Methamphetamine

Meth: Facts and time duration in the body | How long does Methamphetamine stay in your system

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How long does Methamphetamine stay in your system: Methamphetamine, a hard drug that can cause serious underlining health issues certified as abnormal use of meth can lead to problems like addiction, memory loss, aggression, drug-induced episodes, and severe dental problems.

In some countries, the law has categorized the drug as a Schedule II drug, and a survey has reported that about 2.6 million people used the drug in 2019. The effects of meth have long and can be seen in drug tests after a 3-month period.

Now let us define this drug; what is methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine in your body
Methamphetamine

Meth is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It is a very addictive drug that can cause serious cases of addiction, overdose, and also long- and short-term health issues. Even small amounts of this drug can also spring out serious issues and addiction. Other names for meth include speed, chalk, ice, crystal, and crank.

The original manufacturers of the drug made it for the purpose of serving as nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. They were also made from amphetamine. Now, the only legal production of meth is called Desoxyn. These kinds are prescribed by doctors for cases of weight loss and treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and symptoms in a few circumstances.

Illegally, meth is made or cooked in crude labs using highly corrosive chemicals and other drugs, which are pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, which are drugs used as cold remedies. Cooking meth is extremely dangerous because fumes gotten from the chemicals during the cooking process are toxic to health, and can cause violent explosions. The latter product then takes the form of a white, odorless powder. The crystal form of the drug resembles small shards of glass or shiny blue-white rocks.

How long does methamphetamine stay in our system?

Meth takes about 4 days to leave the system. it has a half-life of 10 hours, meaning that it takes 10 hours for half of it to be metabolized and ingested in the body. So a positive test can come up following days of use. For instance, 4 days after ingesting the drug will bring up a positive urine or hair test.

How is it metabolized in the body?

Once meth is ingested or smoked, it makes its way to the brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys. Being water soluble, in easily pass through the cell membrane which in turn makes it easy for it to pass through the blood-brain barrier are by giving it access to the brain.

The methamphetamine is then metabolized and eliminated by the body through the liver and kidneys. While in the liver, an enzyme called cytochrome P450 2D6 breaks it down into two metabolized trusted sources: para-hydroxymethamphetamine (pOH-MA) and amphetamine (AMP). The kidneys then filter these metabolites out of the blood and expel them through the urine.

Risks and dangers of ingesting methamphetamine

Methamphetamine has been tagged to cause a lot of health issues by medical experts. Smoking or ingesting meth can cause a lot of short- and long-term health issues.

With its short-term cases including;

  • increased heart rate and blood pressure
  • hyperthermia or elevated body temperature
  • dilated pupils
  • increased wakefulness, energy, and alertness
  • decreased appetite and fatigue

Long-term issues are causing cases of anxiety, paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations

Other issues include:

  • severe dental problems
  • significant weight loss
  • skin sores
  • sleep disorders
  • cognitive deficits, including memory loss
  • addiction and tolerance

The use of meth can also cause psychotic symptoms, such as:

  • visual and auditory hallucinations
  • delusions, such as the belief that insects are crawling under the skin
  • paranoia and feelings of persecution

Methamphetamine is also linked with an increased risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C through the sharing of injecting equipment.

Methamphetamine use leads to devastating effects on the human body, especially when addicted to and used for a prolonged period. Many of these cases can be suppressed by the disuse of meth, but others are permanent.

 

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