Alprazolam Increases Food Intake

Many psychotropic medications including neuroleptics, thymoleptics, and antidepressants increase appetite and weight which are important determinants of treatment noncompliance and discontinuation. Often benzodiazepines are also prescribed with the above medication classes, but despite animal data showing that benzodiazepines increase appetite and food intake, they are infrequently considered as a possible reason for treatment-associated weight gain. This small study compared food intake and weight gain in seven healthy male residential volunteers on a research unit after receiving alprazolam (0.75 mg twice daily), placebo, or no medication.

The subjects had free access to food, although it was limited during the day by tasks they had to per…