Published in the journal JAMA, the results from one study concerning the effects of antipsychotic drugs on young people are very worrisome.
272 patients between the ages of 4 and 19 were studied. They had never taken antipsychotic drugs before the study and each had different problems including mood disorders (47.8%), schizophrenia (30.1%) and aggressive or destructive behaviors (22.1%).
All of them received different types of antipsychotics for 12 weeks. Although 15 subjects refused the drugs and they were studied as a sample group.
After eleven weeks, those who received the antipsychotic drug olanzapine had a weight gain of 8.5 kilograms. With quetiapine, there was a weight gain of 6 kilograms. Those who received risperiodone had increased their weight by 5.3 kg and with aripirazole there was an average weight gain of 4.3 kg. The sample group had only an average weight gain of 200 grams.
In addition, researchers discovered an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood in those who received olanzapine and quetiapine.
These results are disturbing as being overweight can further increase health problems.