Although it isn't associated with physical addiction, it can cause psychological dependence. Khat can cause many side effects including mood changes, increased alertness, excessive talkativeness, hyperactivity, excitement, aggressiveness, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, manic behavior, paranoia, and psychoses.
Khat leaves are chewed mainly for their psychostimulant and euphoric effects. It has traditionally been used to elevate mood and combat fatigue. Khat is also believed to have antiobesity effects due to appetite suppression. However, there are no well-controlled clinical trials to support any of these uses.
The khat variant grown in Embu is referred to as Muguka while the Meru variant is known as Miraa. The two variants are physically different with the shoots for Muguka and the leaves for miraa being chewed.
Chronic (i.e., daily) use of khat is associated with increased blood pressure, development of gastrointestinal tract problems, cytotoxic effects on liver and kidneys, and keratotic lesions at the side of chewing (Al-Habori, 2005).
Khat administration induced a significant reduction in sperm motility and sperm count but led to an increase in abnormal sperm chromatin integrity without affecting sperm volume and sperm pH.
The results suggest that high-dose khat decreases sperm quality and testosterone and hence may contribute to male infertility.
In the body, khat can increase blood pressure and heart rate, like other stimulants. Using khat a lot or over a long period of time can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and heart problems. It can also cause problems with your stomach and digestive tract, such as constipation, ulcers, pain, and tumors.
Severe side effects include migraine, bleeding in the brain, heart attack, lung problems, liver damage, changes in intimacy drive, and inability to get an erection (impotence). Chewing khat leaves has led to infections that can cause problems such as pain below the ribs, changes in white blood cells, and an enlarged liver.
In terms of adverse psychological effects, khat can contribute to such conditions as depression, anxiety, mood instability, and mania. There have also been some case reports of drug-induced psychosis, and, in individuals with established psychotic disorders, khat use may lead to an increased risk of relapse.
It was clear from the available studies that khat reduces body weight in the rat animal model. The reduction of body weight was sustained in studies that used high doses or long durations. Small doses produced a short-term reduction of weight followed by the tolerance of the effect.
Regular chewing of Khat is associated with elevated mean diastolic blood pressure, which is consistent with the peripheral vasoconstrictor effect of Cathinone. Regular Khat chewing may have sustained effects on the cardiovascular system that can contribute to elevated blood pressure at the population level.
It is also POSSIBLY UNSAFE to take khat by mouth if you are breast-feeding. Some of the active chemicals it contains can pass into breast-milk. Diabetes: Using khat seems to lower appetite, causing people to skip meals. When eating becomes less routine, people with diabetes may stop following their recommended diet.
A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric procedure for detection of cathinone (Khat) and methcathinone (CAT) in urine was developed. The compounds were detected as 4-carboethoxyhexafluorobutyryl derivatives. Three ions for the drugs and two ions for the internal standards were monitored.