Casual ecstasy users ‘run risk of muscle-wasting side effects’

PEOPLE who take even small amounts of ecstasy over a prolonged period are putting themselves at risk of muscle-wasting disease, research has found.

Results of more than four years of research by a group of scientists, led by Prof James Heffron of UCC, have shown ecstasy affects the central nervous system and skeletal muscle.

Prof Heffron found the drug targets the receptor protein known as nAChR on the surface of muscles.