Side Effects Of Prednisone

Weight Gain

A common adverse side effect of taking prednisone for extended periods is unexpected weight gain. Corticosteroids like prednisone can influence the way an individual's body naturally uses up calories and the way it manages fat deposition. These interferences have been known to cause a patient taking prednisone for an extended period to have an increased appetite. With an increased appetite, someone taking prednisone is inclined to consume more calories than they would otherwise. The consumption of a greater number of calories than the number of calories the body is burning off is referred to as a positive energy balance. When an individual has a positive energy balance, the excess calories not being burned off are stored in the body as fat tissue. Over time, the fat tissue accumulates in the individual's body and causes weight gain or a net increase in total body mass. Prednisone can also result in weight gain because of its tendency to cause the body to hold onto more sodium and fluid that would otherwise be eliminated through sweat, urine, and stool.

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