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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Benzodiazepines & Their Effects On Weight Loss

^
Those links only backed up the point that drinking beers to get 'drunk' will cause weight gain. I think there is a misunderstanding here, we're talking about daily consumption of 6-12 beers. That is going to cause considerable weight gain.

Look at the links before you say shit
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Read the OPs post before you say shit ;)

I'm in total agreeance with you in that diet and exercise are more important when it comes to weight gain/loss. But large amounts of beer on a regular basis do not help at all and do add alot of extra calories.

As for the question about benzos and weight gain, I've never noticed much of an effect on my weight from benzo use and I've used lots of benzos, been through addiction with them and still use valium occasionally but that's just me, YMMV. As long as you keep up the exercise you should be fine.
 
puckboy said:
^
Those links only backed up the point that drinking beers to get 'drunk' will cause weight gain. I think there is a misunderstanding here, we're talking about daily consumption of 6-12 beers. That is going to cause considerable weight gain.



Read the OPs post before you say shit ;)

I'm in total agreeance with you in that diet and exercise are more important when it comes to weight gain/loss. But large amounts of beer on a regular basis do not help at all and do add alot of extra calories.

As for the question about benzos and weight gain, I've never noticed much of an effect on my weight from benzo use and I've used lots of benzos, been through addiction with them and still use valium occasionally but that's just me. As long as you keep up the exercise you should be fine.
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Hey dude, I know that was unnecessary to say that. I thought my point was not getting across and got frustrated. My apologies.
 
Thanks for the info all, sorry it took so long to reply again.

I dont use benzo's often. Once a week maybe. I know VERY well about benzo addiction and it ain't gonna happen to me. Alcohol, I did too much of in '09. I know there's no such thing as a "beer gut", but thats where the fat builds up for me personally before any other place, so I still refer it to as such. In 2010, Im banned from beer for the most part. I drink a few shots on the weekend here and there - no biggie.
 
Psychedelic Jay said:
No, it's a fact bro. It's how you drink.

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1077558101.html

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1083349678.html

Even if you drank beer like water, your liver would be screwed before you gain any kind of weight from drinking.
Hell, apple juice has more of a chance making you gain weight.
Beer, by contrast is better for you than non-diet soda in terms of nutritional value goes as well as possibility for a gain in weight.
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Yo did u go to state? SUNY !!!!
 
well, if you are replacing benzos for alcohol, then of course you will lost weight.

But... lower heartrate = slower metabolism.
 
Psychedelic Jay said:
No, it's a fact bro. It's how you drink.

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1077558101.html

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1083349678.html

Even if you drank beer like water, your liver would be screwed before you gain any kind of weight from drinking.
Hell, apple juice has more of a chance making you gain weight.
Beer, by contrast is better for you than non-diet soda in terms of nutritional value goes as well as possibility for a gain in weight.
Click to expand...

I know this is a very old thread, but Psychedelic Jay is 100% right. When I was an alcoholic I went from slim to almost skeletal. Like I'm 5"6 and my weight dropped to 85lbs. Just because I very rarely ate. I usually just totally forgot to eat or just didn't feel like it. In fact, when the people I lived with were cooking, even if it was a food I used to like it would made me nauseous to the point I had to go out for a walk 'till they were done.
Also (this does not happen in normal drinkers or weekend binges) with chronic alcoholism, the alcohol actually stops your body being able to absorb calories or nutrient. It also causes a swelling of the abdomen and face. Which is why most hardcore alcoholics (by which I mean people who drink all day long, every day) usually end up skinny, but have what I think of "alcoholic body": stick-think limbs but a bloated abdomin anf puffy face.
SOME alcoholics do LOOK fat (very very rarely they are, and usually only early on in the disease) because deterioration of the liver and pancreas causes edema.

Was an answer to the titular question actually came to
Benzos slow down the metabolism, but I've noticed that I often forget to eat or don't feel like eating. Or purposely don't in order to take my pills on an empty stomach. Or I'm just asleep lol.
 
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Psychedelic Jay said:
Yes, any downer is slowing down your metabolism. (GABA/Opiate)

No, alcohol was not your problem. (Beer bellies are not really beer bellies.)
There is no fat in alcoholic beverages.
You just eat a shitload of unhealthy shit when you are drunk, and alcohol/benzos slow your metabolism, leading to a shitload of calories building up.

3500 calories= 1 pound of body fat.
Now think, the average person going to McDonald's is going to ingest 1 1/2 times that amount in one sitting.

So, hop on the treadmill and get at it.
Click to expand...

What a half-truth! Beer is filled with carbs which produce more fat on your body than fat itself does!
 
Alcohol inhibits the metabolism of fat, carbohydrates, and protein by 79%, 39%, and more than 249% respectively in this study. Many alcoholic beverages also have a non-negligible carbohydrate content.

The reason you're probably losing weight on alcohol is due to malabsorption of nutrients common in all alcoholics. This is an unhealthy weight loss.

Old thread. Closed. PM me if you have any questions.

[edit]

Opened as per user request.
 
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bloodshed344 said:
What a half-truth! Beer is filled with carbs which produce more fat on your body than fat itself does!
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The fact is, compared to some of the calorie bomb drinks that are out there, beer isn't *terrible*. It's a lot of "empty" calories -- mostly ethanol, which gets metabolized into acetyl-coa and thus is an energy source for the body. (The conversion I believe is inefficient compared to others, but it still is there.) But even a whopper of a heavy IPA (12oz) contains around 200-250 calories; 12 ounces of Guinness is only 125 calories. Compare that to a 410 calorie Starbucks caramel frappuccino or the generally oversized American restaurant food (count the number of "appetizers" that are over 1000 calories on a menu...)

Obesity is not 100% "calorie in / calorie out" (although that's a good rule of thumb), the existence of medications that are known for inducing heavy weight gain show that there are other things going on sometimes. Likewise, it's interesting that most studies I can Google peg *regular* moderate drinking, notably of wine, with weight *loss* or weight control. This is different from binge drinking (which I do see associated with weight gain) or heavy drinking (lots of problems as noted above). The studies don't seem to have an answer; some suspect the body adjusts to regular small amounts of alcohol, some suspect its behavioral (if you can control your drinking you more than likely can also control your eating habits). It could be a combination of both...
 
^ I agree with the OP, It sounds like a reasonable assumption that benzos are preventing weight loss (and perhaps cause weight gain in some). I could see benzos preventing one from losing weight. Even merely on a psychological level, they inhibi decision making and thought processing centers so much that one might even think he is eating a certain way when he isn't, and etc.. Not only that but the sedating effect seems to be very conducive to weight gain if everything, so if you're trying to shed pounds, taking benzos might make it much harder. We know SSRIs cause people to get way fat unless they increase their exercise routine.

So electrodevo, you're saying that weight control doesn't relate to calories consumed vs calories burned? Suggesting a metabolic arrest of some sort perhaps? This shit is complex. Maybe the introduction of a downer causes the recycling process to change, or maybe the body then relies on simple sugars for energy or some strange shit like that. I'm tweaking right now i'll get back to you but what do you think?
 
Crashing said:
So electrodevo, you're saying that weight control doesn't relate to calories consumed vs calories burned? Suggesting a metabolic arrest of some sort perhaps? This shit is complex. Maybe the introduction of a downer causes the recycling process to change, or maybe the body then relies on simple sugars for energy or some strange shit like that. I'm tweaking right now i'll get back to you but what do you think?
Click to expand...

Calories consumed vs calories burned is a really good rule of thumb for weight control, but metabolism and digestion is very complex, and I do think other factors sometimes can make weight control easier or harder for certain people. The modest alcohol -> weight control or loss link is a puzzler.

There is evidence that benzodiazepines enhance taste palatability (link) and for all I know that could influence weight gain, but probably not for everyone? Benzo withdrawal sometimes seems to be associated with considerable weight loss.
 
Benzos give me massive munchies!! Learn to curb that n I think ull be ok.

It's also a matter of not letting benzos turn u lazy. Make sure u get in at least a walk or two a day!

After bein in a cast after 2 ankle surgeries for 10 mons I packed on weight. But even tho I'm almost always on benzos n quit drinkin alcohol I force myself to remain active n lost the 100 lbs I had gained plus 54 extra! I feel amazing now (n pretty hot if I do say so myself heh). Smallest I've been in 5 yrs n it feels awesome!

I've also used kanna as it's known to curb ur appetite n in my case works pretty damn good :)

Best of luck to u!!
 
Ho-Chi-Minh said:
Those with anxiety tend to eat too much or too little, case in point.
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This is definitely true. I find that people who are anxious eaters, tend to eat very little when they're under the influence of benzodiazepines, and those who eat very little when anxious, eat a lot when they're under the influence of benzodiazepines.
 
^im living proof of that right there.

though, at the best of times im not a huge eater unless im doing fairly intensive weight and cardio training ever other day. in which case i eat out the house and home.
 
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