What health implications are there in using speed / heavy caffeine use / being anorexic / avoiding the sun?
At this point I’d like to restate that the author has no medical qualifications and you should seek professional medical advice before acting on any information given here. Information was obtained from a variety of sources including the British Medical Journal and the top of my head. A fine set of drug-related FAQs and archives are available at: http://hyperreal.com/drugs/ Dexamphetamine is the usual constituent of ‘speed’. Because reduced appetite is also a side-effect of amphetamines, they have been used in the past as a treatment for obesity. A new amphetamine drug, dexfenfluramine, is now prescribed for this purpose as it carries no risk of addiction. Some amphetamines are prescribed to asthmatics. Amphetamines promote the release of noradrenaline (a chemical that controls the level of activity in the brain stem where the spinal cord joins the brain) thus increasing brain activity in this and other parts of the brain. In low dosages, this increases wakefulness and concentration. S
