Low-certainty evidence suggests that off-label fluoxetine may decrease weight compared with placebo .
However , low-certainty evidence suggests an increase in the risk for dizziness , drowsiness , fatigue , insomnia and nausea following fluoxetine treatment
BACKGROUND Fluoxetine is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor indicated for major depression .
It is also thought to affect weight control : this seems to happen through appetite changes result ing in decreased food intake and normalisation of unusual eating behaviours .
However , the benefit-risk ratio of this off-label medication is unclear .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of fluoxetine for overweight or obese adults .
Weight gain during long-term treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a prospective comparison between serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
BACKGROUND The effect of extended anti-depressant treatment on weight has been poorly investigated . Also unknown is whether different compounds have differential effects . The aim of the present study was to assess changes in weight in obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD ) patients treated for 2.5 years with  clomipramine or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors . METHOD 138 DSM-IV OCD patients who responded to 6-month acute treatment at the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Unit , Department of Neuroscience , University of Turin , Italy , were followed-up for 2 years while receiving open-label clomipramine , citalopram , fluoxetine , fluvoxamine , paroxetine , or sertraline .  Patients were consecutively recruited and followed from May 1998 to March 2003 . The mean percentage change in weight was compared for each group , as was the proportion of patients who had a > or = 7 % weight increase from baseline . RESULTS At the end of the 2.5-year study period , patients had gained a mean of 2.5 % of their body weight with respect to baseline ( 1.58 kg ) ; 14.5 % of the total sample experienced a significant ( > or = 7 % ) weight increase . Within each but the fluoxetine treatment group , paired t tests showed a significant increase in weight from baseline to final visit . Analysis of variance showed a significant difference between treatment groups ( p = .009 ) , with clomipramine being associated with the highest weight increase and fluoxetine and sertraline with the lowest . A higher proportion of clomipramine-treated patients ( 34.8 % ) gained > or = 7 % in weight as compared with sertraline and fluoxetine , which accounted for the lowest percentage of patients with a significant weight gain ( 4.5 % and 8.7 % , respectively ) , although this difference was not statistically significant . CONCLUSION Risk of weight gain during extended serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment for OCD differs depending on which compound is used . The differences among antiobsessive drugs may affect compliance with medication and health risks
Low-certainty evidence suggests that off-label fluoxetine may decrease weight compared with placebo .
However , low-certainty evidence suggests an increase in the risk for dizziness , drowsiness , fatigue , insomnia and nausea following fluoxetine treatment
BACKGROUND Fluoxetine is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor indicated for major depression .
It is also thought to affect weight control : this seems to happen through appetite changes result ing in decreased food intake and normalisation of unusual eating behaviours .
However , the benefit-risk ratio of this off-label medication is unclear .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of fluoxetine for overweight or obese adults .