Investigation of Basal Metabolic Rate, Body Composition Values and Damaged Cell Levels Before and After Treatment in Drug-Addicted Individuals

Aim: Currently, little is known regarding how the body composition parameters for those with substance addiction problems alter following medical treatment. The explicit objective of this study is to assess the changes in the basal metabolic rate (BMR), body composition values, and phase angle (PhA) parameter (an indicator of cellular damage) in adult drug-addicted individuals prior to and following treatment. This study employs Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) as a form of measurement for these assessments. Method: This prospective observational study was conducted at the Şanlıurfa Alcohol and Substance Treatment Center (SASTC) between 15.01.2022 and 15.08.2022. Fifty individuals with substance abuse diagnoses, aged 18 to 35, were enrolled in the study. Body composition parameters, which include total body fluid, extracellular fluid, intracellular fluid, resistance, reactance, body mass, basal metabolic rate, lean body cell mass, and phase angle, were determined using BIA at baseline (before treatment started) and at the third week of treatment. Results: Following a three-week treatment period, statistically significant changes were observed in various body composition indicators of drug-addicted individuals. While resistance and body fat mass decreased significantly; phase angle, total body fluid, extracellular fluid, intracellular fluid, fat-free mass, body cell mass (BCM), cellular portion, and nutrition index showed a significant increase (p0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study revealed that, for individuals with drug addiction, cessation of substance use through a variety of therapeutic treatments resulted in dramatic alterations in body composition parameters during the acute phase.