Effects of Methamphetamine on Health

Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting powder that can easily be dissolved in water or alcohol. This drug can be taken orally (by mouth), intranasally (snorted), by needle injection, or by smoking. The smokable form is known as “ice” or “crystal,” because of its appearance. There are many effects of methamphetamine on health including severe health problems like stroke.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that has an effect on brain functions. It is classified as Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Medical uses of methamphetamine are limited and the doses prescribed are much lower than those typically abused.

Other names for the drug are speed, meth, chalk, crystal, ice, and glass.

Methamphetamine can affect lots of brain structures. However, the ones that the drug affects the most are the ones that contain a chemical called dopamine. This brain chemical is involved in motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor functions. Methamphetamine increases the release of very high levels of dopamine. As a result, the person feels an extra sense of pleasure, which can last all day. However, these pleasurable effects would eventually stop. Once this happens, the person experiences unpleasant feelings called a “crash,” which often lead a person to use more of the drug.

The many effects of Methamphetamine

The drug has many effects on brain function, as well as on other body systems. Methamphetamine can cause a person to be more awake, more active, lose their appetite, irritable, aggressive, and have elevated body temperature (hyperthermia).

In addition, the drug can also cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and their heart to beat faster. Due to its effect in blood pressure, the person’s blood vessels, especially in the brain, may become damaged, which can lead to strokes.

Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many negative effects, including extreme weight loss, severe dental problems, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. In addition, chronic abuse of the drug may cause a person to become paranoid. They may experience hallucinations. They hear and see things that aren’t there.

More studies are being conducted to better understand how methamphetamine causes its effects.

Sources:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). InfoFacts: Methamphetamine (Revised June 2008).

NIDA for Teens. NIH Publication No. 03—4394. Printed 2000, 2003.

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