Is Ketamine Bad for Your Liver?

Street ketamine is increasingly being used as a recreational drug. Earlier this year, the government announced it was seeking expert advice on reclassifying ketamine to become a Class A substance, due to concerns about its potential risks and record levels of use. In the previous year, an estimated 299,000 people aged 16 to 59 had reported using the drug recreationally.

But what are those potential risks and, in particular, is ketamine bad for your liver? Many people assume or think the drug is relatively safe to use, but there’s a growing body of evidence that ketamine misuse can cause damage to organs, including the bladder and liver. Find out what you need to know in this article.

How Ketamine Affects the Body

Ketamine’s main medical use is as a dissociative anaesthetic that primarily works by blocking NMDA receptors in the brain. It is also sometimes used ‘off-licence’ to treat some types of persistent and intense pain such as that associated with cancer.

Ketamine mainly affects the brain and causes a sense of disassociation – a temporary mental state in which a person ‘detaches’ from their surroundings. This can lead to feelings such as:

• Extreme relaxation
• Feeling ‘out of body’ experiences
• Altered perception of time
• Visual and auditory hallucinations

These are feelings that some people seek out, but they can be accompanied by unpleasant short-term physical and psychological side effects, such as:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Tiredness
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty speaking
• Numbness
• Blurred vision
• Nausea
• Anxiety

Some people experience a sense of extreme disassociation commonly known as a ‘K-hole’, which can be traumatic.

The fact that ketamine raises the heart rate can put strain on the cardiovascular system over time, but the main long-term physical impacts, apart from potential psychological issues, seem to involve the liver and urinary system.

Is Ketamine Bad for the Liver?

The effects of ketamine on the liver are still being investigated but it is now believed to be hepatotoxic – a term referring to substances that can cause liver damage. This could potentially be due to a number of mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction in liver cells and injury to the bile ducts.

The mitochondrial impact can cause damage to cellular proteins, lipids and DNA. This in turn can create an inflammatory response that, if left unchecked, can lead to fibrosis (scarring) and cirrhosis – a potentially life-threatening condition where the liver becomes permanently scarred and damaged due to long-term injury.

The risks of ketamine-induced liver injury increase with long-term or high-dose usage. Combining ketamine with other drugs – particularly alcohol – can also increase the risk as both drugs can put additional strain on the liver.

Signs of Liver Stress or Damage

The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, responsible for hundreds of vital functions including ones related to processing nutrients, detoxification and energy storage. Damage to the liver can have a big impact on quality of life.

Some potential early signs of ketamine liver damage could include:

• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Yellowing skin/eyes (jaundice)
• Dark urine
• Nausea/vomiting
• Itching
• Digestive changes

If you notice any signs or symptoms, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Other Health Risks of Ketamine Use

There are a number of other potential ketamine misuse health risks, including psychological ones. One review of existing studies found that chronic ketamine abuse could ‘negatively affect brain structure and functioning’ and that it was linked with ‘long-term cognitive impairment, mood disorders, psychotic and dissociative symptoms’. Ketamine can also be psychologically and, to a lesser extent, physically addictive.

In physical terms, ketamine use can put strain on the cardiovascular system and has been linked to a number of different types of organ damage. One study looked at a chronic ketamine user who presented with severe cachexia (wasting syndrome), gastrointestinal issues, hepatobiliary dysfunction (affecting the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts) and acute kidney injury.

Another increasingly well-documented risk is temporary or permanent damage to the bladder and urinary tract. The British Association of Urological Surgeons cites a study showing that more than a quarter (26.6%) of regular ketamine users experience at least one urinary issue. These can include increased frequency and urgency, nocturia (peeing more at night), cystitis, bladder pain, bloody urine and incontinence. It points out that these can be debilitating symptoms, causing a profoundly negative impact on quality of life.

When to Seek Help

You should always seek medical help if physical or mental health symptoms start to appear.

If you are struggling with your ketamine use and feel you may be developing a habit or addiction, you might also consider getting expert help for that element of the problem. Addiction and dependence are very difficult to deal with alone and willpower alone may not be enough.

You may want to seek help if:

• You are struggling to stop or cut down
• You continue using the drug despite negative consequences
• You are becoming secretive or defensive about using the drug
• You become anxious about scoring the drug/if you do not have access to it
• You develop cravings or a strong need to use ketamine

Treatment & Support for Ketamine Misuse

If you think you might be developing liver damage or are showing other physical symptoms, you should consult a medical practitioner for advice.

If you are looking for ketamine addiction treatment UK options, there are a number of options. Local drug and alcohol services can be one avenue, and your GP will be able to signpost you to the resources available in your area.

While local services can be valuable, they are often overstretched and tend to offer only outpatient programmes. Private providers can also offer a holistic programme of ketamine treatment and rehab that may be more effective. This can include a supervised detox, counselling, therapies and other treatments designed to address the psychological aspects of addiction and the root cause of drug misuse.

If you’re worried about your own ketamine use or that of a loved one, get in touch with Addiction Advocates today in complete confidence to find out how we can help. Call us on 0800 012 6088 or text HELP to 83222.