A slow metabolism causes weight gain in adults.

Is it true that a slow metabolism causes weight gain in adults?

Partly. Evidence is mixed and only partial: some sources assert that slowed metabolism (often via thyroid or hormonal factors) contributes to weight gain, while others attribute weight gain to caloric excess and report that altered-metabolism theories were not confirmed. No source settles the general claim for adults as a whole.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 4 sources for, 3 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Ayu, R. D., Gatut, H., & Dwi, J. R. (2025). Factors affecting weight gain among injectable contraceptive users in Indonesia: A Literature Review. zenodo.org. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16924279

Weight gain. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_gain

Metabolic Determinants of Weight Gain in Humans - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22456

25-Hydroxyvitamin D Serum Levels Unrelated to Fasting Blood Glucose Levels of Premenopausal Women in Padang. (2021). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.11594/banrj.01.02.04

Relationship Between Autoimmune and Metabolic Disease in Current Prospectus. (2025). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.13005/bpj/3223

Experimental proof that eating more causes weight gain via calories in minus calories out = weight gain formula. (2014). skeptics.stackexchange.com. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/21989/experimental-proof-that-eating-more-causes-weight-gain-via-calories-in-minus-cal

Juraschek, S., Miller, E., Chang, A. R., Anderson, C., Hall, J. E., & Appel, L. (2020). Effects of Sodium Reduction on Energy Metabolism, Weight, Thirst, and Urine Volume: Results from the DASH-Sodium Trial. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13932