Hi, my name is Anthony, chief moderator of the Weight Loss Guide Antidepressant category. Everyone knows attitude is a major key to weight loss. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to adopt or maintain the winning attitude necessary to get results. Often the only thing that separates you from your goal is your inability to feel good about yourself. You may be depressed and need a little extra help or a happiness booster to inspire you.

When looking for happiness boosters such as antidepressants, you can't afford to take a hit or miss approach—you MUST be careful. While several studies have been done on antidepressants and their effectiveness, unfortunately these studies are often not published in a way suitable for you to easily compare what’s available. I have reviewed the ten most popular antidepressants based on six important factors: effectiveness, safety, weight loss potential, consumer feedback, cost and side effects. These reviews are listed below. As expected, a large number of the antidepressants I've researched have proven to be less effective or even have serious side effects. On the other hand, my research team and I have identified some antidepressants that may benefit you, one of which we found particularly impressive.

The Top 10 Best Antidepressants

Lift	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: A+
Value/Cost Ratio: 100%
Purchase Recommendation: Strong Buy

#1 Lift

Lift: The best antidepressant I’ve found is an all-natural supplement made from the herb Rhodiola Rosea called Lift. In addition to its ability to transform your mood, weight loss potential is high. It’s believed that this supplement activates a fat-burning enzyme called adipose lipase. Unlike other medications I reviewed, Lift is free of side effects or withdrawal symptoms, making it the safest available. Additional benefits include the ability to increase effectiveness of other supplements, rapid recovery from illness and more. For only $0.50 per pill, you get a top shelf product for the price of a generic, without wondering about the effectiveness of low-grade chemicals and unknown manufacturers. This is the safest, most effective supplement out there. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve mood and lose weight.

Norpramin	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: C
Value/Cost Ratio: 50%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#2 Norpramin

Norpramin: One of the oldest types of antidepressants, Norpramin works differently than newer ones and is not often prescribed. Other drugs are more targeted, but because of its potency it is still used in difficult cases. Side effects are frequent and common, including sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, urinary retention and blurred vision. Patients reported feeling sleepy with this medication. Withdrawal symptoms do occur, but I couldn’t find any reports of severe side effects. Average cost for this drug is about $2.15 per pill, while the generic version will only save about $0.40 per pill. I would recommend this option only if you have a life-threatening problem. Because of its effect on energy levels, you could not take this pill and lose weight.

Elavil	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 25%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#3 Elavil

Elavil: This old-fashioned antidepressant is much different than ones prescribed today. Like Norpramin, it works differently than newer medications and is reserved for those with extreme problems. Elavil is effective, but energy levels plummet. Some say it helps with pain and insomnia more than depression. Patients reported feeling groggy in the morning, accompanied by an inability to get out of bed. Withdrawal is tough due to its potency. Elavil costs a little under a dollar per pill for the 50mg brand name, and about half that for the generic. If you want to lose weight, this drug will ruin your efforts. I would recommend finding an alternative that doesn’t drain energy.

Wellbutrin	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 10%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#4 Wellbutrin

Wellbutrin: This antidepressant is well-received by most patients I talked to. However, the side effects are intense when beginning treatment, sometimes enough to discontinue use. Because of its effect on energy levels, it may help with weight loss. Patients report insomnia if not taken early in the morning. Effectiveness is questionable. Though many are happy with it, most take Wellbutrin with other medications. Cost is a concern, with the 75mg brand name going for about $2.10 per pill, and the 150mg for generic at about $0.50. Users say the generic version is ineffective and a waste of money. While the positive feedback may be encouraging, most people take other medications with this, causing more inconvenience than comfort.

Luvox	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#5 Luvox

Luvox: This medication is usually prescribed for those with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but doctors turn to it when other antidepressants don’t work. Like similar drugs, it carries a risk for suicidal thoughts and violence. Luvox may be effective in treating depression, though the available data is scarce. Its potential for weight loss is unknown, though some lose weight because of a decreased appetite. Cost averages about $1.50 per pill. It is now only sold as Fluvoxamine Maleate. Withdrawal symptoms do occur, but don’t seem to be as dangerous. While I believe this is one of the better antidepressants available, I suggest something that carries no risk of increased suicidal thoughts.

Lexapro	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#6 Lexapro

Lexapro: I have seen people experience varying degrees of success with this antidepressant. Even then, for most relief doesn’t come for at least four weeks or longer. Not to mention, Lexapro costs a whopping $2.50-$2.75 per pill. Safety is questionable, and former users have told me withdrawal is extremely difficult to deal with. This drug has no weight loss potential, most reported weight gain. In addition to the excessive cost and uncertain effectiveness it also carries with it major side effects, including sexual dysfunction and irregular heartbeat. I suggest you save your money and invest in something more likely to do what it promises—without all the side effects.

Prozac	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#7 Prozac

Prozac: At one time, Prozac was hailed as a miracle drug. Today, doctors often avoid it due to high costs and safety risks, including increased violent and suicidal thoughts, especially in adolescents and young adults. Cost is astronomical. A 40mg tablet is over $10 per pill, but generics cost around $1.50. Weight loss potential is inconclusive. Some doctors have prescribed a combination of this and other drugs to obese patients for weight loss. Many patients report a decrease in body weight due to having less desire to eat. Several side effects can be quite dangerous, like the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding among the elderly. A recall was considered, but the FDA instead added a warning label to this drug and all similar ones because of increased suicide risk and recommended it no longer be prescribed to children for depression. There are alternatives to Prozac available today, and I recommend using those instead.

Zoloft	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#8 Zoloft

Zoloft: This antidepressant is the most widely prescribed in the United States. I believe it is effective, but withdrawal symptoms are serious. Its weight loss potential is inconclusive, as some patients lose weight due to decreased appetite while others begin eating more. It is not recommended for use in children to treat depression because of the possibility of increased suicidal thoughts and violent tendencies. Side effects can be severe, the most common being nausea and sexual dysfunction. Costs are approximately $3.37 per pill for the 50mg name brand, while the generic averages around $0.50 per pill. Though the generic cost may be low compared to some others, I recommend staying away from any medication with bad side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

Paxil	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#9 Paxil

Paxil: This drug seems to do more harm than good. It carries a risk of making you feel suicidal or violent, raising some serious safety concerns. In 2006, there was a recall because several batches of the drug were missing the active ingredient, but the makers didn’t inform patients. With such shoddy quality control standards, it’s likely things are not much improved, leading me to believe this drug may not be effective because ingredients are not at proper levels. Costs are high, with a 30mg tablet averaging $3.80 per pill, but the generic is a little over a dollar per pill. Serious side effects include irregular heartbeat and sexual dysfunction. I recommend staying away from Paxil. Their irresponsible practices make using it a risky proposition.

Cymbalta	Weight-Loss Speed & Effectiveness Grade: Fail
Value/Cost Ratio: 0%
Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

#10 Cymbalta

Cymbalta: Another popular medication with severe side effects. I have found most users to be happy with Cymbalta initially, but after some time it stops working. Effectiveness seems to disappear between two weeks to two months from when treatment started. Withdrawal symptoms from Cymbalta are worse than any other medication. There are hundreds of accounts of patients suffering the most severe withdrawals they have ever experienced, even if only taking it a couple of weeks. Popular methods to wean a person off of medication like tapering down over a three month period provide no relief for those desperate to get off the drug. The cost for a 30mg brand name version is about $4.47 per pill, while the generic is about $1.50. After all the shocking reports of what happens to people who discontinue use, I strongly recommend seeking something that doesn’t create the dependency Cymbalta does.