Heavy Injection Drug Use Is Associated with Lower Percent Body Fat in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort of HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Drug Users from Three U.S. Cities

Abstract

Background-The clinical implications of lower body weight in drug using populations are uncertain given that lower mean weights may still fall within the healthy range.

Is low BMI Associated with Specific Drug Use Among Injecting Drug Users?

“…Importantly, the amphetamine and heroin using groups were all using these respective drugs weekly, while in the morphine group the weekly use of morphine was just under 50%, and all three groups had similar probabilities of using alcohol and cannabis daily. Some previous studies have found life style factors associated with injecting drug use influenced BMI, rather than the specific type of drug used (Tang et al, 2010;Mallett, Rosenthal, & Keys, 2005). However, we found strong associations between different groups of drug users with BMI.…”

“…When comparing the BMI ranges of our sample of injecting drug users with the general population, our study shows that people who regularly inject drugs have a tendency towards a lower BMI than the general population (McCombie et al, 1995;Tang et al, 2010), with poor nutrition and metabolic complications believed to be implicating factors (Islam et al, 2002;Tang et al, 2010). In keeping with the literature (Cofrancesco et al, 2007;Galea & Vlahov, 2002: Adrian & Barry, 2003, characteristics of the sample population that were significantly associated with BMI were being female, homelessness, and high levels of psychological distress, though as stated above these factors were not significant after accounting for different drug using groups.…”

“…To date, there is insufficient research to gauge whether one pattern of drug use affects eating behavior/BMI more than another; although there is evidence that an effect on body composition from drug use may have more to do with behaviors associated with taking a specific drug than with the biological effects of specific drugs (Tang et al, 2010). While the literature points to higher prevalence of underweight amongst injecting drug users, obtaining a coherent picture of associations and relationships between drug use and BMI is hampered by the different measurement tools and sampling methodology used in studies.…”

Evaluation of Prooxidant–Antioxidant Balance in Chronic Heroin Users in a Single Assay: An Identification Criterion For Antioxidant Supplementation

“…Since heroin addicted individuals are usually malnourished (25,26), the impaired status of certain nutrients should also be taken into account when evaluating oxidative stress in this population.…”

Efectos del consumo de marihuana en adultos sobre la ingesta y el metabolismo de los nutrientes: una revisión

“…También se podría pensar que los consumidores de marihuana presenten un menor índice de masa corporal debido al policonsumo de sustancias psicoactivas 54,55 , dada la exposición que tienen a otras sustancias psicoactivas como la heroína, cocaína, bazuco y demás, de las cuales se conocen sus efectos devastadores sobre el estado nutricional de sus consumidores [56][57][58] . De la misma manera, se debe continuar la investigación sobre la respuesta fisiológica frente a los cannabinoides en diferentes etapas de la adicción, el cuerpo desarrolla una tolerancia frente a los efectos producidos por el THC, debe estudiarse el papel de antagonistas del CB1 como el cannabidiol en esta etapa, ya que el estudio de Ignatowska y Cols.…”