The purpose of this report is to explain how methamphetamine can affect a beings physical health, to explain what exactly is happening inside the substance takers body, and what is happening to the substance itself once it has been taken. Physical health is important to our society for many different reasons. A physically unhealthy person is more likely to develop many diseases and problems including Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, Sleep Apnea, Osteoarthritis, Fatty Liver Disease, Kidney Disease, Pregnancy Problems, and many problems affecting cardiovascular health. Long term methamphetamine users can experience negative effects on the brain months and even years after their last administration. This can damage the brain permanently and will require medical care and treatment for the rest of their lives. In 2012 alone in metropolitan Melbourne the methamphetamine and amphetamine-related ambulance attendances was a shocking 880 cases, being double the amount of the previous year. The reasons for ambulance call-outs ranged from anxiety, paranoia or hallucinations to physical health problems, such as high heart rates, palpitations, gastrointestinal symptoms or injury resulting from assault, self-harm or accidents. These patients are then being hospitalised, due to their own choices. This is taking away from genuinely sick people. People with general health problems are being turned away. Less and less money is being spent on our roads, schools, and other local places which would usually be funded. This is causing a huge strain in our hospital system, forcing tax payers to pay more money towards hospital funding, which is overall impacting our economy.
In this report, the background information will provide an understanding of the chemical properties of the substance, reaction pathways, conditions, and what happens inside the brain when the substance has been taken. In the discussion it will go on to explain how methamphetamine affects physical health. And finally the conclusion will provide a summary of the article, along with answering the question how does methamphetamine affect physical health?


Background

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug, and is a member of the phenethylamine family. It is a synthetic drug, which means its man made from chemicals. These chemicals include pseudoephedrine, acetone, lithium, toluene, hydrochloric acid, red phosphorus, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid and anhydrous ammonia.  The way that methamphetamine is actually formed is the Phenylacetone and the methylamine react together, and produce methamphetamine (as shown in figure 2)

Figure 1 - Methamphetamine structure

Figure 2 - Methamphetamine synthesis


At room temperature Methamphetamine appears as white crystals, or if broken up a white crystalline powder. It is soluble in diethyl ether or ethanol. It has a melting point between 170 to 175 °C. Its characteristic odour resembles geranium leaves. Its molecular weight is 149.2 g/mol. And its Molecular Formula is C10H15N.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance that has caused serious physical health problems globally. It triggers dependency faster than almost all other illegal drugs, and is three times more powerful than cocaine. But why exactly is it so addictive? Dopamine is what affects the brain’s limbic system. This includes the parts responsible for our emotions, our learning, and our memory. When the methamphetamine user choses to the take substance, the first few times it’s a conscious decision. These decisions are made in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, which handles voluntary actions. Usually by the third or fourth time of taking meth, the decision takes place in a whole new part of the brain, called the hind brain. This controls involuntary functions, such as breathing. The brain elevates the need for the drug to the same level as anything else needed to do to survive, like breathing. When Ingested, the substance enters the bloodstream through the digestive system. When the substance is injected, it is injected straight into the blood stream, then travels to the brain. When smoked it travels from the lungs into the bloodstream and to the brain. And when snorted, methamphetamine travels from the lungs into the bloodstream and finally to the brain. When metabolized, methamphetamine can both go to amphetamine (and still be active), or it could go to p-OH-amphetamine and norephedrine (which are both inactive). The use of methamphetamine can affect vital organs including your liver, kidney, and lungs. It may just result in damage, but could lead to complete failure.

Figure 3 - Functions of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine

Methamphetamine affects the activity of three neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine). These three neurotransmitters belong to a category of chemical compounds called monoamines. Methamphetamine stimulates activation of the mesolimbic system, as it results in the immediate effects of feelings of euphoria and excitement. The serotonin system can be affected in many different ways. Some research indicates that serotonin levels increase, and others say serotonin levels decrease. What happens is serotonin in the synaptic cleft builds by either inhibiting the reuptake process, or reversing the transportation of serotonin. Elevated levels of serotonin result in increased feelings of empathy and closeness as well as a generalized state of well-being. Methamphetamine stimulates noradrenergic neurons to release norepinephrine into the synaptic cleft, which results in increased alertness and attention.

Discussion

Methamphetamine affects the physical health of a human being in many different ways.  It has a number of short-term effects and even a single high dose of the drug has been shown to damage nerve terminals in the dopamine-containing regions of the brain. Methamphetamine also effectively shuts down your brain's sleep, hunger, and thirst centres. Other side effects can include irritability, confusion, nervousness, nonstop talking, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness. These may result in the substance user not leaving their house, which would mean lack of sunlight, exercise, and socialising. This could vastly impact the state of a beings physical health.

The long term effects of methamphetamine hugely effect a person’s physical health, in particular the cardiovascular system. The effects can range from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. When injected, methamphetamine use can also cause other cardiovascular problems including collapsed veins and bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves. Some other long term effects of the substance are anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behaviour. 

Figure 4 - Before and after methamphetamine. Source: archive.wtsp.com

Because of the symptoms of methamphetamine, a person can change completely from who they were before the use of the drug. Some of these symptoms include withdrawing from previously-enjoyed activities, lying to cover up methamphetamine usage, withdrawing from loved ones and friends, poor work performance, legal problems, not eating (depriving the body of essential nutrients), sudden need for money, stealing from loved ones, increased criminal activity, reckless behaviours, risk-taking behaviours, and increased violent behaviour. Because of the sudden changes in the substance taker, it is likely that friends and family will turn from them. This could result in the drug user being in a state of depression.

Depression is an illness in which can effect ones physical heath enormously. Depression may have a negative effect on the immune system, may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and may influence the risk of developing diabetes. Untreated depression has been shown to dramatically increase the risk of dying after a heart attack. 

This goes to show that many of the physical and metal side effects of methamphetamine can impact a person’s physical health.

Conclusion

This reports provides understanding of the effect of methamphetamine use on the brain, and therefore physical health. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance. When taken after about three of four times, the hind brain becomes responsible for this decision instead of the frontal lobe. The hind brain is the part of the brain which controls involuntary functions like breathing. By this point the body has become dependent on the drug. Side effects then start to occur, effecting the user both physically and mentally. The effects of methamphetamine on the brain affect the user’s physical health in that it damages their cardiovascular system, reduces time spent doing things outside being active, and overall majorly effects the heart. It can also lead to the persons sleep, hunger, and thirst centres effectively being shut down. If the substance taker is not eating or drinking, this is depriving the body of essential nutrients required to do everyday activity.  In addition to the issues directly relating to physical health, the effects of methamphetamine on one’s mental health can also come back to affect their physical health, for example depression. Depression can lower ones immunity against diseases and illnesses. And also greatens the risk of developing heart related problems.

Public education piece

My public education piece is a pamphlet to advise the general public of the information learned during this research assignment.

References

Methamphetamines: An Overview, Tempestt Gilmore, Rosa Jou-Zhang, Jenny Darwent, Ricardo Guzman, and Jignasha Pandya, http://www.macalester.edu/academics/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/meth08/biochemistry/neurotransmitter.htm, 21/10 /15

The deadly effects of meth, unknown author, http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/the-deadly-effects-of-meth.html, 13/10/15

How Does Methamphetamine Cause Its Effects?, unknown author, https://teens.drugabuse.gov/educators/nida-teaching-guides/mind-over-matter-teaching-guide-and-series/methamphetamine/how-does, 14/10/15

Long term effects of meth on the brain (INFOGRAPHIC), unknown author, http://addictionblog.org/zfeatured-drug/long-term-effects-of-meth-on-the-brain-infographic/, 13/10/15

Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse, unknown author, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/medical-consequences-drug-abuse/cardiovascular-effects, 26/10/15

Methamphetamine, unknown author, http://www.linkinghumansystems.com/drugs/methamphetamine.html, 21/10/15