Comment · Fri, November 2, 2012
do you think ecstasy users underestimate the dangers of the drug (particularly hyperthermia-related issues)?
Original post in this thread
pylori · 14 points
if you're aware of the issues it's not too hard to remain safe whilst using it, but the fact that so many people are uninformed about the dangers/risks makes things worse (death from ecstasy is reported to be in the 1 in 2000 range). also the fact that the quality/purity of the drug is so varied probably doesn't help things either (as well as being cut with other substances.
i read one case report of a police confiscated pill containing 270mg! jeez imagine taking that amount for the first time, and one patient presented with a temperature of 43C!
i think there's more rave organisers could do to ensure people remain hydrated, and, more importantly, better drug education in schools worldwide to make people aware of the effects and keep them safe. i've always struggled to understand how we have understood and adopted a safe-sex attitude to sex education instead of abstinence only (well at least in most of europe) but we can't do this with drugs. my school drug education consisted of "don't do it, drugs are bad, mmkay" and the horrible talk to frank scheme. i was left with the impression that all drugs cause krokodil-style effects, luckily i wised up on my own.
What they were answering
Direct reply to the original post — see the thread post above.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
YES! Keep your damn body temperatures down people!
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http://www.maps.org/publications/1998_malberg_1.pdf](http://www.maps.org/publications/1998_malberg_1.pdf)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/5v50nu221g91km35/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21924843
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/270/2/752.short
http://www.maps.org/publications/1998_scheffel_1.pdf
http://journals.lww.com/neuroreport/Abstract/1999/11260/_alpha__Lipoic_acid_prevents.39.aspx
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Very simply, MDMA induced neurotoxicity arises from oxidation of various substances in the brain. There is great debate of which substances are to blame. One theory is that a hepatic metabolite of MDMA, being uptaked into the serotonin axon, gets oxidized into damaging hydroxyl radicals. Another theory is that dopamine is the substance to blame for the oxidation. Another theory is that MDMA itself is reuptaked into the axon, being broken down by MAO-B. More likely is that it is a combination of substances being oxidized into harmful hydroxyl radicals. What is the common denominator for all evidence to MDMA's neurotoxicity? BODY TEMPERATURE! When your body temperature rises, you body's natural process for preventing oxidative stress (antioxidants) becomes less efficient. That lowering of efficiency is exponential. The higher your body temperature gets, the faster reactive oxygen species are created, damaging your brain. Not one single study in the history of MDMA has shown neurotoxocity when body temperature has been kept steady. NOT ONE. Pretty conclusive evidence for thermogenesis being the cause of MDMA neurotoxicity. Rats given a known neurotoxic does (20mg/kg, which would be the equivalent of me taking a 264mg dose), who were kept in a room at 20-24*C, showed NO neurotoxicity in any part of the brain. Rats given the same dosage, but kept in a room 26-30*C showed neurotoxicity in all regions of the brain affected by MDMA. A 2 degree Celsius rise in ambient temperature was all it took to turn no damage, to neurotoxicity in multiple parts of the brain! Here is the study if you want to read it.
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Here is a simple guide to protect yourself:
Keep your body temperature down.
Keep your electrolyte levels balanced. Stay hydrated, but make sure you have electrolytes with the water!
Take magnesium glycinate before and during your roll.
Take lots of vitamin C, grape seed extract, alpha lipoic acid, and EGCG before and during your roll. These antioxidants will help take care of any free radicals in your brain.
DO NOT REDOSE. If you do, do not do it after drop+1.5 hours, and make sure the redose is not larger than your first dose.
Keep your doses as low as you can. I see people doing idiotic things like taking half a gram. YOU ARE AN IDIOT, AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD!
Buy some piracetam. It is a neuroprotectant, and it potentiates your roll. If you don't take it before, take it before bed.
Take a large dose of melatonin before bed. It will help you sleep and it's an amazing antioxidant.
For the few days after a roll, take 5-HTP WITH EGCG and Quercetin. MDMA lowers tryptophan hydroxylase, so restoring your vesicles will be difficult with tryptophan alone. 5-HTP skips this step, but only if it reaches your brain. Take the EGCG and Quercetin to block the enzymes and give the 5-HTP a chance to cross your blood brain barrier.
Get a fucking labeled pill container and have your supplements ready ahead of time.