PROZAC MAY STUNT GROWTH (c) 2/28/2000 Ian Williams Goddard In light of the widespread use of psychotropic drugs to control growing children, [1] the following is extremely important: According to a study recently published in the journal Pediatrics (1999), infants whose mothers took Prozac while breastfeeding grew significantly less than infants whose mothers had discontinued Prozac after delivery. [2] The study concluded: "The data set forth in this study indicate that infants who are breastfed by mothers who take fluoxetine [Prozac] track a growth curve significantly below that of infants breastfed without the medication." Previously, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1996) found that the birth weight of babies exposed to Prozac during pregnancy was less than those not exposed to Prozac during pregnancy. [3] Additionally, a recent animal study (1999) found that Prozac reduced the birth weight of rats and concluded that Prozac "may have a deleterious effect on prenatal development when administered during pregnancy." [4] With the latest study in Pediatrics, the evidence before us indicates that exposure to Prozac both before AND after birth may retard human development. There may be a biological basis for Prozac-induced growth retardation: Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a class of antidepressants that have been shown to reduce function in the growth-regulating regions of the brain known as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. [5] It has also been shown that in some cases SSRIs can reduce the release of growth hormones. [6-9] This evidence could support a hypothesis that the lower weight of Prozac-exposed infants may be a result of drug-induced impairment of growth-regulating centers in the brain. While it may be too early to draw definitive conclusions regarding the effect of SSRIs on human growth, the available evidence clearly points to the likelihood of a detrimental impact. The available evidence also raises this most- important question: If Prozac and other SSRIs reduce the growth of infants, then what effect might they have on the development of growing children and young adults, who are increasingly targeted for antidepressant treatment? [1] Furthermore, since the evidence suggests Prozac may stunt growth, is it ethical to expose growing children to SSRIs? ___________________________________________________________ [1] Zito, J. M., Safer, D. J., dosReis, S., et al. (2000) Trends in the Prescribing of Psychotropic Medications to Preschoolers. Journal of the American Medical Association, 283(8). http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v283n8/full/joc91250.html [2] Chambers, C. D., Anderson, P. O., Thomas, R. G., et al. (1999). Weight Gain in Infants Breastfed by Mothers Who Take Fluoxetine. Pediatrics, 104(5):e61. http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/104/5/e61 [3] Chambers, C. D., Johnson, K. A., Dick, L. M., et al. (1996). Birth outcomes in pregnant women taking fluoxetine. New England Journal of Medicine, 335(14):1010-5. [4] da-Silva, V. A., Altenburg, S. P., Malheiros, L. R., et al. (1999). Postnatal development of rats exposed to fluoxetine or venlafaxine during the third week of pregnancy. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 32(1):93-8. [5] Jensen, J. B., Jessop, D. S., Harbuz, M. S. (1999). Acute and long-term treatments with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram modulate the HPA axis activity at different levels in male rats. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 11(6):465-71. [6] Lerer, B., Gelfin, Y., Gorfine, M., et al. (1999). 5-HT1A receptor function in normal subjects on clinical doses of fluoxetine: blunted temperature and hormone responses to ipsapirone challenge. Neuropsychopharmacology, Jun;20(6):628-39. [7] Anderson, I. M., Deakin, J. F., Miller, H. E., (1996). The effect of chronic fluvoxamine on hormonal and psychological responses to buspirone in normal volunteers. Psychopharmacology, (Berl), 128(1):74-82. [8] O'Flynn, K., O'Keane, V., Lucey, J. V., Dinan, T. G., (1991). Effect of fluoxetine on noradrenergic mediated growth hormone release: a double blind, placebo-controlled study. Biological Psychiatry, 15;30(4):377-82. [9] Serri, O., Rasio, E. (1987). The effect of d-fenfluramine on anterior pituitary hormone release in the rat: in vivo and in vitro studies. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 65(12):2449-53. Find these studies here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed Additional Drug Reports From Goddard's Journal: LOOKING FOR "EARLY SCHIZOPHRENIA" IN CHILDREN MAY INCREASE RISK OF IATROGENIC POLYPHARMACY: http://users.erols.com/igoddard/polyrisk.htm Letter From Peter Breggin, MD, to JAMA: http://users.erols.com/igoddard/breggin.htm The Mass Drugging of Children: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/massdrug.htm Exposing Kids to Brain Damage Risk: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/atrophy1.htm Does Making Kids Take Drugs Violate Anti-Nazi Law? http://www.erols.com/igoddard/nazi-rit.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ GODDARD'S JOURNAL: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/journal.htm ____________________________________________________________
