Benadryl and Advil PM and Weight Gain?

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  • Sarahbara76
    Sarahbara76 Posts: 601 Member
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    I am very allergic to almost everything I live on Antihistamines ..ughhh no wonder I am hungry all the dang time!! I do take them at night and then have a hard time getting my heart rate up the next day when I go to work out!!
  • DreamsMadeUp
    DreamsMadeUp Posts: 2
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    In the long run, yes, it is possible for Benadryl and Advil/Tylenol PM medicines to cause weight gain

    Allergy drugs containing diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl) have a sedating effect that saps your energy if you take them regularly. You’re not as active, so you’re burning fewer calories. You’ll also find that common culprit, diphenhydramine, in over-the-counter sleep aids, such as Tylenol Simply Sleep, Sominex, or Nytol, or “nighttime” versions of cold and pain medicines, like Sudafed PE Nighttime Cold or Excedrin PM.

    These drugs also contain Antihistamines which may increase appetite, resulting in weight gain. So you'll reach for more food before bed, packing on extra calories.

    I wouldn't recommend Melatonin because it's a hormone and by taking too much it could eventually mess up the regular production of Melatonin your body produces, building a tolerance, thus causing you to take more, and getting you hooked to sleep.

    I recommend Valerian Root. It smells awful, but not only is Valerian root extract a beneficial herb in a time of stress and anxiety, the herb also has a high content of calcium. Valerian root offers a natural way to help calm the nervous system. It will help you relax and fall asleep faster. However, after taking if for several months you should switch to something else or taper off because it could cause insomnia. ALWAYS follow the label regardless of what you're taking. Over dose may include irritability, excitement, headaches, and even hallucinations.
  • TyFit08
    TyFit08 Posts: 799 Member
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    I take Benadryl regularly for allergies. I have read that the weight gain can result due to the lack of energy since it makes you sleepy. I don't think I eat more, because usually not long after I take it I'm knocked out. So no time for late night munchies. I would love to not have to take it, but for the last few months I have suffered from severe allergies and will rip my skin off if I don't take it.
  • dawnmitch50
    dawnmitch50 Posts: 1
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    Advil PM gives me the munchies at night. I get so hungry that I raid my frig and eat everything. I am going to try the melatonin to try and help myself get regulated on my sleep. I exercise all the time, but am not losing any weight because I eat at night. Hopefully this will work. I am getting desperate!!!
  • ShadowKat6047
    ShadowKat6047 Posts: 1
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    Yes. Drugs such as diphenhydramine and melatonin raise corisol levels in your body. And that can lead to weight gain and a host of other issues. Unfortunately I have been taking both by the handfuls in the past 6 or 7 years. Now I know why I have gained weight despite no major diet changes.
  • sugar297
    sugar297 Posts: 106 Member
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    I am very happy to hear this since I have been taking Benedryl at least a few nights a week. And I have not been able to lose any weight!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Wow, thanks for the wake up! Had no clue.
  • tempXT81
    tempXT81 Posts: 2 Member
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    This is an older thread- but, it would help greatly for those making claims to include sources for their information. There's a lot of information here based on personal experiences of which, is helpful. However, the research I've found otherwise for some of the comments beyond personal experience were based on studies i.e., with only 14 people or apply only to postmenopausal women with prolonged use. So, the statements beyond personal experience were applied as a norm to a very small group and not an entire, statistically-based, general population. I suggest researching journal articles on some of these statements before taking some seriously.
  • wantoldme
    wantoldme Posts: 140 Member
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    I take Benadryl during the week but I don't think it increases my appetite. I don't take it on the weekend and I haven't noticed a difference. I just know Benadryl stops me getting sinus headaches better than Zyrtec or Allegra.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Let your results be your guide. Just because a headline says it doesn't make it true for every person.

    ETA: And I've been baited into a necro thread once again.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    Let your results be your guide. Just because a headline says it doesn't make it true for every person.

    ETA: And I've been baited into a necro thread once again.

    Lol I'm going to reply anyway.

    I get bad hay fever, and 15g of bee pollen granules everyday in allergy season completely fixes me up!
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    i take claritin every day. i take motrin pm (same thing as advil pm) with some regularity.

    lost 80+ pounds over the past 2 years.

    im also on birth control.

    still no difference.

    all about CICO .....
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,019 Member
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    If you've been taking them regularly and they haven't affected your appetite then why stop taking them now?

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