Did you know that most sleeping pills and antidepressant medications can cause weight gain? It’s true!
Some folks avoid sleeping pills altogether and opt for allergy medications such as Benadryl, Avil, and Hydroxyzine to dodge those pesky side effects, especially weight gain. But here’s the thing: even these alternatives can often lead to weight gain.
But don’t lose hope just yet! There’s some promising news in the world of sleep medications.
Have you heard about Orexin inhibitors? They work in a completely different way to induce sleep, and the best part is they may not cause significant weight gain like other drugs do.
It’s like a breath of fresh air for those who want a good night’s sleep without worrying about the numbers on the scale.
Three of these medications have already received approval, and they’re worth checking out. One is called Belsomra (Suvorexant), another is Dayvigo (Lemborexant), and the third one is Quviviq (Daridorexant).
These innovative options might just be the answer you’ve been looking for to help you get the sleep you need without the unwanted weight gain.
What are Orexin Inhibitors?
Orexin inhibitors are special medications that focus on specific parts of your brain called sleep centers. They target the Orexin A and Orexin B receptors, which are like the last switch that keeps you awake.
What’s cool about these drugs is that they work differently from other sleeping pills. Instead of affecting your whole brain, they only go after the Orexin receptors.
These receptors are the ones responsible for waking you up. So, these medications turn off the switch that wakes you up, helping you fall asleep more easily. It’s a more targeted approach!
The three drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment are:
Do these drugs affect your appetite?
Well, researchers are currently studying how Orexin inhibitors might impact your appetite, cravings, hunger, and ultimately your body weight.
Some evidence suggests that the Orexin A receptors might actually increase your food intake by reducing the signals that make you feel full [Ref].
In fact, the Orexin receptors have even been referred to as “Appetite stimulating peptides” by scientists in the Journal of Gastroenterology [Ref].
This discovery could potentially lead to the development of more targeted weight loss medications in the future.
In a study, it was observed that activating these Orexin receptors with substances like Glucose and Leptin led to intense feelings of hunger while inactivating them with Ghrelin, amino acids, and low glucose resulted in a sense of satisfaction and fullness [Ref].
Weight Gain/ Weight Loss with Quviviq Vs Dayvigo Vs Belsomra:
The available data is not enough to make a definite conclusion about whether Quviviq, Dayvigo, or Belsomra can cause weight loss or weight gain.
To gather more information, we looked into various social media platforms to see what users had to say about the effects of Quviviq, Dayvigo, or Belsomra on their body weight.
We found that around 6 individuals mentioned weight changes while taking these medications. However, the responses were quite varied.
Two people reported experiencing weight gain, three individuals did not notice any change in weight, and one person mentioned weight loss.
It’s important to note that these responses cannot be solely attributed to the medications, as there may be other factors involved such as concurrent medical conditions, other drugs being taken, or additional side effects like nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort.
Weight Gain/ Weight Loss with Quviviq Vs Dayvigo Vs Belsomra in Phase IV Trials:
We have gathered some post-marketing data on individuals using Dayvigo and Belsomra, although it’s important to note that this information may not be entirely reliable.
Here’s a summary of the data:
Orexin Inhibitors | Total number of Users | Percentage weight loss | Percentage weight gain |
Dayvigo | 6384 | 0.06% | 0.03% |
Belsomra | 11628 | 0.72% | 0.78 |
Quviviq | No data available |
Please keep in mind that it’s still too early to draw any firm conclusions from this data, and its authenticity is not fully established.
However, based on the provided table, it appears that Dayvigo might have a neutral effect on weight or even lead to some weight loss.
On the other hand, Belsomra may potentially be associated with weight gain. Nonetheless, further research and analysis are necessary to confirm these findings.
Are you using Quviviq, Dayvigo, or Belsomra for Insomnia? Can you spare a few seconds and answer the questions below, please 👇
- Question of
Which of these medications have you used or are you currently using for insomnia?
- Quviviq
- Dayvigo
- Belsomra
- Question of
For how long have you been using it?
- Just started a few weeks ago
- for 3 months or less
- For 6 months or less
- Question of
Did these medications help with your insomnia? Are you happy with the results you experienced?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Have you noticed any change in your body weight since starting Quviviq, Dayvigo, or Belsomra?
- Yes, I have gained weight
- Yes, I have lost weight
- No, I haven’t noticed any change
- Question of
Have you gained weight using Quviviq?
- Yes, I have gained weight
- I have lost weight
- No. I haven’t noticed any change in weight
- I have not used Quviviq
- Question of
Have you gained weight using Dayvigo?
- Yes, Yes, I have gained weight
- I have lost weight
- No. I haven’t noticed any change in weight
- I have not used Dayvigo
- Question of
Have you gained weight using Belsomra?
- Yes, Yes, I have gained weight
- I have lost weight
- No. I haven’t noticed any change in weight
- I have not used Belsomra
- Question of
Did your eating habits change while taking Orexin Inhibitors?
- Yes, I am full all the time
- Yes, I don’t feel like eating
- Yes, I no more have cravings for food I loved
- Yes, I am hungry most of the times
- No. I haven’t noticed any change
- Question of
Which drug do you think is best for Insomnia?
- Quviviq
- Dayvigo
- Belsomra
- I don’t know
- Question of
Which drug is associated with the most weight gain?
- Quviviq
- Belsomra
- Dayvigo
- I don’t know