Female Meth Users Face Substantially Higher Risk for Parkinson’s Disease

According to research conducted by the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare, methamphetamine users are three times more at risk for getting Parkinson’s disease compared to non-illicit drug users. Researchers also observed that women who use methamphetamine may be nearly five times more likely to get Parkinson’s disease compared to women who don’t use drugs. Published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study looked at more than 40,000 records in the Utah Population Database, a unique compilation of genealogical, medical and government-provided information on Utah families. This study confirms a previous one conducted using 250,000 California hospital discharge records, which also found a similar risk for Parkinson’s disease among meth users. Methamphetamine has become an increasingly popular drug of choice in the West, where it’s used more commonly than in other parts of the country. In Utah, the trend toward meth use is particularly pronounced in women in their late 20s, who may start taking the drug due to pressure from a partner or spouse. The reason female meth users are more at risk for Parkinson’s is not clear. Symptoms of the disease appeared in both female and male meth users in their 50s or later, indicating that the effects of meth may manifest years after initial use. To read more about this study, click here.