What if one of the biggest myths about cannabis has finally been debunked by science, over and over again?
For far too long, opponents of legal marijuana have argued that cannabis use leads to individuals who are usually overweight and couch-locked, unable to move, and overwhelmed by a lack of motivation. Images of the stereotypical weed smoker couldn’t resist the munchies, and have a big waistline to boot.
They said, cannabis makes you lazy.
But a growing body of research is turning these assumptions on the head.
Over the last few years, scientists have found numerous reasons why cannabis users are actually the opposite: they are healthier and have smaller body mass indices (BMI), thus tend to have better metabolic health.
And recently, a new fascinating study points to cannabis compounds that can even fight obesity without getting you high.
How Cannabis Influences Metabolism And Insulin Resistance
Based on the findings of a recent preclinical study from the University of California, Riverside (UCR), researchers found that individuals who consumed cannabis for several years usually have a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and lower body weight. These findings still confused them because of cannabis’s reputation for increasing one’s appetite.
Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, a UCR School of Medicine’s professor of biomedical sciences and the lead researcher, together with his team, utilized animal models that were designed to mimic dietary patterns of humans. They analyzed pure delta-9 THC, which is the primary compound in weed for getting one high, and compared it with whole plant weed extract side by side which possessed the same THC together with other naturally occurring weed compounds.
These treatments were used to help overweight mice lose a significant amount of weight yet their impacts on metabolism varied. They found, specifically, that the mice who were given only THC didn’t have improved glucose regulation, a critical marker for type 2 diabetes. Because even after weight loss, the mice still demonstrated key features of diabetes such as impaired glucose homeostasis.
Meanwhile, the mice who were treated with whole cannabis extracts also lost weight though their metabolic issues were reversed. “This suggests that THC alone is not responsible for the metabolic benefits associated with cannabis use,” explains DiPatrizio. “Other compounds in the plant appear to play a critical role.”
Based on the team’s findings, the answer may lie in the dynamic between the pancreas and the fat tissue. Fat cells normally signal molecules to help the pancreas regulate insulin for healthy human bodies, but it’s known that in type 2 diabetes or those who are obese, these signalling or communication patterns can break down.
While the results are promising, the researchers say that this doesn’t mean cannabis can be used to replace medicine used to treat metabolic disease. DiPatrizio said, “We’re not suggesting people should use cannabis to manage weight or diabetes.”
In the future, DiPatrizio plans to identify which cannabis compounds aren’t intoxicating yet yield benefits for metabolic health. “Clinicians, researchers, and policymakers should stay tuned and pay attention to this space,” he adds. “We need evidence-based approaches to fully understand both the risks and potential benefits of cannabis and its components.”
Other Studies
There are several studies that have yielded similar findings.
One study out of Hangzhou in China found that individuals with a history of cannabis use had a lower risk of developing metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, as well as obesity. The study, whose findings were published in the medical journal Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, was conducted by Chinese researchers who analyzed the link between weed consumption and metabolic health among a sample of 91,000 adults.
They found that heavy cannabis users had the lowest risk for developing metabolic disorders; they were 20% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to non-users. They were also 40% less likely to be overweight.
“Cannabis use was associated with modestly lower observed risks of metabolic disease overall, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity,” concluded the study’s authors. “These inverse associations were more evident among individuals with lower BMI (body mass index) and attenuated among those with higher BMI… These findings highlight the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between cannabis use and metabolic diseases,” they said.
Conclusion
As medical research on cannabis continues to grow, it’s becoming increasingly clear that most assumptions that the public has had in the last few decades about cannabis simply don’t have any truth to them anymore.
We can, and must, say goodbye to the stereotype of cannabis users who are unmotivated, obese, and overweight. These are frequently being challenged by more studies proving cannabis use is associated with the opposite: better metabolic health, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and lower rates of obesity.
However, let’s be cautious not to consider cannabis as a cure-all for obesity and metabolic health just yet. One can certainly make use of it as part of a healthy lifestyle, along with proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise, as well as any other recommended adjustments your doctor may recommend.
We can no longer doubt that cannabis is quite the complex plant with strong evidence of therapeutic benefits, and decades of stigma can no longer hold a candle to the truth of its efficacy for health and wellness. As scientists continue to unravel cannabis’ therapeutic potential, it can soon be remembered as an ally to the obesity epidemic, instead of a substance that contributed to it.
SMOKE WEED AND LOOSE WEIGHT? READ ON...
