Can beta blockers cause weight gain?

Answer From Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.

Yes. Weight gain is a side effect of some beta blockers. The average weight gain is about 2.6 pounds (1.2 kilograms) over six or more months.

You're more likely to gain weight with older beta blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin) and metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL). The weight gain tends to happen in the first few months after taking the medicine. Then it usually stops. Newer beta blockers, such as carvedilol (Coreg) and nebivolol (Bystolic) don't usually cause weight gain.

Beta blockers that cause weight gain usually aren't tried unless other medicines haven't worked. But they may be used first for some heart conditions. Talk with your healthcare team about the best beta blocker for you.

Beta blockers are used to treat many conditions, including:

  • High blood pressure.
  • Heart failure.
  • Migraine prevention.
  • Glaucoma.
  • Anxiety.
  • Essential tremor.
  • Irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation or AFib.

Healthcare professionals aren't sure why some beta blockers make a person gain weight. It’s thought that beta blockers slow the body's ability to change food into energy, called metabolism.

You also might gain a few pounds if you take a water pill called a diuretic but then switch to a beta blocker.

If you're taking a beta blocker for heart failure, tell your healthcare team right away if you gain more than 2 to 3 pounds (about 1 to 1.4 kilograms) in a day or 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) in a week. Sudden weight gain may be due to fluid buildup in the body, which may mean your heart failure is getting worse. Your healthcare team can determine what's causing your weight gain.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

April 30, 2024 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  3. Alpha blockers
  4. Amputation and diabetes
  5. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  6. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  7. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  8. Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis
  9. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  10. #AskMayoMom Pediatric Urology
  11. Beta blockers
  12. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  13. Birth control pill FAQ
  14. Blood glucose meters
  15. Blood glucose monitors
  16. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  17. Blood pressure chart
  18. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  19. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  20. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  21. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  22. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  23. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  24. Blood pressure test
  25. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  26. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  27. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  28. How kidneys work
  29. Bump on the head: When is it a serious head injury?
  30. Caffeine and hypertension
  31. Calcium channel blockers
  32. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  33. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  34. Central-acting agents
  35. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  36. Chronic daily headaches
  37. Chronic kidney disease
  38. Chronic kidney disease: Is a clinical trial right for me?
  39. Coarctation of the aorta
  40. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  41. Cushing syndrome
  42. DASH diet
  43. DASH diet: Recommended servings
  44. Sample DASH menus
  45. Diabetes
  46. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  47. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  48. Diabetes and heat
  49. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  50. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  51. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  52. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  53. Diabetes and liver
  54. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  55. Diabetes symptoms
  56. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  57. Using insulin
  58. Diuretics
  59. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  60. Diuretics: Cause of gout?
  61. Dizziness
  62. Do infrared saunas have any health benefits?
  63. Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
  64. Eating right for chronic kidney disease
  65. High blood pressure and exercise
  66. Fibromuscular dysplasia
  67. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  68. Home blood pressure monitoring
  69. Glomerulonephritis
  70. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  71. Guillain-Barre syndrome
  72. Headache and Migraine
  73. Headaches and hormones
  74. Headaches: Treatment depends on your diagnosis and symptoms
  75. Heart and Blood Health
  76. Herbal supplements and heart drugs
  77. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  78. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  79. High blood pressure and sex
  80. High blood pressure dangers
  81. How does IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) cause kidney damage?
  82. How opioid use disorder occurs
  83. How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids
  84. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  85. Hypertension FAQs
  86. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  87. Hypothermia
  88. I have IgA nephrology. Will I need a kidney transplant?
  89. IgA nephropathy (Berger disease)
  90. Insulin and weight gain
  91. Intracranial hematoma
  92. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  93. What is kidney disease? An expert explains
  94. Kidney disease FAQs
  95. Kratom: Unsafe and ineffective
  96. Kratom for opioid withdrawal
  97. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  98. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  99. Lead poisoning
  100. Living with IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) and C3G
  101. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  102. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  103. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  104. Molar pregnancy
  105. MRI: Is gadolinium safe for people with kidney problems?
  106. New Test for Preeclampsia
  107. Nighttime headaches: Relief
  108. Nosebleeds
  109. Obstructive sleep apnea
  110. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  111. Opioid stewardship: What is it?
  112. Pain Management
  113. Pheochromocytoma
  114. Picnic Problems: High Sodium
  115. Pituitary tumors
  116. Polycystic kidney disease
  117. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  118. Poppy seed tea: Beneficial or dangerous?
  119. Porphyria
  120. Postpartum preeclampsia
  121. Preeclampsia
  122. Prescription drug abuse
  123. Primary aldosteronism
  124. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  125. Mayo Clinic Minute: Rattlesnakes, scorpions and other desert dangers
  126. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  127. Renal diet for vegetarians
  128. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  129. Scorpion sting
  130. Secondary hypertension
  131. Serotonin syndrome
  132. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  133. Sleep tips
  134. Snoring
  135. Sodium
  136. Spider bites
  137. Stress and high blood pressure
  138. Symptom Checker
  139. Takayasu's arteritis
  140. Tapering off opioids: When and how
  141. Tetanus
  142. Tetanus shots: Is it risky to receive 'extra' boosters?
  143. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  144. Understanding complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)
  145. Understanding IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease)
  146. Vasodilators
  147. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  148. Vesicoureteral reflux
  149. Video: Heart and circulatory system
  150. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  151. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  152. Obstructive sleep apnea: What happens?
  153. What is blood pressure?
  154. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  155. What are opioids and why are they dangerous?
  156. White coat hypertension
  157. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?
  158. Xylazine
  159. Effectively managing chronic kidney disease
  160. Mayo Clinic Minute: Do not share pain medication
  161. Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid opioids for chronic pain
  162. Mayo Clinic Minute: Be careful not to pop pain pills
  163. Mayo Clinic Minute: Out of shape kids and diabetes