Using Meth for Weight Loss [The Brutal Truth]

For some, it can be tempting to use methamphetamine to lose weight. While it does cause dramatic weight loss, it also has many undesirable consequences because it doesn’t healthily cause weight loss.

What once seemed like a quick and easy way to achieve your weight goals will turn into a nightmarish addiction you can’t shake on your own.

Meth can seem exciting when you first start, and while the answers to “does meth make you lose weight” and “why does meth make you skinny” become obvious after a few doses, using meth for weight loss is an extremely bad idea.

If you’re unsure and considering taking the risk, we’ve created this article to help you.

Contents

Talk to a therapist online and get support right now.

As an affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase services through the links provided.

The Effects of Use When Just Starting

When asking yourself, “why does meth make you skinny?” it is important to remember the overwhelming negatives that come with meth weight loss. Even in small doses, methamphetamines are a robust stimulant. Its short-term side effects include:

  • A lessening of fatigue
  • An increased ability to pay attention
  • Suppression of appetite
  • A state of euphoria
  • Increased rates of respiration

The consequences of meth use are cardiovascular problems, including an elevated heart rate, irregular heartbeats, and a dramatic increase in blood pressure. Your body temperature can elevate while high, called hyperthermia.

Convulsions can happen when you take too much meth, and if not treated as soon as they occur, they may result in death.

What causes the euphoric high from meth use is not well understood by scientists. Meth does release dramatic dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter, which works with the brain’s reward system. Prolonged use tricks the brain into needing more of the drug to feel pleasure, which drives use.

Outside of meth use, dopamine regulates the motor function and our ability to motivate ourselves. When meth comes into the picture, it becomes what the brain wants to achieve with a sense of motivation and relays accomplishment to the user.

The brain quickly begins to function in a way reliant on meth use and drives the user to consume larger quantities of the drug each time they get high. Meth quickly causes severe psychological dependency.

At first, meth seems to be the solution to mood-related disorders, which is a great side effect if you’re starting meth for weight loss. The problem is this elevated mood is extremely temporary, and when the high is over, you’ll feel much worse than you did before you took the drug.

The Physical Consequences That Come With Meth Use

Severe tooth decay and tooth loss are common (called meth mouth). A lack of attention to dental hygiene while high is one of the causes of meth mouth. Forgetting to stay hydrated causes dry mouth which exacerbates tooth decay.

Meth users usually develop skin sores resulting from obsessive skin picking and the thinning of the skin to extract imagined insects and worms from under the skin.

The loss in appetite that meth causes is so severe that it results in poor nutrition, which leads to a decomposition of almost all bodily functions, including the attributes that make up your otherwise healthy outward appearance.

Dopamine is the main contributor to the high felt in meth users. Meth releases a burst of dopamine, but this large boom of neurotransmitters also leads to a dramatic crash. Most meth users quickly find themselves binging and crashing then seeking their next high so they can binge again.

When asking yourself, “does meth make you lose weight,” remember that you’ll quickly get caught up in addiction once the drug wears off after your high-intensity workout.

Meth rewires the brain in such a way that users put themselves at risk of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s deals with the nerves involved in the movement, so while meth increases motor abilities while high, it can also permanently damage your ability to move.

A reason answering “why does meth make you skinny” is this increase in motor ability while high, but the consequences to this burst inability come with permanent consequences.

These might also interest you… 

The Long Term Consequences of Meth Use

Symptoms of Prolonged Meth Use

Meth causes various dysfunctions in the body, and the longer you use it, the worse the damage gets. Common symptoms in meth users are:

  • Uncontrollable addiction
  • Psychosis including paranoia and hallucinations
  • Unconsciously repeating motor movements
  • Rewiring of brain functions and structures
  • Inability to think clearly
  • Uncontrollable motor movements
  • Easy distractibility
  • Loss of both short term and long-term memory
  • Uncontrollable outbursts of violence or aggressiveness
  • Disturbances of moods
  • Severe and obvious dental problems
  • Dramatic weight loss
 

Statistics Around Meth

A study done by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2017 determined that 1.6 million people used meth that year, with 774,000 using meth in the 30 days before the survey. The median age of new users was around 23 years old.

Around 964,000 people, or .4% of the total US population, had a meth abuse disorder. Their disability was identifiable because they had major dysfunctions with their health, ability to maintain responsibilities and had lost important relationships.

Meth and Weight Loss

Wondering “why does meth make you skinny” shouldn’t inform your use of the drug. Meth depletes your ability to provide your body with proper nutrients, creating unhealthy weight loss. 

Sometimes, meth is prevalent in social scenes, and other users spiraling into addiction, will discuss the benefits of their meth weight loss. Don’t fall victim to this.

Other users will try and fool you as they are cycling into abuse. Social scenes centered on meth abuse foster excuses to keep using a very dangerous drug. 

Almost all meth users are trying to lose weight begin pining for their next hit before the initial high has worn off, which quickly spirals into uncontrollable addiction.

Why Meth Can’t Solve Your Health Problems

It’s common for drug users to think that meth isn’t that addictive, and people think they can use meth recreationally without any negative side effects. 

Meth for weight loss may seem tempting, but weight loss is just one factor in many using the drug.

When you find yourself asking, “why does meth make you skinny,” it’s often coupled with a desire to get the superhuman focus that meth is known to give its users.

While it’s true that the meth high in the beginning causes a deep ability to focus, this quickly spirals out of control.

If you are looking for a way to conquer attention deficit problems, it is much safer to seek the help of a doctor in finding the right medications for you that are safe to use. 

There are legal drugs on the market that can provide the focusing benefits you long for that do not come with the addictive qualities of methamphetamine abuse.

Meth will suppress your appetite and the need to sleep for days at a time, as long as you have more of the drug to take as it wears off.

This misleads users into thinking that meth for weight loss is a good idea. However, the effects of avoiding sleep and food intake while high comes with dramatic consequences.

While meth weight loss does occur, it is due to poor nutrition and bad diet choices. Therefore, these consequences are not sustainable and will not lead to healthy long-term weight loss. 

When you come off of meth, your appetite will return, and you’ll suffer from lethargy, causing you to regain all that you lost.

Why Meth Use is Not a Sustainable Solution

While meth weight loss does occur, using meth affects a user’s appearance negatively. It causes people to age prematurely and creates obvious and irreparable dental issues.

The immense dopamine that meth produces stays in the brain for a long time, creating side effects that contribute to weight loss. 

However, you’ll quickly discover that you can’t feel normal or driven without methamphetamines, which goes far beyond simply using meth for weight loss.

Does meth make you lose weight? Yes, at the expense of your other vital bodily systems and the rest of your appearance.

You’ll end up less attractive than before you started using due to the negative consequences of meth on the rest of your outward appearance.

Meth and Concentration

Many students fall into the trap of thinking methamphetamines are a good choice because meth weight loss is easily observable among abusers. It is also well known that meth can increase concentration.

It’s tempting to make meth so you can stay up late studying, but this choice has major health consequences.

Meth quickly affects cognitive functioning, making it harder to concentrate and retain the information you’re trying to learn.

When you should be studying, it’s easy to begin pining after meth, as your brain will quickly prioritize drug use over your desire to get good grades.

Conquering Meth Use With Healthy Alternatives

While meth may seem tempting when asking, “does meth make you lose weight,” many more healthy alternatives are available.

People who are often wondering, “why does meth make you skinny” are also combating other issues in their lives that make meth look appealing at first glance.

The reality is that methamphetamines have horrible consequences for the body and mind.

People drawn into the possible euphoric effects of meth use while considering meth for weight loss will find that therapies directed at depression and anxiety will go much farther in helping them solve their problems than using methamphetamines.

Often, a person is drawn to meth weight loss because they deal with underlying body dysmorphia.

Before you pick up this harmful substance, find healthy solutions to the body image problems that plague you.

Doctors are well equipped to help you manage a sustainable diet plan that won’t cause a crippling addiction.

The Price of Meth Weight Loss is Too High

The answer to the question, “does meth make you lose weight?” is a resounding yes. However, it is much more complicated than that. The longer you use meth, the harder it is to quit and avoid the other harmful consequences that lead to poor health.

Meth weight loss is not a healthy choice, and there are other more effective ways to lose weight. Using meth for weight loss is not a good reason to put yourself at risk of addiction. Talk to your doctor about healthy alternatives to weight loss.

Sources

[1] NIH.gov

[2] Medical News Today

[3] Short Term Effects of Meth Use

[4] What Are Immediate Effects of Meth of Misuse

susana spiegel author headshot

Susana Spiegel

About the Contributor

Susana Spiegel is an author and recovery advocate with over 7 years in recovery from addiction. Her passion for recovery has led her to research and write extensively on the topic, with over 5 years of writing content specifically related to addiction and recovery. Susana believes that recovery is possible for anyone who is willing to put in the work and is dedicated to helping others find the strength, support, and resources they need to live a life of sobriety. Susana also has a Bachelors in Christian Studies from Grand Canyon University. 

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Talk to a therapist online and get support right now.

As an affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase services through the links provided.

These might also interest you… 

Social Media

Most Popular

Get The Latest Updates

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

New articles about addiction, treatment, and recovery sent directly to you! 

Categories

Recovery Guides

Related Topics

Get help and rebuild your life.

Recovery Starts Today

Drug and alcohol treatment is available for all financial situations. Insurance, medicaid, medicare, no insurance, more. Call now!