Genetic Makeup May Help Explain Methadone Overdoses
Researchers have found that genetic variations affect how quickly people metabolize methadone. Methadone is used to treat pain or addiction to powerful narcotic pain drugs and heroin, but people have to be extremely cautious when taking the drug because it can be deadly if it remains in the body for too long. It is possible that a person's genetic makeup can influence how an enzyme in the liver metabolizes methadone. A study team analyzed blood samples from healthy volunteers, looked at their genetic makeup, and then gave them methadone to see how rapidly it cleared from their bodies. Results had shown that variations in a gene that influences methadone clearance in the liver had a major effect on how long the drug stayed in the body. Also, it was seen that blacks are more likely than whites to have higher methadone levels in the blood and blacks are more likely to have the gene variant linked with slower methadone metabolism. I believe the genetic makeup of individuals does have an effect on how long methadone stays in your body, I do not believe it can most likely leave to methadone overdoses. If an individual takes the right amount they are prescribed and for the right reasons, it is not guaranteed that it will lead to an overdose. But it is true that certain individuals with genetic makeup can affect the methadone to stay in some people's body more than others.
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https://www.nlm.nih.gov/
Interesting topic to discuss; I found this article to be informative as I have never heard of this chemical methadone or its function with the human body. However, I would like to point out that it is politically incorrect to use the word blacks in the context used in the article.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a great discovery. The chemical methadone and its powerful function and control in the body is extremely engrossing. Having the same amount of it in various people and having different effects from people shows how genetically different we all are.
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