Metabolic Syndrome in Drug Abuse
Drug abuse is associated with significant health risk. Whether drug abusers are at a higher risk of suffering the metabolic syndrome is not widely known. The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, including hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abdominal obesity, and is probably triggered by initial imbalances at the cellular level in various critical metabolic pathways. These initially small metabolic imbalances are believed to cascade with time and lead to larger problems. Some indications that drug abuse may increase the risk of the metabolic syndrome include the following:
metabolic syndrome drug abuse hyperinsulinemia hypertension dyslipidemia abdominal obesity nutrition l-carnitine acetyl-l-carnitine creatine selenium lipoic acid resveratrol cocaine ecstasy methamphetamine polyunsaturated fatty acids alcohol brain liver metabolic compromise metabolic modifier free radicals reactive oxygen species vitamins zinc thiamine supplements diabetes amphetamines