Does cannabis keep you skinny? Experts explain how marijuana and metabolism are connected
Is it possible to smoke weed to lose weight? Many people think cannabis can help with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. Some people claim it helps with diabetes.
Cannabis, which is an extract from the Cannabis sativa plant, is usually associated with laziness and the desire to eat junk food.
Non-cannabis users are more overweight than chronic cannabis users. It's challenging to make the case that cannabis makes anyone more slothful, but there is plenty of evidence that cannabis stimulates appetite.
People with HIV or cancer can sometimes have trouble eating. In this case, getting the munchies can be a good thing. Even if this is an imperfect measuring device for weight and bodily health, research shows cannabis users have a lower BMI or body mass index.
Marijuana can make you very hungry, and any of us who have used it can attest to that. Cannabis users have been shown to have a lower body mass index. There's a contradiction there.
It is not known why chronic cannabis users are less overweight than non-cannabis users.
A study published last year in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research looked at the relationship between cannabis and metabolism.
Based on the scientific data presented, the hypothesis arises that Cannabis sativa and its cannabinoids derivatives can be highly effective in treating and also reversing the damage caused by inflammation in obese people," the authors concluded. Cannabinoids derived from Cannabis sativa have therapeutic potential due to their anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Neurological properties, making the plant a study option for reducing and reversing inflammation and comorbidities associated with Obesity.
The hypothesis is that Cannabis sativa and its derivatives can treat inflammation in obese people. The immune system fights infections and injuries by inflammation. Too much of it can be a problem. Cancer, heart disease, and Obesity can be caused by chronic inflammation. Many experts believe that obese people are more likely to develop various conditions.
Many of the cannabinoids in cannabis can be anti-inflammatory.
Cannabidiol (cannabidiol), for example, is a drug found in marijuana that has shown broad anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory behavior across several different cells. It seems to act on several systems in the body.
Replacing alcohol with cannabis can help people maintain their weight. It has been shown that quitting booze helps with weight. The "California sober" crowd may be able to lose some weight. The endocannabinoid system is a network in the body that is named after the plant. Getting one stoned isn't the only function of cannabinoids. Immune function, sleep, and reproductive function are some of the functions that the ECS balances. It isn't well-studied.
The relationship between cannabis and body weight is complex and counterintuitive, according to a neurologist and psychopharmacology researcher who served as a study physician for several different clinical trials. At least part of the answer is in the gut microbiome. A study in mice prone to being obese showed that the ratio of gut bacteria was altered to prevent them from gaining weight. It is likely the same in humans.
The most exciting molecule in cannabis for regulating weight is THCV, an analog of the drug THC.
It can get someone stoned, but it requires a lot more. Even if you took a lot of cannabis, it wouldn't make you crazy. It has therapeutic promise for several diseases, including diabetes and even the possible treatment of addiction.
Obesity, diabetes, and even possible addiction treatment can be treated with the help of the CV.
There was a human study where it lowered blood sugar but also helped improve markers of Pancreatic function. "Insulin comes from a part of the pancreas called the alpha cells, which eventually give out, which gives you type 2 diabetes." In the study, it was found that the beta cells were working less hard, which could be a sign that they won't be able to produce enough insulin in the long run. Several animal studies have shown that THCV can help weight loss and leptin levels in obese mice.
An fMRI study in humans showed that the reward and aversion patterns in the brain were altered in a way that suggested therapeutic efficacy in obese people. It's common with other weight loss drugs.
In cannabis plants, THCV is usually very low. Likely, your typical joint won't have enough THCV to do much for anyone. It's just that little V that makes a huge difference.
Some cannabis plants have more of the same cannabinoid than others.
In states where weed isn't entirely legal, more and more companies are selling highly concentrated products online. A loophole in the law allows these products if they are derived from a plant called hemp. Archaic laws prohibiting cannabis on a federal level make it difficult to regulate these products.
There are a lot of wild health claims made by some of these products.
Many hemp-derived cannabis products are made in sloppy agricultural labs, which can make them contaminated with backyard chemistry, unlike the products sold at a state-licensed dispensary.
"They are synthetics that are prone to be contaminated with chemical byproducts and even solvent residues." The result of prohibition is counterproductive. It might be tempting for people to try these products even if they don't have good quality control.
Despite all the mounting evidence pointing in this direction, we still need more research into how cannabis affects the endocannabinoid system.
Better quality control is needed for gray market products containing leftovers from crude extract processes while making health claims that aren't entirely based on evidence.
There's no silver bullet when it comes to losing weight. People shouldn't expect to lose as much weight as cannabis seems to do. That doesn't mean I'm going to use cannabis to treat your weight gain.