydroxycut, because both raise norepinephrine levels in the brain and body....you could end up with really high blood pressure/anxiety or a stroke...small chance but it could happen. lots of the "thermogenic" weight loss supplements work by increasing the bodys metabolism, heart rate, and blood pressure, to give you more energy. I think it would be alot safer to take an SSRI like citalopram with wieght loss supplements...because theres not the risk of really high blood pressure and stuff.

[StPatrick317]

It depends, most of them combine things like Caffiene, Ephedra alkaloids, sometimes things like Tyramine. They are more likely going to interact with the "energizing" AD's. I would definitely watch out with Tricyclics, MAOI's, and SNRI's or Dopamine agonists. SSRI's might be ok.

[euphoria]

Originally Posted by Lovesick Loner

Just curious....Are there any antidepressants you can safely mix with weight-loss supplements? What would happen? I quit taking my supplements after I started on AD's for fear of some adverse reaction in my heart or chemical imbalance in the brain. I was taking hydroxycut, along with regular exercise, and a healthy diet. It helped me lose 20 pounds and gave me lots of energy to work out. I didn't even bother asking my MD, because I figured the answer would be no. Right now I'm on Bupropion, and tapering off citalopram.

Have you got your liver tested since taking hydroxycut? A quick google tells me it's been associated with liver damage. Could be worth getting your body tested in general, and I would definitely stay away from hydroxycut in future.

Bupropion + citalopram is a good combination, is there any reason you're going off it?

Weight loss supplements are probably best avoided if you're on meds, especially random herbs like in hydroxycut for which interactions & safety aren't fully established. You should be able to add a small amount of caffeine to bupropion if you need more stimulation or weight loss effect, but high doses are said to increase chance of seizures, so be careful.

If you have SA, taking these stimulants does seem kinda counter-productive... Bupropion made me horribly anxious, as does caffeine.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by euphoria

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If you have SA, taking these stimulants does seem kinda counter-productive... Bupropion made me horribly anxious, as does caffeine.

I agree with this. Wellbutrin XL was the only med I tried and it made me feel worse. I take high doses of Caffeine and Green Tea intentionally for weight loss (I take it directly before exercise) and it almost makes me want to cry. The feeling is almost the same with Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin also killed my appetite, but I really didn't have a problem with that in the first place.

[Lovesick Loner]

Originally Posted by euphoria

Have you got your liver tested since taking hydroxycut? A quick google tells me it's been associated with liver damage. Could be worth getting your body tested in general, and I would definitely stay away from hydroxycut in future.

Bupropion + citalopram is a good combination, is there any reason you're going off it?

Weight loss supplements are probably best avoided if you're on meds, especially random herbs like in hydroxycut for which interactions & safety aren't fully established. You should be able to add a small amount of caffeine to bupropion if you need more stimulation or weight loss effect, but high doses are said to increase chance of seizures, so be careful.

If you have SA, taking these stimulants does seem kinda counter-productive... Bupropion made me horribly anxious, as does caffeine.

Certainly hope I don't have liver damage. I don't have health insurance right now, so I'm guessing the test would be pretty expensive. I don't plan on going back on hydroxycut anytime soon. I'm down to 175 pounds and don't need to loose any more weight.

The main reason I'm quitting the Citalopram is because it made me a complete zombie on a low dose. I had the cognitive ability of a drunk person and the fatigue and drowsiness of someone wih the flu. It made my brain so foggy I could barely think. I constantly spaced out and forgot what I was saying in mid-sentence. For someone who already has low energy level and a hard time concentrating, it just increased the depression symptoms exponentially.

The bupropion does seem to make me slightly more anxious. On the flip side-- in just a week, it has done WONDERS for my depression. I now have motivation and don't experience the devastating hopelessness I was feeling just a month ago. I will take the tradeoff for now because it's the only drug that has had any positve effect on me.

[Lovesick Loner]

Thanks for the replies on this thread. So, what I'm getting from this is taking hydroxycut and antidepressants probably won't kill you, but, nevertheless, it's potentially harmful and isn't worth the health risk.

[jim_morrison]

Personally I would avoid them all. Isn't 'ripped freak' supposed to be the strongest legal fat burner supplement currently on the market? It supposedly does this though increasing epinephrine and norepinephrine, I'm not sure if hydroxycut works the same way but at any rate I'd be cautious adding anything with this type of action to an AD which may work similarly. Also supplements arent always greatly regulated, and a quick search of hydroxycut on google brings up the following "On May 1, 2009, the (FDA) issued a warning after some Hydroxycut products were linked to liver damage, and at least one death. The manufacturer then recalled the product."