Research
Mixed
Metformin is the most effective pharmacological adjunct for treating antipsychotic-induced weight gain, resulting in significant weight loss compared to placebo.
If you are gaining weight on antipsychotics, ask your doctor about metformin. It is the most proven medication to help counteract this specific type of weight gain and has a good safety profile. It works best when combined with lifestyle changes.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Metformin was the most effective drug (-3.17 kg weight loss) compared with placebo... metformin may be considered for adjunctive therapy, given its favorable risk-benefit profile.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple meta-analyses of 40 trials.
Source
Weight gain and obesity in schizophrenia: epidemiology, pathobiology, and management
Peter Manu et al. · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · 2015
DOI 10.1111/acps.12445
narrative_reviewCited 283×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Second-generation antipsychotics, particularly clozapine and olanzapine, cause significant weight gain in patients with schizophrenia, driven by increased caloric intake (orexigenic effects) and potentially altered energy expenditure.Strong
- Behavioral interventions involving caloric restriction, dietary restructuring, and moderate-intensity physical activity are effective in reducing weight and preventing further weight gain in patients with schizophrenia.Good
Related findings · Mixed
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