According to a new study, women are more susceptible than men to the effects of MDMA, which range from feeling anxious and depressed to developing hyponatremia. Though limited, the research points to the chemical differences in the female reproductive system.
The currently available research has demonstrated that women are more susceptible to clinical depression after using MDMA, or ecstasy, because they are more sensitive to the drop in serotonin levels that accompany the comedown from MDMA.
“Women appear to experience the psychoactive effects of MDMA more strongly than men, and they have more negative effects such as feeling anxious, depressed, dizzy, or sedated while under the influence,” said Gillinder Bedi, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University.
In addition to higher levels of depression, other studies found that in general, women reported worse sleep quality and lower scores on the mental health scale than men after taking ecstasy.
