Nghiên cứu của Dr. Karen Vieira về: Opiates, Heroin, Marijuana

Original content:

Alcohol, Drugs and Weight Gain or Loss: What the Research Says

Opiates

Codeine, morphine, methadone, Hydrocodone and OxyContin are all opiates that can be prescribed by a physician to treat intense pain or certain painful conditions (e.g., cancer). Methadone is even prescribed for some people who are addicted to heroin in order to help them overcome their opiate dependence or addiction [17].

Dependence occurs when the body builds up a tolerance to an opiate and an individual’s dose has to be increased in order to experience an effect. If the person abruptly stops taking the opiate, serious withdrawal symptoms may be experienced. To mitigate this uncomfortable period of withdrawal, people frequently undergo medically supervised detoxification as an initial step of substance abuse treatment.

Addiction can develop when high doses of an opiate are consumed for an extended period – causing changes in the brain that can result in compulsive cravings and can elicit drug-seeking behavior regardless of the negative effects that the addiction has on a person’s life and health.

Although opiates are commonly prescribed to treat pain, their use can quickly translate to misuse due to the sense of euphoria that people tend to experience after taking this type of drug. It is this feeling of euphoria that generally leads to opiate dependence and addiction in many people [18].

To varying degrees, the narcotic analgesics in the opiate class can cause side effects that include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation

Side effects such as these can lead to a decrease in appetite, slowed digestion and weight loss, over time. In addition, opiate dependence and, especially, addiction can often result in dramatic weight loss when people begin to engage in drug seeking behavior more often than eating properly.

Heroin

Heroin is a particularly dangerous opiate that is highly addictive. It is usually purchased on the street as opposed to abused prescription opiates. Similar to other drugs in this class, its users may display erratic drug seeking behavior, altered eating habits and weight loss if it is taken regularly [19].

Heroin abusers may experience a brief period of euphoria that is followed by confusion and drowsiness. Prolonged use, and the subsequent repeated cycle of euphoria/drowsiness results in the development of irregular eating habits or forgetting to eat altogether. Long-term opiate abuse also leads to extensive organ damage and disease, which is typically associated with weight loss.

Marijuana

Marijuana, as a recreational drug, is among the most commonly used depressants by adolescents [20]. Excessive marijuana use alters mental processes such as memory and thinking. Most people experience short-term memory problems that may become permanent if a prolonged period of drug abuse starts. Memory problems may result in dietary changes and weight loss. However, a number of individuals who take marijuana experience a subjective increase in appetite that is frequently referred to as the munchies. This may cause overeating and weight gain.

Concentration, hand and eye coordination and reasoning problems may also develop due to marijuana use and this may make it difficult for people to maintain a healthy diet. Long-term problems that may arise from marijuana use include depression and organ damage, especially if marijuana is taken with alcohol. These types of health problems are often associated with fluctuations in weight.

References

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About the Author

Dr. Karen Vieira, PhD MSM

Dr. Vieira is a research scientist with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Florida College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. She has done clinical and laboratory research on diseases, cellular functioning and nutritional supplements. Her focus is helping people make dietary and lifestyle changes that prevent, cure or improve health conditions.

 
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