Yes. Some medicines can make you feel hungrier than usual, and increased appetite can sometimes contribute to weight gain. This effect is associated with certain corticosteroids, antidepressants, antipsychotics and some hormonal medicines. However, appetite changes are not always caused by medication, and the likelihood varies considerably between individual medicines and people.
If your appetite changed after starting a medicine, increasing the dose or adding another treatment, the timing is worth discussing with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also use the Symptom-Led Side Effects hub to explore other symptoms that may occur with medicines.
Increased appetite may also be linked with medicine causing weight gain, although the two are not exactly the same. Some medicines can affect body weight through appetite, fluid retention, metabolism or a combination of factors.
How medicine Increasing Appetite can be linked to medicines or supplements
Medicines can influence hunger and body weight in different ways. Some affect chemical signals involved in appetite and feeling full. Others can change blood sugar, fluid balance or metabolism. In some situations, appetite may also improve because the condition being treated had previously reduced your desire to eat.
This makes timing important. Consider whether the increased hunger:
- started soon after a new medicine was introduced;
- appeared after your dose was increased;
- became noticeable after another medicine or supplement was added;
- occurs at a particular time after taking your medicine;
- is accompanied by weight change, thirst, frequent urination, swelling, tiredness or mood changes.
An association in timing does not prove that a medicine caused the symptom. Your underlying condition, recovery from illness, sleep, stress, hormonal changes and eating patterns can also influence appetite.
Supplements and complementary products should be included when discussing appetite changes with a healthcare professional. Keep a record of the product name and ingredients rather than assuming that a product labelled “natural” cannot cause side effects or interact with other treatments.
Medicines and product categories that may be associated with this symptom
Different medicines have different side-effect profiles. The following are examples rather than a complete list.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids such as prednisolone can increase hunger. The NHS notes that people taking prednisolone may become hungrier and may gain weight, particularly when treatment continues for more than a few weeks. Prednisolone can also cause the body to retain more water, so changes on the scale are not necessarily caused by increased food intake alone.
The likelihood of steroid side effects generally increases with higher doses and longer treatment. Steroids may also affect blood sugar, which becomes important if increased hunger occurs with excessive thirst or frequent urination.
Do not suddenly stop a prescribed corticosteroid because of increased appetite or weight gain. Depending on the medicine, dose and duration of treatment, stopping abruptly can be harmful and a clinician may need to reduce the dose gradually.
Antidepressants
Some antidepressants can affect appetite and weight. Mirtazapine is one example: increased appetite and weight gain are recognised common side effects.
Not every antidepressant has the same effect, and not everyone taking mirtazapine or another antidepressant will experience increased hunger. Appetite can also change as depression, anxiety or another condition improves.
If increased appetite is becoming difficult to manage, speak to the doctor or pharmacist responsible for your treatment rather than changing the dose yourself.
Antipsychotic medicines
Some antipsychotics can increase appetite and body weight. Olanzapine, for example, lists increased appetite and weight gain among its recognised side effects. It can also affect blood sugar and blood fats, which is one reason physical-health monitoring may be important during treatment.
The metabolic effects of antipsychotics vary substantially between individual medicines. A person experiencing increased hunger or weight gain should therefore discuss their specific medicine with their prescriber rather than assuming that all antipsychotics have the same risk.
Hormonal medicines
Some medicines that act on hormones can influence appetite or weight, but the effect depends on the particular product.
Megestrol, a synthetic form of progesterone used for specific medical indications, can increase appetite and is sometimes prescribed specifically to help address severe appetite and weight loss.
Hormonal contraception requires more caution when discussing weight effects. Weight gain is commonly reported by people using hormonal contraception, but the NHS notes that there is not enough evidence to establish that hormonal contraception itself causes many of these reported side effects.
For this reason, check the professional information or patient leaflet for your exact hormonal medicine rather than applying information about one product to another.
Red flags: when this symptom may need urgent medical attention
Feeling slightly hungrier than usual is different from suddenly developing extreme hunger together with other symptoms.
Contact a healthcare professional promptly if unusually strong hunger occurs with:
- excessive or persistent thirst;
- urinating much more frequently than usual;
- blurred vision;
- unusual weakness or marked tiredness;
- unexplained rapid changes in weight.
These symptoms can be associated with high blood sugar. Both corticosteroids such as prednisolone and certain antipsychotic medicines can affect glucose levels. MedlinePlus specifically advises people taking olanzapine to contact their doctor promptly if they develop extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision or weakness.
Seek urgent emergency medical care if you develop severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble swallowing, fainting, seizures, severe confusion or a serious blistering or peeling rash. These may indicate a severe medicine reaction rather than a simple appetite change.
Extreme hunger accompanied by vomiting, shortness of breath, fruity-smelling breath or reduced consciousness also requires urgent assessment because these can be warning signs of a serious blood-sugar emergency.
New or severe psychiatric symptoms, including thoughts of self-harm or suicide, also require immediate professional help.
What to track before speaking to a doctor or pharmacist
A short symptom record can make it easier for your healthcare professional to assess whether the appetite change might be linked to treatment.
Record:
- the names and doses of all prescription and non-prescription medicines;
- vitamins, herbal products and other supplements you use;
- when each medicine was started or its dose last changed;
- approximately when your appetite changed;
- whether hunger is constant or occurs at particular times;
- any noticeable weight change;
- changes in thirst or urination;
- swelling of the feet, ankles, hands or face;
- changes in sleep, energy or mood;
- any other new side effects.
You do not need to weigh yourself excessively. If weight is relevant to your treatment, ask your healthcare professional how often it should be checked.
If you have diabetes or another condition that requires glucose monitoring, follow the monitoring plan given to you by your healthcare team. Do not change diabetes medicines or other treatment solely because you are feeling hungrier.
Children, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding people, and anyone with diabetes or another chronic medical condition should discuss significant or persistent appetite changes with an appropriate healthcare professional.
What not to do without medical advice
Do not stop, reduce, double or otherwise change a prescribed medicine simply because your appetite has increased.
This is especially important with medicines such as corticosteroids, antidepressants and antipsychotics, where abrupt changes can cause withdrawal effects, a return or worsening of the condition being treated, or other complications. MedlinePlus advises people taking olanzapine not to stop it without speaking to their doctor, while corticosteroids may require gradual dose reduction after certain treatment courses.
Also avoid:
- starting appetite suppressants or weight-loss medicines without professional advice;
- adding herbal or complementary products to counteract the symptom without checking for interactions;
- making extreme dietary changes;
- skipping prescribed doses in an attempt to control hunger;
- assuming that increased appetite automatically means a medicine is unsafe.
A doctor or pharmacist can review whether the symptom is expected with your particular medicine, whether monitoring is appropriate and whether there are other possible causes that should be investigated.
Related side-effect guides and reporting options in South Africa
If increased appetite appears to be part of a wider pattern of symptoms, explore the side effect symptoms A-Z or read the broader guide to medication side effects.
South African patients can also report suspected adverse reactions. SAHPRA provides an adverse-event reporting pathway for consumers and healthcare professionals, including an electronic reporting option and an adverse drug reaction reporting form.
Learn more about how to report side effects in South Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Is increased appetite a common medicine side effect?
It can be common with particular medicines, but there is no single frequency that applies to all medicines. For example, increased appetite and weight gain are recognised effects of mirtazapine, prednisolone and olanzapine. Other medicines may have little or no effect on appetite. Always check the information for your specific medicine.
How long can increased appetite last?
It depends on the medicine, dose, treatment duration and individual response. Some side effects improve as the body adjusts, while others may continue for as long as treatment continues. With prednisolone, the NHS states that appetite should return towards normal after treatment stops, but prescribed steroids should not be stopped suddenly without appropriate medical guidance.
If increased appetite persists, becomes more pronounced or leads to concerning weight changes, ask your doctor or pharmacist to review it.
Should I stop my medicine if it makes me hungry?
No. Do not stop or alter a prescribed medicine without speaking to the healthcare professional managing your treatment. Increased appetite may be manageable, and suddenly stopping some medicines can create additional health risks.
Your doctor or pharmacist can assess the benefit of the medicine alongside the side effect and advise on appropriate next steps.
When should I seek help?
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the appetite change is persistent, bothersome, causing significant weight changes or accompanied by other new symptoms.
Seek prompt medical attention if extreme hunger occurs with excessive thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision or marked weakness. Seek emergency care for difficulty breathing, facial or throat swelling, fainting, seizures, severe confusion, suicidal thoughts, or symptoms suggesting a severe allergic reaction or blood-sugar emergency.
This information is for general education and does not diagnose the cause of increased appetite or replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. If you are concerned that a medicine is changing your appetite, track the symptom and discuss your specific medicine, dose and health circumstances with a healthcare professional.