Corticosteroids, corticosteroids or simply steroids are synthetic versions of a hormone called cortisol, which are prescribed to treat inflammatory conditions, and although they can be very useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, allergies and others, They have an unwanted side effect: they can make you gain weight.
In a society in which large bodies are penalized and invalidated and are directly related to overweight and poor health, gaining weight can represent a problem for many people.
Furthermore, it becomes unfortunate because it is the result of a medical treatment that cannot be taken lightly and requires strict medical supervision for any change.
For different reasons, people may prefer not to gain weight, but is there a way to take corticosteroids and not gain weight?
Yes, let’s go from the beginning. You should know that the most common corticosteroids in prescriptions in the United States are prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, hydrocortisone, and budesonide.
According to a study by Canadian researchers, the Weight gain was the most commonly reported adverse effect of steroid use, affecting 70% of patients prescribed medications.
However, it depends a lot on the dose you take and the duration of the treatment. A study published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research found that subjects taking more than 7.5 milligrams of prednisone per day for more than 60 days were more likely to experience adverse side effects, such as weight gain, than those taking a lower dose for a shorter period of time.
The good thing is that once the steroids are stopped and your body readjusts, the weight usually comes off in an average of 6 months to a year, he says. Healthline.
Corticosteroids cause weight gain by altering the body’s electrolyte and water balance, as well as metabolism, the way you use and store lipids, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and glucose, among other things.
Avoid weight gain under corticosteroid treatment
If you are on a long-term treatment with corticosteroids and you feel that it is affecting your weight, the first thing you should do is talk to your family doctor or the one who prescribed the medication.
Together you can discuss the side effects you are facing and Discuss if there are other options and what the potential risks are. Maybe it orders you to change the dosage or consumption times.
The second thing is make more efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes vigorous to moderate physical activity and a balanced diet.
Foods high in protein and fiber will be great allies. Likewise, healthy phrases can help prolong that feeling of satiety.
You can propose to increase the frequency of meals in the day, instead of having only three large ones, to avoid temptations in between.
In the same way, try to stay hydrated, since thirst can lead you to make poor dietary decisions.
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