A 22-year-old male asked:
Will lexapro effect my testosterone levels or metabolism? i am currently on lexapro for anxiety and am wanting to lose weight and after that start gaining muscle. the only problem is i have heard that lexapro can cause people to gain weight and can lower
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Lexapro (escitalopram) : Lexapro (escitalopram) should not effect your testosterone level. However, Lexapro (escitalopram) is in the family of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These medication can sometimes effect sexual function via the chemical nicotine synthetase which is found in the body.
Some people do gain weight when on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Lexapro (escitalopram) is fairly weight neutral which means that although you could experience weight gain, that most people don't tend to gain or lose a lot of weight on it. Lexapro (escitalopram) use will not prevent you from gaining muscle mass. If you are concerned about body fat and muscle mass, the more important issues are your diet/nutrition, physical activity, adequate hydration and your degree of committment to a healthy life style, . The great thing is, that if you take good care of yourself it might help the condition you are using Lexapro (escitalopram) for. Regular sleep, physical activity, healthy food and making your health and wellbeing a priorty are all things that would positively impact depression, anxiety and a host of other conditions.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Richard Buntanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Lexapro (escitalopram) : Lexapro (escitalopram) will not tend to effect testosterone levels, or lower your metabolism, per se, and while it is not extremely likely, no one can guarantee that it won't cause wt gain in any given person. If you want to lose weight and gain muscle, and your doctor says you are in the appropriate condition to handle the diet and exercise regimen you've chosen, then what are you waiting for? You may even find that the exercise is reducing the anxiety, such that you don't even need so much of the lexapro, (escitalopram) but you need to work closely with your doctor regarding possible decreases in your medication dosage. Mayby you should also look into the martial arts, for something that has a meditative aspect to it, as this might also eventually help you to curb your anxiety with less need of medication.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Feb 24, 2018
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