{"id":631846,"date":"2025-04-22T09:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T13:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=631846"},"modified":"2025-04-09T16:38:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T20:38:03","slug":"zonisamide-weight-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/zonisamide-weight-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Can zonisamide make you lose weight?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Excess body weight increases the risk of a number of health conditions, from <\/span>insulin resistance<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Type 2 diabetes mellitus<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>high blood pressure<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>heart disease<\/span><\/a>. If you are overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29, or have obesity, with a BMI of 30 or more, your healthcare provider may advise you to lose weight. When Interventions like increased physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet aren’t effective, they may recommend weight loss drugs. And while medications like Orlistat, <\/span>phentermine<\/span><\/a>, and GLP-1s are commonly prescribed, they aren’t for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Zonisamide<\/span><\/a> (brand name Zonegran) is an antiepileptic medication that’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an add-on treatment to prevent partial seizures in adults with epilepsy. It<\/span> acts on the central nervous system, (CNS), slowing down electrical activity in the brain to prevent seizures. While zonisamide is not approved for weight loss, clinical trials indicate that it can lead to weight reduction. It is sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss in obese patients\u2014alone or in combination with the antidepressant <\/span>bupropion<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how exactly does zonisamide make your weight change? Read on to find out, plus the benefits, risks, and tolerability of zonisamide for weight reduction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does zonisamide cause weight loss?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although it’s not FDA approved for weight loss, obese individuals taking zonisamide may lose weight over time, with greater weight loss occurring at higher doses, says <\/span>Eric Smith<\/span><\/a>, DO, bariatric surgeon and Medical Director at POP Recovery Systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, a <\/span>randomized controlled trial<\/span><\/a> conducted at<\/span> Duke University Medical Center found that obese adults who took a daily dose of 400 mg of zonisamide for one year lost around 16 pounds, while those taking a placebo lost about nine pounds. The group taking 200 mg lost about the same amount of weight at their one-year follow-up as the placebo group. Each group received lifestyle counseling, including dietary and exercise recommendations, to prevent weight gain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>Weight loss with zonisamide can vary depending on the dose, how long someone takes it, their eating habits, activity level, and age,” notes Dr. Smith. In adults, the main concern is managing side effects and ensuring proper nutrition, he says, adding that there are additional concerns for adolescents because they’re still growing and developing. “Using a drug like this for weight loss in teens\u2014especially outside of its approved use\u2014can be risky and should only be done with very close medical supervision,” he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Smith points out that while weight loss tends to increase with higher doses of zonisamide, that also increases the risk of <\/span>side effects,<\/span><\/a> including:<\/span><\/p>\n