Can losartan cause weight gain?

I am so happy to find this. Over the last 2-3 years I have been steadily gaining weight. It makes no sense. I thought it was the NP thyroid I was taking but I recently stopped that, thinking the weight would come off like it did the last time I went off of it.

Then I considered Losartan because it's the only other one that I started taking around the same time. Like so many on here, I have been diligently practicing good eating habits, low calories, etc. Yet, here I am, and everywhere else says this can't happen. I am sick of the gaslighting telling us all these symptoms are not happening or doesn't happen with Losartan. Well, we can't all be wrong.

I am going to see a naturopathy doctor on Monday, and she works on getting people off all of these synthetic rx that are causing more harm than good. I will check back in later and let you know how this road is progressing.

I have been on the Keto diet since Jun of 2017 and lost 60+ pounds. I was approaching my lowest weight since going Keto and my GP started me on a very low dose of Losartan Potassium to help control my BP. The med worked well incrementally reducing my BP, but within days of starting it my weight began creeping up while I was maintaining my well established keto regiment. I’ve found the low carb diet is great for me because I am almost never hungry. I eat because I know I need to. I started this drug 12 days ago and have noticed that I am now hungry. Interesting to see that others are having similar issues with this medication.

Same I've recently been on Losarton and GP told it would not gain weight, 9 months on I was a healthy weight, now I'm 16lbs heavier!!!
Even had a online coach for 2 months and upped my exercise and nothing is shifting it, but weight steadily going up!!! So frustrating as blood pressure is fine, but weight up!! Not happy!!

It's funny, because I have noticed the same thing! I have been trying to figure out why I have noticed an almost 9 pound weight gain since I have switched from lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) to Losartan. I have been eating less and changed nothing in my diet, and I am still gaining weight. The only thing that has changed is my blood pressure medicine. I have noticed a steady increase in my weight ever since. Although it does control my blood pressure a little bit more than lisinopril, I do not like the side effects of the weight gain. I am so glad I found others who have this side effect. I am seeing my primary care doctor in a week or so, and will go back to lisinopril right away!

Been on losartan for about 9 months. Some weight gain, but more than anything I feel like my belly has gotten really fat. Wider. I always had a reasonably flat belly at 62, but now I feel like it has expanded a great deal & keeps expanding. Not the rest of my body tho...

Yes! I started Losartan in May 22. It’s now August and I’ve gained 12 lb with no changes to diet or exercise. I have a bloated stomach, swollen ankles, an upset stomach and very sore eyes. I changed meds because my Ace Inhibitor gave me a dry cough; I’d taken it for years but thought it might be nice not to have an irritating cough. I’m requesting a return to my old meds despite the cough which is preferable to these side effects. I’m overweight anyway and really don’t want to get bigger! I’m glad to have seen these posts because I couldn’t understand what was happening to me.

I never had any issues with that. Maybe because it makes us all sleepy, some might experience weight gain

I have been on 100mg/25mg Losartan/HCTZ for about a year now and I have not experienced many of the side effects other than maybe the lower back ache and the excess weight gain. In the year that I have been taking this medication I have gained 25-30 lbs and it continues to go up. I recently went to my dr's appointment and in 3 months I gained 8 lbs. I thought it was my diabetic meds but I have stopped taking it and my weight is still increasing. My dr says this medication does not cause weight gain but I am living proof. I have change my weight of eating to exclude ALL carbs & sweets as well as NO snacking. I only have 2 meals a day which consist of a 4-5oz of protein & 1 cup of veggies and increased by walking. Nothing is helping. I will once again ask that my dr change my meds to something else. Wish me luck..

I am so happy that I found this discussion on Losartan! I am 58 years old and have been taking Losartan for a couple of years. I have gained almost 20 lbs. since I started taking Losartan and no matter what I do I can't lose weight. I currently walk 4 miles per day at least 5 days per week and do at least 100 squats per day. I have cut my daily calorie intake to 1300 or less per day and eat high protein, low carb - and the scale will not budge! I am beyond frustrated and tired of hearing it's your age and metabolism! I realize that is slows down with age but I've picked up my activity and decreased my calories - it's supposed to be calories in and calories out right! I swear it's this medicine. I have my semi- annual drs. appt. in a couple of weeks and I am going to discuss changing medications with her. Thank you all for your experiences with this medication.

I have gained about 20-25 lbs since taking losartan. I exercise, eat healthy, small portions, hardly have any alcohol or sweets. No matter what I do I cannot seem to lose the weight. I found this post a few years back. Every time I brought it up with doctors I was told weight gain is not a side effect. I finally got my cardiologist to switch to Benicar yesterday. I will start it tonight and keep you updated. I’ve been healthy and have bp under control so I hope I didn’t make the wrong decision!

I changed from Losartan HCTZ to another BP medication about 3 weeks ago and I have lost 5 pounds with only a small cutback in sweets. I had only gained about 8 lbs. during the last 2 years and this was partly during Covid so I thought it was my poor eating. This all confirms to me that the Losartan was no friend to me!

I have been taking Losartan now for about four years and my weight has steadily increased each year. I'm at about a 40lb weight gain and work out regularly and eat a low carb low sugar no soda diet and weight just continued to go up even with major calorie restriction. This has been a massive battle for me and very embarrassing! I am amazed at the commentary on this post about this medication! My concern's with my primary care physician sadly have fallen on deaf ears. I'm going to definitely look into something else to replace this.

Same story. Came of Ramopril because of cough; this has made me put on some weight (about half a stone = 7lbs), but I have been exercising very frequently and reducing food intake and normally that would set me going down in weight slowly. I also feel tired, sluggish and seem to be producing vast amounts of loose stools. No change in composition of diet or other factors. Was going to go to the doctor's anyway, but I am glad I have read so many accounts of something similar. Thanks to all for your comments.

I couldn't figure out why I was gaining so much weight. I follow Weight Watchers points. But my weight started going up after my doctor put me on Losartan, so I truly believe it causes weight gain. I went up about 15 pounds.