Cannabis for Diabetes: You get High, but Your Sugar get Low
By: Leonardo Del Toro
Tags: Health, Cannabis Medical, Diabetes, Blood Sugar

Cannabis for Diabetes: You get High, but Your Sugar get Low

Cannabis Sativa green leaves

The medicinal properties of marijuana have been known to men for over 10,000 years. But since the 1930s, this plant has been kept underground in the US. Because cannabis became illegal, fear, crime, and ignorance were associated with cannabis. But of course, as we all know, this is rapidly changing.

California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Nevada all passed measures in November legalizing recreational marijuana. California’s Prop. 64 action allows adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes.

Finally, marijuana is getting the scientific community’s attention as many seek medical alternatives. As a result, new studies are appearing in all areas of disease prevention and treatment, such as cancer, seizures, and diabetes, to name a few.

Marijuana appears to have a beneficial influence in controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.

The relationship between pot and hunger and appetite have been widely known. Commonly known as the “the munchies”

The endocannabinoid system is a group of neuromodulatory lipids and their receptors in the brain, involved in various physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, mood, and memory; it mediates the psychoactive effects of cannabis inside our body. If pot increases appetite, how can that be good for diabetes? Even though pot is associated with an increase caloric intake it is also associated with a lower body mass index (BMI), lower obesity and diabetes, but why? New studies are beginning to investigate this.

Recent studies

The first study investigates the benefits of Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) a neutral CB1 in obese rodents. The administration of THCV in obese mice and the subsequent improvement in metabolic functions in these rodents. THCV were found to improve fasting plasma glucose and glucose tolerance when given twice daily, improving insulin sensitivity.

An increased energy expenditure were also noted in obese mouse. THCV was also found to reduce liver triglyceride levels. In another study the use of Rimonabant or CB1 was tested in humans. For one year under the CB1 therapy was reported a 4.7 Kg or greater mean weight loss then the placebo mice group. The treatment also showed beneficial action on metabolic risk factors with an increase in HDL cholesterol (the good one) and a decrease in triglycerides (fat in the blood).

In yet another study seeking to determine the association between diabetes mellitus and marijuana use had a total sample of 10,896 adults including groups of non-marijuana users; past marijuana users; light users and heavy current users.

The results indicated that marijuana users had a lower age-adjusted prevalence of DM compared to non-marijuana users. The prevalence of elevated C reactive protein was significantly higher in non marijuana users (C reactive protein is involved with inflammation therefore having that around is not a good thing). This discovery pointed to the anti-inflammatory properties of marijuana. The study also found that there could be a relationship between early exposure to marijuana and deterrence in the development of diabetes. This study also review other studies performed in rodents where significant benefits against diabetic complications and atherosclerosis were noted in addition to the anti-inflammatory properties. It was also found that CB’s (the non-psychoactive cannabidiol was also found to attenuate the progression of DM type I in rodents.

The limitation of this study (the first one mentioned) were its cross-sectional nature. Persons attending the study may not have represented the larger sample of the population overall. Other limitations were the self-report format which is subject to bias and not always possible to be confirmed.

So what should you do?

So with so much evidence on the benefits of marijuana should you fire up that bowl yet? Not so fast, Even though the medicinal properties of marijuana have been known for a long time we are just discovering how they works. Many are reporting successes of marijuana therapy in various front lines of disease fighting but there are still many questions answered and methodology have not been yet refined.

Marijuana potency have been increasing as growers develop new planting techniques and dosages vary widely and the properties of certain plants are now being studied. We may know the proven benefits in laboratory studies but nothing have been yet tested on populations during a long time period. Unfortunately the therapies available are still being developed and because of the its illegal status in most of the world marijuana have been kept out of the hands of health care systems and professionals capable of delivering safe and effective care except for a few brave ones who goes against the grain in order to find new cures.

Image credit: Pixabay

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