الفهرس 
Substanee AbuseOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Drug abuse is the use of any substance which has an effect on the nervous system to induce a
change in the mood, the level of consciousness or the behavior, without medical advise. Although
the major effects of street drugs are not nutritional, their use can induce nutritional problems,
either directly by reduction of food intake during periods altered state or indirectly by depleting
all the money needed for food.
This study was connected to study the nutrition status of the drug
abusers pre-and post medicaltreatment, to study the effect of drug abuse on different biochemical
aspects of the body, as well as· the relation between the abused drug and nutrition status. The
effect of abuse substances on body composition and the effect of the social factors on drug
abusers, were also concerned.
The investigated subjects were I 00 males of drug abusers attending the
medical centers specialized in drug abuse treatments Gamal Mady Abu El Azaim hospital (85 cases)
and El-Ragaa medical center. (15 cases)
Samples were classified into two groups according to the number of
drugs used. The first group, those using only one drug and the second group, those using more than
one drug group who further sub-classified into subgroups according to the type of the drug used.
All investigated cases were
. followed up after medical treatment for one month. On the other hand,
another I 0 healthy males were chosen from different sites as a control group for comparison
The obtained results could be summarized in the main following parts:
Part 1: General distribution of the investigated samples.
A- Socio economic state for the studied sample
Proved to age distribution of the sample, the age group (21-30 years) showed the highest
frequency of drug users constituting 46% of the total studied sample and using drugs was started
before the age of 20 years. Stated . the education level. the majority (76%) received from moderate
to high level of education. On the other hand, 42% of the studied sample were
businessmen (having free works) and the majority of studied case had moderate to high
income as 74% of them had income of more than 1000 L.E/ month; out of them 36 cases had very high
income above 3000 L.Eimonth. Regarding the associated factors leading to addiction; the
obtained data proved that I 00% of the sample were suffering from the pressure of addicted
friends, ..and 54% had addicted relatives while 26% were using drugs for curiosity
B- Methods of abusing drugs:
The majority of cases 61 out of 100 (61%) used more than one type of drug and 21 cases of them used
3 types of drugs narcotics, opiates, stimulants
& hallucinogens. The injection method constitute the main used method. It was preferred by 23% of
the total sample followed by the smoking method.On the other hand, the groups who abuse more than
one drug, were found to used more than one method to intake the drug (representing 56%from the
total sample).
C- Organic and psychatric diseases:
The results showed that all samples were suffering from liver function impairment, (95% from the
total sample) followed by the kidney disease (51% from the tested groups). It was also found that
the withdrawal symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea were the most common ones in the total sample (90%
each). However, the most common associated psychological
disease in the studied group was found to be anxiety in 91% followed by depression in 65% of sample
cases. On the other side, 66% from sample were suffering from insommia and 38% were suffering from
psychotic symptoms. D- The diet history of drug abusers during the abusing period:
The data proved that , no regular 3 diets consumption was found in
the studied samples Since only 7 cases from the second group ( 16.4%) got the regular three
meals per day. The majority of the studied cases had changed their food pattern (types and
quantities) during the period of addiction, as 63.0% and 90% showed changes in food pattern types
and quantities respectively. On the other hand, other habits such as frequent tea and coffee or
alcoholic drinks and smoking, were prevalent in the studied groups constituting 85%, 68% and 87%
respectively. These habits were more frequent with those using more than one drug.
Part II: Food intake of drug abusers (Energy, Vitamins, minerals and trace elements) :
A- Food intake of energy nutrients:
Data proved that all studied groups showed significant decrease in the uptake of calories in terms
of fat, protein .and carbQhydrates before starting treatment. group III (those using hallucinogens)
was the most affected one as they showed the lowest calories in the form of protein and
carbohydrates intake before treatment. However, after treatment, the caloric, protein and
carbohydrates intake had increased significantly compared with pre treatment values to reach
slightly above the control values. On contrary fat intake had increased significantly, but still
slightly below the control values.
B- Food intake of vitamins of drug abusers:
The estimated values of the vitamins A,B 1,B2 and C proved that, all the studied groups showed
significant decrease in the uptake of all vitamins before s:arting treatment. group III (those
using hallucinogens) was the most affected one as they showed the lowest levels of vitamins A,B and
C intake.
·On the other hand, group VI (those using stimulants and hallucinogens) was the most affected one as they showed the lowest intakes of vitamins A and B2 before
treatment. However, after treatment, intakes of vitamins A and B1 (riboflavin) had improved
significantly compared with pre treatment values but still below the control values.
On contrary, intake of vitamins B 1
(thiamine) and C (ascorbic acid) had increased significantly to reach above
the control value;.
C- Food intake of minerals:
The present study showed that the food intake of minerals of all studied groups had significant
marked decrease in the uptake of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium before starting
treatment. The most affected-group which showed the highly significant decrease before treatment in
the Mg and Na intake was group li and group III showed similar trend with Ca and K intake. However,
after treatment, intake levels calcium, magnesium and sodium intake had increased significantly
compared with pre treatment values to reach slightly above the control values. On the other hand,
potassium intake had increased significantly, but still slightly below the control values.
D- Food intake of trace elements:
All the studied groups showed significant decrease in the uptake of Fe, Cu and Zn before
starting treatment. However, after treatment, all of the intake level of the trace elements
had increased significantly to the extent that reach slightly above the control values except group
II which was still being slightly below the control values in zinc and copper. On the other hand,
the copper intake in the three groups HI, IV and VII was still slightly below the control values
after treatment.
Part Ill- Antropometric measurements of drug abusers:
To carry out a discriminate between anthropometric measurements before and after treatment; the one
way analysis of variance was applied. In such a case, the investigated individuals were classified
according to the following criteria. body weight, body mass index, fat mass, fat free mass,
total body potassium and total body water. On the other hand, multiple range analysis was
considered to check the degree of homogeneous within the investigated sample under different types
of drugs.
The recorded weight and body mass index of the studied groups were significantly decreased
compared with the control group. The range of weights for the 7 abusers groups was from 61kg to 69
kg while the mean of the control weight was 71.0 kg. The most affected group before treatment
was group III (those using hallucinogens) as it recorded a significant level in the body weight of
0.995 and in body mass index was 0.971. However, after treatment, body weight and body mass index
had increased significantly compared by before treatment values to reach slightly above the
control values. Stated the fat mass, fat free mass, total body potassium and total body water, they
showed the same trend as there were significant decrease before starting .. treatment. However,
after treatment, they realized a real improvement compared with pre treatment values to reach
slightly above the control values.
Part IV: Biochemical analysis of drug abusers. A- complete blood picture and serum albumin:
Data obtained revealed that about 59% of the total sample were less than the lower limit of control
range. A similar trend was found in the RBCs count as 74% from the tested group were out of the
lower limit of the control value. This picture may suggest that patients under investigation
suffered from anaemia. However, the count of WBCs in all studied groups showed signific<1nt
increase before treatment compared with control . values. The obtained value was range from 4.53
m/cmm to 1l.O:i rn/cmm and about 19% from the tested groups were higher than the upper limit of
the control value. Serum albumin was approximately matched with that of the control sample, that
recorded 4.2 g/dL before treatment and 4.11 g/dL after treatment while the control value was
4.41g/dL.