Pexeva is a medication containing paroxetine mesylate, and it is usually prescribed for the treatment of depression and anxiety. On their website, the makers of Pexeva list weight loss is one of a large number of possible side effects associated with this medication.
Using Pexeva
Pexeva manufacturers state this drug is to be used in treating major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Though weight loss may occur, the medication was created for the purpose of treating depression.
How Pexeva Works
The Medical Weight Loss Guide explains the mechanism of action of paroxetine, the active ingredient in Pexeva, in the following way: Paroxetine belongs to a group of drugs known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is released into the synapse, or space between two neurons when one nerve cell is sending a message to another. The serotonin is usually removed by the "sending" neuron after the signal has been received. Paroxetine inhibits this process, leaving the serotonin in the synaptic space for a longer time. This causes a feeling of happiness, hence the use of these SSRIs as antidepressants. There are indications that SSRIs also increase weight loss.
Can SSRIs Like Pexeva Induce Weight Loss?
The American Academy of Family Physicians says serotonergic agents such as SSRIs act on the hypothalamus to suppress your appetite. One well-known SSRI is Prozac, which also goes by the name fluoxetine. Appetite suppression should, in theory, cause you to eat less and therefore lose weight, and researchers have experimented with SSRIs to determine their efficacy as weight-loss agents.
Scientific Evidence
The "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders" published a study that looked at the effect of fluoxetine on weight loss. Compared with a control group, test subjects showed significant weight loss after 20 weeks with fluoxetine, but this difference was no longer evident after one year. It is possible that, as an SSRI that functions in the same way, Pexeva could show a similar short-term weight-loss effect.
Warning
Regardless of the possible weight-loss potential, the makers of Pexeva indicate there are groups of people who should not take this medication. Numbered among them are children, pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant. Pexeva may cause serious damage to your unborn fetus and may increase suicidal thoughts and tendencies in children, teenagers and young adults.
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