Taking Beta blockers and getting fat?

[maldorf]

I have been noticing that it is really hard now for me to lose bodyfat. Even previous to my taking any AAS or lifting weights I had always been lean naturally. So something now is making me hold bodyfat.

I am now on 80mg/day of Coreg Cr which is a beta blockers. I am on this to help regulate my heart. So far it has been a life saver.

I found an article that talks about why people on beta blockers tend to gain weight and find it really hard to lose. Here is what it says

"Suddenly the whole picture started to make sense. Three years ago she started taking Inderal, a medication which belongs in a class of drugs known as Beta Blockers. Beta blockers are routinely used to treat patients after heart attacks, high blood pressure, stage fright and apparently as prevention for migraine headaches.



Medications in this class block the Beta receptor on the heart, which slows down the heart rate and decreases blood pressure. When prescribing these medications physicians tend to ignore the presence of Beta receptors on fat cells. The Beta receptors on fat cells mediate the breakdown of fat. Once someone takes a Beta blocker it indiscriminately blocks the Beta receptor in the heart and on fat cells. This is the reason why patients taking this class of drugs find it extremely difficult to lose weight.If you are taking a medication for high blood pressure or any cardiac disease you should look up the class of medication to see if it is a Beta blocker. If it is, talk to your doctor about your weight gain issues"

So it appears that there are beta receptors on fat cells, something I never knew. I know that beta blockers also lower your basal metabolic rate too by slowing your heart, and they probably slow some other processes as well. Being on it you find yourself getting tired easily, and sometimes getting the energy to workout is a bitch.

Wondering if some others on here that take beta blockers could let me know if you have noticed yourself put on bodyfat while taking them.

 

[kid1dakota]

In theory it would make sense beta blockers would cause weight gain.I asked that very question in pharmacology class and the answer was "I don't know".

But,my Dad is blaming his beta blocker on recent weight gain,lol.

 

[leegee38]

Beta blockers inhibit epinephrine and norepinephrine, both of which impact metabolism and fatty acid mobilization. You know I'm right there with you, M ... If you need them, you need them ... but they do make getting lean pretty tough. I found I could lose body weight by cutting calories but not necessarily body fat. They screw with your partitioning.

It sucks, but again ... They do a great job for what they are supposed to do. I'm afraid it is just the hand you (we) have been dealt. I'll repeat ... IT SUCKS!

 

[maldorf]

Beta blockers inhibit epinephrine and norepinephrine, both of which impact metabolism and fatty acid mobilization. You know I'm right there with you, M ... If you need them, you need them ... but they do make getting lean pretty tough. I found I could lose body weight by cutting calories but not necessarily body fat. They screw with your partitioning.

It sucks, but again ... They do a great job for what they are supposed to do. I'm afraid it is just the hand you (we) have been dealt. I'll repeat ... IT SUCKS!

Yeah, I figured the effects of blocking catecholamines would result in this. I was just wondering if a lot of folks were having the same experience as me. I am in noway overweight by everyday standards, at least my docs dont say anything to me and I have a weak heart after my MI. It just sucks looking like this after being so lean. I feel like crap just sitting here at the computer. Its that sick feeling of the little role of fat flipping up and spilling over my pants. Im used to not being able to pinch much at all, and now ive got that layer of fat covering everything.
I have tightend up my diet by cutting down on junk food and in the past I would lose fat fast doing just that. Now it barely makes an impact. I am also taking in 1/2 or less the total calories I used to take in when I was healthy. Most of it is probably due to me losing 20+ lbs of muscle and going off of steroids and GH, but the beta blockers are at work too. So many things to have to fight.

One hope I have now is that if my ejection fraction is high enough next month, maybe I can convince my cardiologist to lower my beta blocker dose down to 40 mg/day from 80 mg. For some reason they dont make a 60mg cap in coreg.

How much bodyfat, %wise, do you think you picked up taking this crap?

 

[ericraven2003]

Yeah, I figured the effects of blocking catecholamines would result in this. I was just wondering if a lot of folks were having the same experience as me. I am in noway overweight by everyday standards, at least my docs dont say anything to me and I have a weak heart after my MI. It just sucks looking like this after being so lean. I feel like crap just sitting here at the computer. Its that sick feeling of the little role of fat flipping up and spilling over my pants. Im used to not being able to pinch much at all, and now ive got that layer of fat covering everything.
I have tightend up my diet by cutting down on junk food and in the past I would lose fat fast doing just that. Now it barely makes an impact. I am also taking in 1/2 or less the total calories I used to take in when I was healthy. Most of it is probably due to me losing 20+ lbs of muscle and going off of steroids and GH, but the beta blockers are at work too. So many things to have to fight.

One hope I have now is that if my ejection fraction is high enough next month, maybe I can convince my cardiologist to lower my beta blocker dose down to 40 mg/day from 80 mg. For some reason they dont make a 60mg cap in coreg.

How much bodyfat, %wise, do you think you picked up taking this crap?

My friend that had to have several nerves burnt in his heart to slow it down, had to take them for about 6 months. He put on about12lbs of fat.

FYI. His problems were due to a combo of high dose gear and recreational drugs. The dumb ass is still doing x even after all this. The kicker is he is 43.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I've been on beta blockers for years for high blood pressure and never understood why people raved about eca and clen, until I switched to an ace inhibitor, then woah fully understand now.

 

[auspex]

Beta blockers

Maldorf, you may want to look into the comparison of non-selective beta blockers(like Coreg) versus selective Beta-1 receptor blockers like metoprolol(Toprol XL). There seems to be some evidence that a selective beta blocker would not have as much effect on the metabolic issue you describe. I guess the real question is what type of beta receptors do fat cells have on them. All I can remember is beta-3.....

This may all be a moot point as Coreg seems to be the best drug for heart failure out right now.

Auspex

 

[myosin]

Good Point...

Maldorf, you may want to look into the comparison of non-selective beta blockers(like Coreg) versus selective Beta-1 receptor blockers like metoprolol(Toprol XL). There seems to be some evidence that a selective beta blocker would not have as much effect on the metabolic issue you describe. I guess the real question is what type of beta receptors do fat cells have on them. All I can remember is beta-3.....

This may all be a moot point as Coreg seems to be the best drug for heart failure out right now.

Auspex

Yes, it will depend on what your Cardiologist will want and thinks is prudent... BUT- the beta receptors of the heart are strictly B1. The "white" fat cells (adipose) have B2. The B3 receptors are really found more on the "brown" fat cells that are closely linked to metabolism. For years they were trying to find a B3 specific drug to help lose weight but I quit being up to date on that research years ago. It seemed like they were having a hard time. Anyhow- my point is: if you can get a more selective drug that targets B1 you should have an easier time to lose weight again.

It does make sense to gain weight as Ephedrine is a non-selective beta-agonist.

I wonder if a more "keto-like" diet would help Mal.

Another option: Yohimbe... it acts on the alpha cells to induce fat release... maybe Synthetine would be a viable option as well then.

Oh, I just remembered: at least in the Pediatric population, the MAJORITY of our kids with cardiac issues are on Metoprolol and not Coreg (so you might be able to use that to help sway your Doc).

 

[Moen]

Haven't noticed anything in that department but I'm probably on a much weaker bèta blocker than you are.

 

[ryjenn]

Haven't noticed anything in that department but I'm probably on a much weaker bèta blocker than you are.

i agree with you,same exp for me..i havent noticed any difference and im dieting with success.but im on only 10mg bystolic a day...

 

[maldorf]

This may all be a moot point as Coreg seems to be the best drug for heart failure out right now.

Auspex

Yeah, my cardiologist is probably the best respected one in our state and he insists on coreg since it has proven to be the most effective. The side effects I am having, fat gain low energy etc, are not as important as my heart health so I had to make sacrifices. I will bring it up with him again though this next time. Maybe if I can reduce the dose, I am taking the highest dose offered, it will reduce these sides. Hoping I can reduce dose if my ejection fraction is up. He would probably then raise my dose of ace inhibitor to keep my BP down. ace inhibitors dont bother me one bit.

 

[leegee38]

How much bodyfat, %wise, do you think you picked up taking this crap?

I haven't even used calipers because I'm not sure I really want to know, but as a guess ... I'm eating about 60% of the calories I did before, doing about 3-4 times more cardio, and I'm probably 3-5% higher body fat. I'm trying to teach myself to actually enjoy cardio ... but it isn't working.

 

[maldorf]

I haven't even used calipers because I'm not sure I really want to know, but as a guess ... I'm eating about 60% of the calories I did before, doing about 3-4 times more cardio, and I'm probably 3-5% higher body fat. I'm trying to teach myself to actually enjoy cardio ... but it isn't working.

Wow, Im just like you. I think I am in about the same boat as you. 60% food intake and about 3x the cardio and still gitting fat. Its incredible. I dont like doing the cardio either. I was about 8-10% BF before my heart attack and now I am probably somewhere between 16-18%. Im like you, I havent used the calipers because I dont want to know. I figure I put on about 20lbs of fat.

Before the heart attack I had bulked up, before I met Phil and he enlightened me, I got up to 260lbs. My waist now at 226 lbs measures the same as it did when I was 260 lbs.

 

[bigdog123]

I`m taking propanolol for anxiety - will this beta blocker make me fatter too?

 

[maldorf]

I`m taking propanolol for anxiety - will this beta blocker make me fatter too?

It think its going to come down to your dose and how selective the beta blocker is. I would imagine that if its just for anxiety that your dose is rather low? For instance, im taking 80 mg/day coreg to treat my heart after an MI.

 

[ironone1]

Yeah couldn't you switch to an ace like somebody else said? He switched mine for libido issues but I have since come off of them completely and my bp has been okay since.

 

[maldorf]

Yeah couldn't you switch to an ace like somebody else said? He switched mine for libido issues but I have since come off of them completely and my bp has been okay since.

No. I am taking an ACE now too. Beta blockers are used for hearts like mine because they suppress your hear rate and help keep it regular. When I wasnt taking it my heart would skip beats a lot(called PVCs) and was really irregular. I almost died one night when doing squats. Now that I am on the beta blocker I can workout and I rarely have PVCs and other irregular rhythms. It is a must for me and people that are experiencing heart failure.

 

[Moen]

Yes, it will depend on what your Cardiologist will want and thinks is prudent... BUT- the beta receptors of the heart are strictly B1. The "white" fat cells (adipose) have B2. The B3 receptors are really found more on the "brown" fat cells that are closely linked to metabolism. For years they were trying to find a B3 specific drug to help lose weight but I quit being up to date on that research years ago. It seemed like they were having a hard time. Anyhow- my point is: if you can get a more selective drug that targets B1 you should have an easier time to lose weight again.

It does make sense to gain weight as Ephedrine is a non-selective beta-agonist.

I wonder if a more "keto-like" diet would help Mal.

Another option: Yohimbe... it acts on the alpha cells to induce fat release... maybe Synthetine would be a viable option as well then.

Oh, I just remembered: at least in the Pediatric population, the MAJORITY of our kids with cardiac issues are on Metoprolol and not Coreg (so you might be able to use that to help sway your Doc).

So this means (in terms of not getting fatter) that I'm better off with my bisoprolol than say propanolol?

 

[Gambel]

Yes, potentially.

I`m taking propanolol for anxiety - will this beta blocker make me fatter too?

Do you take it only on rare occassion for performance-related anxiety (e.g., public speaking) or do you take it on a daily basis? Using a beta-blocker for the firstline treatment of generalized anxiety is pretty atypical. Propranolol is non-selective so it will potentially cause you to gain weight if you take it daily and the dose is high enough. The bigger issue for most patients is the exercise intolerance that develops. Beta-blockers simply prevent them from getting their heart rate up high enough during cardio to optimize fat burning. They also feel like they tire much more easily due to this phenomenon.

 

[myosin]

Cautious...

So this means (in terms of not getting fatter) that I'm better off with my bisoprolol than say propanolol?

Hey Moen- I need to be cautious answering this.

AS FAR AS GETTING FATTER- a selective B1 blocker (the ones found soley on cardiac muscle) should not interfere with too much with weight gain/loss.

At the end of the day though- it's up to the cardiologist what would be better for your heart.