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Bystolic weight gain: Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?

Beta Blockers and Weight Gain: Is it Inevitable?

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Beta blockers, normally taken for high blood pressure and other heart issues, have been known to cause weight gain in a significant number of patients. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average weight gain that can be directly attributed to the medication is 2 to 4 pounds. So why do so many patients complain about stubborn weight gain, month after month, and a difficulty losing the excess poundage? The answer may lie in the way the drugs affect your body.

Why Does This Happen?

The older types of beta blockers, especially atenalol and metroprolol, cause fat to accumulate in the belly area. This trend begins in the first few months of treatment. The real problem begins with the other reactions the body has. Beta blockers lower metabolic rates, which means you’re burning fewer calories. They calm the body and reduce fidgeting, which can lower your calorie deficit by a couple of hundred a day. Finally, they give a body a feeling of weariness, reducing endurance and the actual desire to exercise.

What Can You Do?

It may seem as if the odds were stacked against you when you take these medications. You burn off fewer calories, and you want to exercise even less than before. Even if you ate a healthy amount of food before starting beta blockers, you may find 3 to 5 pounds creeping on every month. With the increased health risks that accompany weight gain, just accepting the problem is not the answer. You’re going to have to get proactive with your weight, no matter how little it mattered before.

  • Keep a food diary for two weeks, tracking everything you eat and drink. Use this to find your average daily calories.
  • Cut your average calories by 250 per day. This may be simpler than it sounds, if you look at your average menu. Cutting out sodas alone can accomplish this goal.
  • Take a walk, play with children, walk the dog, play basketball, or do some sort of movement that adds up to 250 calories each day. Use a site such as CaloriesPerHour to determine what you burn off. Check with your cardiologist to get suggestions for safe exercises for you.

It’s not easy, and it may never be the natural process you used to enjoy, but achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is possible while taking beta blockers. You’ll need to develop new habits, and find new motivation, but weight gain isn’t inevitable.

If you have any questions about beta blockers or any other aspect of heart health, contact Dr. Dilip Mathew in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota area. Dr. Mathew specializes in treating AFib through ablation therapy. With two offices in the west Florida area, Dr. Mathew and Heart Rhythm Consultants, P.A. are ready to answer any AFib concerns you may have.

About Heart Rhythm Consultants, P.A.

The experienced electrophysiologists of Heart Rhythm Consultants, P.A. have been serving West Florida including Sarasota, Venice, Tampa, and Sun City Center for over 15 years. Our specialty cardiologists, or EP doctors, help patients manage their abnormal heart rhythm conditions, whether they suffer from arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (AFib), or other irregular heartbeats. Dr. Dilip J. Mathew and Dr. Rajesh Malik perform arrhythmia treatments like cardiac ablation, cryoablation, and implanting pacemakers or defibrillators. Dr. Mathew has performed nearly 5,000 complex cardiac ablations. View our office locations in Sarasota and Venice, Florida.

Nebivolol lowers blood pressure and increases weight loss in patients with hypertension and diabetes in regard to age

Clinical Trial

. 2010 Sep;56(3):275-81.

doi: 10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181eb4ff2.

Dennis Ladage 
1
, Christian Reidenbach, Eva Rieckeheer, Christine Graf, Robert H G Schwinger, Klara Brixius

Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, Institute of Cardiology and Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • PMID:

    20571428

  • DOI:

    10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181eb4ff2

Clinical Trial

Dennis Ladage et al.

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol.

2010 Sep.

. 2010 Sep;56(3):275-81.

doi: 10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181eb4ff2.

Authors

Dennis Ladage 
1
, Christian Reidenbach, Eva Rieckeheer, Christine Graf, Robert H G Schwinger, Klara Brixius

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, Institute of Cardiology and Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • PMID:

    20571428

  • DOI:

    10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181eb4ff2

Abstract


Background:

In patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and arterial hypertension, the control of systolic and diastolic blood pressure is essential to reduce the risk of adverse events. The present study investigates the effect of treatment with the third-generation beta-blocker nebivolol, in female and male patients of different ages.


Methods:

Five thousand thirty-one male and female patients with mild to moderate hypertension and type 2 diabetes were treated with a daily dose of 5-mg nebivolol for 12 weeks. Before and after therapy, each patient’s blood pressure, heart rate, and body weight were measured and blood samples were obtained to study metabolic parameters.


Results:

Nebivolol reduced systolic blood pressure, in both sexes, to a similar extent. In regard to age, the most significant reduction in blood pressure over the 12-week treatment period was observed in the group of patients below the age of 40. With advancing age, there was a decline in the reduction of systolic blood pressure induced by nebivolol. This effect was more evident among the decennial age groups in respect to diastolic blood pressure. In addition, we found weight reduction to be age dependent. Body weight was significantly more reduced in men compared with women.


Conclusions:

Nebivolol is effective in treating patients with diabetes suffering from high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. The significantly decreased effect on blood pressure found in elderly patients may be attributed to increased endothelial dysfunction with advancing age.

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Endocrinologist called the reasons for weight gain | Society news | Izvestiya

An imbalance between the energy consumed in the form of food and the energy expended leads to an increase in body weight. Elena Sinitsyna, an endocrinologist and nutritionist at the SM-Clinic, told Izvestia about the causes that could lead to an imbalance.

The imbalance between consumed and expended energy can be caused by many factors. One of the most common causes is overeating. Often people do not notice how they overeat – eating on the run, quick snacks, eating in the presence of distractions (mobile, TV, tablet) are out of control.

Sweets can also contribute to weight gain.

“A small piece of candy or a piece of chocolate has a low calorie content, but causes a sharp increase in blood glucose, and after it, insulin. After a few minutes, your glucose level drops, and you feel a characteristic desire to snack again and eat something delicious. In order not to provoke weight gain, it is important to limit the consumption of sugar and starches in their pure form as much as possible – giving up chocolate and sweets, fruit juices and even sweetened yogurts, ”Sinitsyna emphasized.

The endocrinologist also named a high level of stress in the body among the causes of obesity. During times of stress, the body needs to respond quickly and issue ready-made solutions. Due to the production of the stress hormone (cortisol), in a stressful situation, cravings for sweets (a fast source of energy) increase, and sleep is disturbed. This is an effective tactic for the survival of the body for a short period, but under conditions of chronic stress, the body is literally exhausted and all conditions are created for a rapid increase in body weight.

Serious stress for the body, in particular, is lack of sleep and chronic sleep deprivation, as it significantly impairs biochemical processes. Trying to make up for the lack of energy, people often consume not only more coffee, but food in general, which also leads to weight gain.

Certain medications can also cause weight changes. These drugs include antidepressants, antipsychotics, hypoglycemic drugs, some antihypertensive and anabolic steroids, contraceptives.

Hormonal disorders can also be the cause of imbalance in the body. Sinitsyna added that the most common and frequent abnormalities in the hormonal system that lead to weight gain are thyroid disorders, as well as age-related hormonal disorders.

“Low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) is characterized by a severe metabolic slowdown characterized by rapid weight gain, chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and an inability to get enough sleep even with plenty of sleep,” the endocrinologist explained.

Weight gain may be related to age-related hormonal changes. For example, in women during menopause, the production of female sex hormones decreases, which is accompanied by a restructuring of all metabolic processes. The average weight gain during this period is from five to seven kilograms. However, as the metabolism changes, getting rid of this weight is not always easy.

“An analogue of male menopause is an age-related decrease in testosterone levels, which leads not only to a sharp loss of muscle mass, but also provokes obesity. In this case, fat begins to be deposited on the chest, thighs and lower abdomen. Recently, I often see a decrease in testosterone levels in young men, which may be the result of a sedentary lifestyle and chronic stress, ”said Sinitsyna.

In addition to common causes, there are a number of serious diseases that cause obesity: Itsenko-Cushing syndrome, Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome, Prader-Will syndrome, Carpenter’s syndrome.

On December 15, Elizabeth Louden, a physician at the American Center for Metabolic Health and Weight Loss, revealed that the majority of belly fat is due to a low metabolism. If you solve the problem with metabolism, you will get rid of excess weight forever. In this case, consultation with specialists is necessary.

non-obvious causes of weight gain and what to do about it

Sometimes pounds are gained regardless of how you eat and how much time you spend in the gym. Here are a few factors that explain why women gain weight. Attached are tips on how to deal with it.

Tags:

Health

weight loss

Nutrition

Proper nutrition

Women Health

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We are used to the fact that the scales can show different numbers in the morning and in the evening. Therefore, we love to weigh ourselves after waking up – to admire a smaller value. We eat, drink a lot of fluids, and fluctuations within two kilograms during the day are considered the norm. And they have nothing to do with fat mass gain. But it also happens that the weight begins not to fluctuate, but to grow rapidly, and we cannot understand why this happens. And in the morning, the arrow of the scales already ceases to please …

Of course, overeating and abuse of fast carbohydrates against the background of low physical activity are obvious reasons that affect the parameters of the figure. But why sometimes weight grows with proper nutrition? It turns out that unexpected factors that we are not accustomed to associate with food and full sides can contribute to an increase in the waist. Meanwhile, there is a connection, and we will talk about it.

Why weight is growing rapidly

Some time ago, your favorite trousers were easy to fasten, but today they can hardly reach the hips. Common situation? According to the Master of Health, MD, American nutritionist Kathleen Zelman, in some cases, weight gain in people turns out to be sharp. Although many “catch” changes when five kilograms are already added to their own norm. And this fact can lead women into a state of horror. Zelman explains why weight often goes up even when you’re in a calorie deficit.

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1. You don’t get enough sleep

If you haven’t slept for one or two nights, it’s okay. But when you do it all the time, don’t be surprised later why the weight grows, including on a diet. Yes, you may be trying to limit yourself to certain foods. But proper rest is also part of the process of losing weight. The link between lack of sleep and weight gain has already been proven, and it is direct. You are more awake and you eat more. In addition, the body does not have time to recover in a short night, circadian rhythms are disrupted, and with them the metabolism and production of the hormones ghrelin (I want to eat) and leptin (controls satiety).

What to do: set a sleep schedule, go to bed and get up at the same time (no later than 11 p.m.). Imagine – even on weekends! Turn off gadgets at least an hour before bedtime and stop eating 2-3 hours before bed. Don’t drink coffee in the evenings.

2. You’re stressed

You’re just “a little” nervous, and for some reason, the weight immediately increases dramatically. The situation is frequent and very offensive. But the ability to deal with negativity will give you many health benefits. Elevated levels of cortisol contribute to the fact that stress becomes chronic, the result is extra pounds (hair loss and other “side effects”). The body is forced to switch to an emergency mode of operation, and it needs additional energy. Cortisol also affects circadian rhythms.

What to do: learn to meditate, breathe deeply, slowly count to 20, or do something else to deal with stress. And don’t forget about sleep!

3. You are depressed

If you are taking antidepressants, the answer to the question of why the weight is growing rapidly lies on the surface. Many of these drugs help to gain excess. Depression itself also does not protect the figure: many try to seize bad feelings.

What to do: look for support in sports or turn to friends who will help you get distracted. Talk to your doctor about a different treatment plan.

4. You are taking the wrong medication

Some birth control pills, other hormones, steroids, beta-blockers cause weight gain because they affect appetite or metabolism. By the way, we wrote in detail about why weight grows before and during menstruation. This problem is due to fluid retention in the body and a number of other reasons.

What to do: together with a specialist, choose other drugs without such side effects.

5. Intestinal bacteria work poorly

Many girls do not understand why weight increases even during physical exertion. They do not forget to move, and the waist is literally spreading before our eyes. The fault may be disturbed intestinal flora. For example, after a course of antibiotics or eating a lot of sweets. Alas, this is also the way to increase the mass.

What to do: take probiotics, drink more water, eat healthy food, including fermented milk products while taking the medicine. If nothing helps, see a doctor.

6. Lack of nutrients

Dietitians are often asked why intermittent fasting puts on weight – after all, you have to go without food for at least 16 hours! In this case, the body may experience low levels of magnesium, iron or vitamin D, which interferes with its normal functioning and slows down metabolism. Many people try to increase their energy levels with caffeine, sweets, and simple carbohydrates, making up for those hours allotted for meals.

What to do: eat red meat and spinach to increase iron levels, nuts – magnesium, but vitamin D should be taken separately in the right dosage.

7. You are getting older

On the forums you can often “hear” the cry of the soul: “Why is the weight growing, but I eat the same?”. In some cases, age is the explanation. Metabolism slows down over the years (every decade). The “aging effect” is slowly changing our body composition, reducing calorie-burning muscle and replacing it with fat.

But it happens a little differently. The reasons for weight gain are that most adults gradually become less active, but continue to eat as much as they did in their 20s. Appetite does not go anywhere and plays a bad joke on the background of the aging of the body.

What to do: need to exercise and eat a little less to stay at your favorite weight. Find exercises that work for you, eat more vegetables, and remember to drink water.

8. You eat at night

For some reason, at night, many people are unbearably hungry, hunger is drawn to the refrigerator, and weight at this time also does not sleep and grows. Studies show that eating at night is harmful. In fact, you consume calories that the body does not need. In addition, at the end of the wakeful period, food is digested more slowly.

What to do: try to make the main meal of the day lunch and never skip breakfast, which consists of proteins and slow carbohydrates.

9. Do you go in for sports

Most of all, girls worry and ask the question: “I go in for sports, but for some reason my weight is growing. How so? We agree that this is unfair. But with the start of classes, the need for calories increases, and we eat more. Muscle mass begins to come from training in tone, but fat is still not going anywhere. That is why the volumes do not go away, but rather grow, and with them the weight.

Also, don’t panic if the numbers jump up. It’s just that muscle mass is heavier than fat. Knowing why weight grows when playing sports, just stop paying attention to the scales. Look in the mirror, don’t weigh yourself.

What to do: normalize nutrition, introduce more fiber and protein, remove sweets and starchy foods. If you really want to, why not allow yourself a “prohibition”, but not after an evening workout, when the weight grows the most, but from 12 to 15 hours. And then – once every 10 days! This unloads the brain, helps not to get hung up and does not harm the figure.

Measures against weight gain

The best option than to prevent the problem, and not get out of it, has not yet been invented. In order not to have to solve the difficult task of why weight grows even when losing weight, try to follow simple rules.

  • Adjust your diet so that it barely covers the energy needs of the body. Do not allow overeating, justifying yourself with a festive occasion. To please yourself with a delicious treat on Saturday – yes. Stuffing your stomach until you stop breathing – no.
  • The diet should contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, essential minerals and nutrients. Keep it as low as possible for food waste like buns, soda, and chips.
  • Move for at least 40 minutes every day. If you’re gaining weight while exercising due to muscle building, why not start with walking and active housework. And then you get to serious loads.
  • Get rid of negative emotions and thoughts by swimming, communicating with loved ones, reading books and watching good movies. Take your pet for a walk and play with him, combining positive pastime and physical activity.
  • Allow yourself sweets if you have a sweet tooth. Many are perplexed: “I eat few goodies, but for some reason the weight is growing and growing!”. But they can be consumed in the afternoon, and the serving size can be underestimated. Kathleen Zelman suggests storing 100-calorie berries in the freezer to control calories and volume.