Can Doxycycline Cause Weight Loss? Here’s the Reality!

By - Mehrosh Ahmer

Doxycycline is a famous antibiotic widely used against bacterial infections, especially acne and UTIs. It is also used for malaria but can’t be used against any viral infection as it acts against the bacteria only. This drug is associated with many side effects which include both short and long-term ones, however, unusual weight fluctuations still puzzle many people! 

The term “doxycycline weight loss”– is it true? Can doxycycline cause weight loss?

For some people, doxycycline can be quite harsh on the stomach whereas for others it can be the treatment for their ailment. When it comes to weight fluctuation, doxycycline causes both weight loss and gain but it depends upon your dosage, time, disorder, and the type of drug you’re using. Many factors including GUT microbes, loss of appetite, or changes in the taste regulate the weight fluctuations while taking doxycycline. 

In this write-up, you’ll learn all about doxycycline-related weight loss, so, to avoid missing any detail, read the whole article!

Doxycycline Uses

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic that is one of the best solutions for all bacterial infections as it works by limiting their development. As one of the most common top-rated antibiotics, doxycycline is well known to work against many infections, including acne, rosacea, respiratory infections, dermal infections, cellulitis, and a lot more.  

Doxycycline is sold as pills or capsules under many brand names and is also available as a generic drug; however, you must be aware of its composition to prevent allergic reactions. 

Bacterias can only function if they have a specific protein serving; doxycycline alters the mechanism of protein synthesis in bacterias, thereby inhibiting their growth. This simply means bacterias can’t function as they don’t have the required protein; however, this doesn’t mean they are dead.                                                                         

Doxycycline Long-Term Side Effects

Doxycycline ruined my life! Unfortunately, this statement is commonly spoken by many people who’ve had a bad experience with doxycycline. The wider is the circle of doxycycline uses; the more are the side effects of doxycycline, including short-term, long-term, and severe side effects. 

Some short-term side effects are

Other long-term side effects are

Every drug has side effects but doxycycline’s long-term side effects include some very serious medical ailments including esophageal ulcers, acute pancreatitis, and diarrhea. 

Doxycycline’s side effects are mostly concerned with the digestive mechanisms, the drug usually interferes with the process of digestion often leading to vomiting, diarrhea, blood circulation problems in case of inflammatory bowel diseases, and dehydration. 

The response to medications is always different in different people which means that you might experience a speedy and healthy recovery after using doxycycline while others might not! Hence, it’s important to consider the allergies and the right dosage before starting the medication and in case of any reaction to the drug, consider it a medical emergency. 

Can Doxycycline Make You Extremely Tired?

Well, fatigue is a very common side effect of antibiotics and when it comes to doxycycline, tiredness is one of the rarest side effects of the antibiotic. As per the aforementioned side effects, diarrhea is also a problematic side effect that leads to dehydration which eventually impairs the diffusion of heat from the body. The impaired heat transfer can increase the internal heat leading to fatigue and tiredness.    

Doxycycline Weight Loss: Causes

No medication in the world comes with zero side effects, even the best one comes with a side effect of nausea. Whatever your medication is, herbal, OTC, generic, or supplement, it does much more than just targetting the required disease. Hence, you must be aware of the composition of the drug you’re using so that you don’t have to face any severe ailment issues. 

So, can doxycycline cause weight loss? Initially, doctors prescribe doxycycline 100mg twice a day, to treat any bacterial attack which is then reduced to once a day. It’s not that weight loss is only associated with doxycycline, there are more than a thousand drugs associated with this side effect. 

Regarding the side effects of doxycycline, weight loss and gain are one of the most prominent side effects people usually experience due to the changes in bacterial growth in the GIT. Another factor is the decrease in appetite which can lead to less intake of food thereby causing weight loss. 

Does doxycycline hyclate 100mg cause weight loss? Considering doxycycline hyclate’s side effects, weight loss is common among both males and females. According to a study, 80.56% of females and 19.44% of males suffer from weight loss due to the consumption of doxycycline. As per the studies, most people are more likely to suffer from weight loss in their 30s or after that, with 42% of them encountering it in their fifties. 

Can Doxycycline Make You Gain Weight?

Doxycycline works against bacterial infections by halting the protein synthesis in bacteria thereby impairing their division which makes it quite clear that it interferes with the GUT bacteria too. 

According to a study, weight gain is also observed in the long-term users of doxycycline in which gut bacteria play an instrumental role. When different doxycycline users were observed for the GUT microbiota fluctuations, a decrease in their quantity was observed in the users for more than three months.  

Hence, the GUT microbiota is vital in the regulation of your body weight as they aid in digestion if reduced due to a drug can lead to abnormal weight gain, as in the case of doxycycline. Other than weight fluctuations, doxycycline users have also experienced stress and anxiety, reduced appetite, diarrhea, dehydration, and body pain.

FAQs

Does doxycycline suppress appetite?

Yes! According to the review of people who’ve used doxycycline, both lack of appetite and weight loss are observed among the users of this antibiotic. You can experience loss of appetite directly as a side effect of doxycycline or it can be associated with the long-term side effects of the drug. So, if you experience an irregular heartbeat, fever, or breathing difficulties, then immediately consult your doctor.     

Does doxycycline help gain weight?

Yes! Long-term users of doxycycline often experience a problematic side effect of weight gain which is caused due to the reduced gut microbes. What actually happens is, that gut bacteria are instrumental in regulating your body’s weight, and long-term use of doxycycline can reduce the number of bacteria in the bowel thereby impairing the mechanism of weight regulation in your body, eventually leading to weight gain.  

What does doxycycline do to the body?

Doxycycline is an antibiotic used when your body is fighting against any bacterial infection. You can take the drug in pills or capsule form which when enters the body targets the bacteria and halt their growth by impairing the protein synthesis and it does this by affecting the attachment of ribosomal subunits. Hence, ceased bacterial growth helps in treating the infection; however, the effects are accompanied by some side effects. 

What are the most common side effects of doxycycline?

Every antibiotic is accompanied by its own side effects but when it comes to doxycycline, the list is divided into categories; short-term, long-term, and severe. The most common side effects of doxycycline include nausea, vomiting, digestive problems such as diarrhea, stomach ache, and even dehydration due to diarrhea. Some dermal side effects include photosensitive reactions to the skin, hyperpigmentation, and even skin rash. However, the side effects of doxycycline aren’t the same for everyone and vary from individual to individual. 

Final Verdict 

The weight loss due to doxycycline is more common in females than in males as per the research. However, loss of appetite, changes in the taste, and weight loss are all the side effects associated with the antibiotic which clearly shows why some people lose some pounds while on doxycycline. 

Long-term users of doxycycline are more likely to experience weight gain due to the decrease in the quantity of GUT microbiota. This is because your stomach’s bacteria have their own way of handling your body’s weight. When you take doxycycline as a long-term antibiotic, the GUT microbes are reduced thereby losing control over weight and eventually leading to weight gain.

So, you must’ve understood the causes of doxycycline’s weight loss and gain. Some people gain some extra pounds while some lose, such weight fluctuations entirely depend upon how long you have been continuing the treatment, doxycycline’s dosage, and the severity of infection.