Cannabis Prevents Diabetes In Overweight People Says New Study
Being seriously overweight is a serious issue, and there’s much more going on inside the body than all the fat you see outside.
The truth is that obesity has dangerous implications on many systems within the body. If you are overweight, you have a greater risk of acquiring chronic, even fatal conditions later on including heart disease, bone and joint disease, and diabetes.
But let’s focus on diabetes: obesity is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes. This condition is characterized by the body’s inability to produce or use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes can affect people of any age, even kids. It’s also the most common type of diabetes, and if you make sure that you stay healthy and at a weight that is ideal for your size, you’re already one big step ahead at reducing your risk for developing diabetes.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are more than 100 million American adults living with diabetes alone, and that’s not even including data from other countries. While diabetes is prevalent, it also stands as one of the hardest to treat conditions today despite all the advancements in medicine.
A recent study published in The Journal of Diabetes, conducted by researchers in Quebec, Canada, revealed that cannabis use is linked to lower fasting insulin levels among obese subjects.
The researchers sought out to understand the connection between fasting insulin levels, insulin resistance, and cannabis consumption in a sample of more than 129,000 adults. They found that obese people who had a history of cannabis use, and those who use it currently, had significant changes in their insulin levels compared to non-cannabis users.
“We found that a lifetime marijuana use is significantly associated with lower fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (a measure of insulin resistance) in obese individuals,” write the authors. “We also found that, a long time (>10 years) after cessation, former users showed significant lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR scores than did never users, independent of their frequency of use in the past.”
These findings aren’t new, and they do give hope to people struggling with obesity.
Another study published in 2018, this time in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and diabetes. They also took into consideration several confounders such as lifestyle behaviors, mental health disorders, and socio-demographics.
The researchers found that participants with a history of cannabis consumption were around 20% less likely to develop diabetes. Meanwhile, those who consumed cannabis within the past year were shown to have a 50% less risk.
“In sum, a decreased likelihood of diabetes for both lifetime and 12-month cannabis users versus non-users was found after accounting for a range of potential confounders, including mental health disorders,” wrote the authors.
How Cannabis Can Benefit People With Diabetes
Cannabis is known for its valuable anti-inflammatory properties, which can help prevent and treat many diseases including diabetes. The Diabetes Council attributes the cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory properties as the main reason why it’s so effective in treating diabetes, as more studies show that it can help stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure, and prevent nerve inflammation.
Cannabis also helps to open blood vessels and improve circulation.
Overall, it’s been found to be more effective than traditional diabetes medications being sold at pharmacies today.
Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of cannabis, is also being used to treat diabetes with great success. A recent study on diabetic rates revealed that they had significantly reduced inflammation after being given 30 doses of 10mg CBD daily. Another study notes that CBD has the ability to reduce the risk for early pancreatic inflammation among those with type 1 diabetes, and the same study acknowledges older research suggesting that CBD lowers the risk for diabetes even in animal models who were not obese.
Additionally, it’s important to note that cannabis shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all for those with diabetes. It should be part of a holistic treatment program along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, as well as other vital medications for those with critical conditions. Cannabis is a more affordable and safer complement to your treatment program.
There’s no doubt about it: cannabis is a life-changing medicine for those with diabetics.
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