Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant drug illegally sold on the streets in a white powder form.
Otherwise known as crack, crack cocaine, or coke, this drug is addictive because of its direct impact on the brain, spinal cord, and chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine. While we know that it affects the brain, does cocaine affect the liver? Our rehab in Boston looks into the negative effects of cocaine on the liver and what it does to the rest of the body.
Does Cocaine Damage Your Liver?
Yes, cocaine damages your liver. Many people who use cocaine are aware of this drug's impact on the heart and mind but don’t always consider the damage they’re doing to other parts of their bodies. Long-term cocaine abuse is shown to have numerous concerning side effects on various areas of the body. When it comes to cocaine and liver problems, damage occurs because this organ floods with toxins. When you constantly use drugs like cocaine, you’re flooding your body with harmful chemicals that are not meant to be ingested or metabolized. As a result, essential organs that clean out the body, such as the liver, are directly affected.
What Does the Liver Do?
Some functions of the liver include:
- Production of bile, which helps to carry waste out of the body and break down fats during digestion
- Production of proteins for blood plasma
- Production of cholesterol and special proteins that help carry fats throughout the body
- Conversion of excess glucose to glycogen
- Regulating blood clotting
As you may have guessed, the liver is also responsible for breaking down drugs and other poisonous substances in a process known as drug metabolism. The liver contains certain enzymes, specifically cytochrome P-450 enzymes, which help to break down drugs like cocaine. If you’re addicted to cocaine or any other substance, you can avoid liver damage and failure with the help of our PHP treatment in Massachusetts.
What Does Cocaine Do to Your Liver?
While the effects of cocaine on the nervous system and brain are well documented, cocaine’s effects on the liver are less understood. Various studies on coke and liver problems have shown that long-term use of this drug has led to spikes in liver enzyme levels and more. This can have a toxic impact on your liver, impairing its ability to function, thus damaging other processes in the body.
Some other common cocaine effects on liver functioning include:
- Viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
- Arterial hypotension (low blood pressure; occurs when blood pushes against your arteries at every heartbeat)
- Renal failure (kidney failure; the kidney and liver work together to clear the body of toxins)
- Rhabdomyolysis (results from the death of muscle fibers and release of their contents into the bloodstream)
- Severe liver injury
Moreover, cocaine cutting agents or additives are additional substances added to the drug during production to weigh more. Drug dealers often use chemicals including fentanyl, caffeine, amphetamine, laundry detergent, laxatives, and boric acid to make the drug weigh more to make more money from less product. These additional chemicals amplify cocaine liver toxicity.
Despite how damaging this drug is, people struggle to quit cocaine because of its high potential for addiction. Those who are addicted to cocaine often require the help of a cocaine rehab center to recover. If you or a loved one is currently battling addiction, Banyan Massachusetts can help. Call us now at 888-280-4763 to learn more about our outpatient drug treatment.
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