Dextromethorphan - What Is It Made Of?

What Is It Made Of?

Dextromethorphan is a synthetic substance, meaning it is manufactured in a lab. It was first developed by modifying levomethorphan, a non-carbon-containing opioid. While the brain "reads" levomethorphan like an opiate, it does not "read" dextromethorphan the same way. Thus, at recommended doses, dextromethorphan does not cause drowsiness, dizziness, or sedation.

Some people—about seven in every one hundred—have a genetic trait called CYP2D6 deficiency. This is the lack of a liver enzymeSubstances that speed up chemical reactions in the body. that works to break down dextromethorphan. For these people, even the recommended dose of products containing dextromethorphan can produce unpleasant feelings of anxiety, restlessness, or "jitters." Anyone with the CYP2D6 deficiency who abuses dextromethorphan can experience a psychotic episode, or a period of intense fear, paranoiaAbnormal feelings of suspicion and fear., and powerlessness. People with this enzyme deficiency also face a greater risk of fatal poisoning by dextromethorphan.