Does Methadone Cause Weight Gain?

Participating In Medication Assisted Treatment While Maintaining a Healthy Weight

There’s one issue that is grossly underaddressed in the recovery industry and certainly lacks a voice of guidance with regard to preventative measures. But spend five minutes conversing with clients at a methadone treatment center, and you’ll quickly find out one of the major pitfalls is the increase in difficulty when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.

The underlying question is this: does methadone cause weight gain?

Multiple factors contribute to the dreaded weight gain that comes with methadone treatment, so trying just a single fix might not provide the solutions you’re looking for. With a little background knowledge and the right approach, you can curb the weight gain that comes with methadone treatment, avoiding this potentially serious side effect.

If you’re attending medication-assisted treatment and receiving methadone, don’t skip this article, as it could potentially save you from gaining weight in the future. And if you would like support to come off methadone with other forms of MAT, the caring team at Icarus is available at any time for confidential support.

The Negative Stigma of Methadone & Medication-Assisted Treatment

Regardless of the negative stigmas surrounding methadone treatment, numbers don’t lie – methadone maintenance treatment has helped hundreds of thousands of opioid-addicted participants live normal lives without the weight of a physical addiction constantly bogging them down.

With current addiction medicine and the breakthroughs in treatment, methadone may not be the primary weapon against opioid dependence like it was in years past.

But, combined with the right guidance, accompanying therapeutic efforts, and the right attitude, methadone is a formidable tool in any recovering user’s arsenal. That said, attending a methadone clinic for treatment does come with an asterisk next to it, as there is a some potential for collateral damage and, of course, physical dependence.

The Relationship Between Methadone and Increases In Body Mass Index

The weight gain that comes with methadone maintenance is another concern, as many users report a sizeable increase in their body mass index, BMI, as it’s most commonly known. Your BMI is a measurement of the ratio of fat in your body compared to your overall size with regard to your height and total body weight.

So, what’s the deal? Why does methadone make users experience weight gain? Is it a lack of a healthy diet? Does it impact how the body processes sugar? Or are those with opioid addiction just marked for weight gain because of their slowdown in physical activity and functions in general?

Well, it could be all of the above. It could be just one of those reasons. Or, it could be a plethora of others – some scientifically complex, and some, not so complex.

The Primary Causes of Weight Gain for Methadone Patients

Technically, weight gain should be simple, right? You take in more calories than you burn – you gain weight. You burn more calories than you take in, and you lose weight. It couldn’t be simpler.

Well, not exactly when a prescription medication for opioid use disorder is involved. When it comes to methadone and maintaining a healthy weight, it’s not so cut and dry. But before you learn how to stop gaining weight, you need to understand the potential driving forces of the weight gain, to begin with. The following list might just give you some answers as to why you gain weight while undergoing methadone treatment:

• • Lifestyle/Situational Changes. For some people, methadone bogs them down worse than the opioid they were originally abusing. What do we mean by this? Well, some individuals who abuse painkillers or heroin often report bursts of energy from their drugs of choice despite popular belief. Methadone, however, is known for making people lethargic, especially if you’re on a high dose. The weight gain could be from a spell of inactivity.
  • Emotional Eating. Just because you’re clean doesn’t mean you’re “happy” at first. Many people report going through depression long after kicking opioids. You could be engaging in emotional eating and not even be aware of the depression you’re experiencing. This is a surefire way to gain weight quickly.
  • Changes In How Your Body Processes Sugar. Methadone has an impact on how your body metabolizes and processes sugar. This can cause unwanted weight gain.
  • Dopamine Replacement. When you get high you rely on your drug of choice to feed your body dopamine. This is what gives you the feeling of euphoria. When the drug is gone, some people replace the drug with food, gaining weight in the process.
  • Increased Sleeping. Methadone is famous for making users drowsy and sleepy. If you’re contending with this side effect and sleeping more than usual, you could be impacted by unwanted weight gain.
  • Water Retention. Methadone, like other opioids, can cause water retention, leading to weight gain.

There are other potential reasons for falling out of your healthy weight range because of methadone, but these are the primary culprits. So, what do you do when you can’t pinpoint which one is the driving factor?

You make a few simple lifestyle changes and do a bit of preventative maintenance to help you avoid methadone weight gain. If you put the following plan into action and still find that you gain weight, you may want to reconsider your methadone regimen. Consult a physician regarding your inability to lose weight or avoid unwanted weight gain.

5 Suggestions for How to Avoid Weight Gain from Methadone Use

No plan is ever foolproof, but the following actions might just provide assistance if you gain weight while taking methadone.

1) Start an Exercise Regimen to Maintain a Healthy Weight
Because methadone has the ability to impact your metabolism and sugar-processing mechanisms, you might want to consider developing an exercise routine to compensate. You don’t need to overwork yourself or do anything drastic – even a simple brisk walk for some cardio during the day can give you the results you’re looking for.

2) Be Mindful of Your Diet
You may want to consider being mindful of your sugar intake. Methadone also has a reputation for increasing cravings for chocolate and other sweets. Decrease the amount of sugary treats you’re having or cut them out altogether. Curbing sugar cravings with healthier sweets, such as dates, can also help cut down on weight changes when taking methadone

3) Consider Seeing a Separate Counselor
If you’re on methadone treatment, you already see a counselor per federal regulation. However, this is for substance abuse. It’s not a bad idea to consult a professional about depression if you believe you’re suffering from substance abuse-related depression or engaging in emotional eating. Obtaining advice and support from a professional can give you the assistance you need to curb the activity you’re engaging in that is leading to weight gain.

4) Lower Your Dose
This sounds simple but it could deliver the changes you require to avoid weight gain and that bogged-down feeling. Most methadone maintenance programs begin at about the 25 mg mark and allow you to move up 5 mg per day or every other day until you hit 75-90 mg. For the average user, this is sufficient. There are exceptions to this, but the fact is, if you’ve been on a dose of 180 mg for the last year, you’re probably not keeping your health in mind or you’re still chasing a high. Lowering your dose can drastically impact not just the weight gain, but your situation as a whole.

5) Drink More Water
Here’s another one that sounds too simple to be effective but there’s a high chance that drinking more water could solve all of your problems. Not only will drinking water stop your body from retaining fluid, but also speed up your metabolism, turbocharging your weight loss efforts. Combine increased water intake with any of the above strategies for enhanced results.

Get the Positive Effects of Methadone With the Right Support

With the proper advisory on dosing and the right support system, there are plenty of positive effects that result from methadone maintenance. Not only can you avoid the nasty onslaught of opioid withdrawal all at once, but you’re able to slowly reintegrate yourself back into a normal, functioning role in society while engaging in treatment and recovery – at your own pace.

This can be empowering, as it allows you to put everything you learn during treatment to the test right away, as opposed to going through detox, inpatient treatment, and then going through reentry after 30, 60, or 90 days in a rehab facility.

Icarus Behavioral and Medication-Assisted Treatment

At Icarus Behavioral, we can help you get back on track at the pace that suits you best. We offer medication-assisted treatment, in addition to full-on medically-assisted detox.

Our staff will walk you through the maintenance process, ensuring you have all of the resources you need when it’s time to completely ween off of everything. Until that time comes, we work at your pace, allowing you to take the reigns and move forward at a speed that allows you to acclimate without feeling rushed.

For more information on admissions and other inquiries, reach out to a member of our team today.