MDMA’s Side Effects

The Side Effects of Pure MDMA

The side effects of MDMA include: 

  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Feeling Cold
  • Anxiety
  • Dry Mouth
  • Heavy Legs
  • Lack of Appetite
  • Jaw Clenching
  • Impaired Balance
  • Perspiration
  • Restless Legs
  • Thirst

However, not all users experience these side effects. 

Desirable Effects Of MDMA

These effects last around 3-4 hours:

  • Everything is perfect 
  • Extreme Euphoria
  • Empathy
  • More Authentic

When taken in a positive environment and with trusted friends, users feel an intense euphoria, a sense of connectedness, enhanced touch and bodily sensations, enhanced empathy, and enhanced sensitivity to bright colors. The people and the world around you seem perfect and conversations with people are deeper and more empathetic. 

Short Term Risks

Consuming a substance that is not pure MDMA can cause a risk to your health. Many tablets and powders are impure and adultered with other drugs. 

MDMA can cause heat stroke or serotonin syndrome. Due to its effect on the Hypothalamus MDMA increases heat stroke. 

MDMA can cause Hyponatremia. This is caused by drinking too much water. Since MDMA causes water retention, dancing in hot environments can cause dehydration. Drinking too much water can be fatal. 

Long Term Side Effects

Long term use of MDMA can have serious risks on the user. MDMA can cause neuronal damage. In very high single doses and excessive moderate doses have demonstrated damaging effects on serotonergic neurons in higher brain regions like the neocortex of animals such as rats and primates.

Neuronal changes due to long term MDMA abuse include these unpleasant side effects:

  • Lower Libido
  • Depression
  • Decreased Appetite
  • Sleep Problems
  • Anxiety

Research has also found cognitive performance deficits in long term users.

Risk of Overdose

If you begin taking MDMA on a regular basis, you’ll notice that you will need more of the drug to produce the desired effects it once did. 

This can cause you to take MDMA in larger amounts which can put you at greater risk for an overdose of MDMA.

The warning signs of MDMA overdose include:

  • Loss of Consciousness
  • Seizures
  • Hyperthermia
  • Faintness
  • Panic Attacks
  • High Blood Pressure

Another potentially lethal medical crisis that can arise with heavy use of MDMA is called serotonin syndrome, where the brain is flooded with dangerous amounts of serotonin.

These symptoms include:

  • Seizures
  • Restlessness
  • Vomiting
  • Agitation
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Tremors
  • Rapid Heartrate
  • High Body Temperature
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Sweating
  • Hallucinations
  • Loss of Coordination
  • Flushed Appearance to Skin
  • Hyperactive Reflexes

The Side Effects of Impure MDMA

Many users put their life at risk by consuming impure MDMA. Your “MDMA,” “molly,” or “ecstasy” is probably not pure MDMA. 

WIM Scientific Laboratories, an MDMA testing kit company, found that 61% of ecstasy tablets contained other drugs and 46% contained 0% of MDMA. 

Between 2009 and 2013, the DEA analyzed 87% of “molly” and found 0% of pure MDMA, instead most of them contained bath salts.  

These adultered drugs can cause worse side effects than pure MDMA. So getting impure MDMA can have serious risks in your health. Given that MDMA is illegal and unregulated, impure MDMA is a frequent risk among users.