How Cannabis Can Help in Losing Weight
Tags: Weight Loss, Cannabis Medical, Cannabis, Cbd, Cbd Oils

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Cannabis has so far helped in relieving pain, treating anxiety, and curing depression. It is also being marketed as a weight-loss remedy. But can it really help in reducing weight?

According to the review published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in August 2011, cannabis users have lower rates of obesity compared to none users. Some studies associate them with a lower body mass index. Others claim that they have smaller waists too. Despite no scientific proof to support this, there might be a possibility that cannabis can help in reducing weight.

Medical experts cannot directly tie cannabis to weight loss but have theories that relate it with other issues that result in the same.

Let’s look into them.

Cannabis Improves Sleep

According to the University of Chicago, research shows that insulin sensitivity drops by over 30%, because of insufficient sleep. Insulin helps in converting starch and sugar into energy. Without enough sleep, it cannot break down as many fats as it should. Instead, it stores them away, leading to an increase in weight.

Since cannabis has helped in treating insomnia, some medical experts believe that cannabis users have a better sleep. This then translates to more fats breaking down, causing them to lose weight.

Cannabis Boosts Metabolism

When looking into using CBD to treat obesity, Korean researchers discovered that it stimulates genes that enhance the breakdown of fats. It also decreased the secretion of proteins involved in the generation of fat cells. More to that, it increased the body’s ability to burn calories.

Studies show that cannabis can brown the fat tissues in the body. It can convert white fat (detrimental to the body when it accumulates) to brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat. Therefore, some experts believe that using cannabis could help you lose calories and reduce weight.

Cannabis Improves Mobility

Running, walking, and dancing are some ways we stay active to maintain a healthy weight. Sadly, some people do not have the luxury of moving their muscles. Some may be post-surgery patients; others have hip fractures, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

In the past, cannabis has helped in relieving patients with multiple sclerosis of their symptoms. The compound CBD has helped them deal with fatigue, inflammation, spasticity, and pain. They have shown to have a better muscle movement with less or none of these symptoms. This has led the medics to believe that cannabis has a chance of improving people’s movement. They can also lose weight as they become more active.

Cannabis Reduces Stress Levels

Fatty and sugary foods provide great comfort when one is in distress. Although they dampen the stress-related emotions, overeating them eventually increases your weight. The body produces cortisol, the stress hormone, which pushes people towards eating. In combination with the high levels of insulin, they are responsible for the stress-induced craving of food.

Some studies have shown that cannabis can help combat stress and anxiety. This way, the cortisol level drops, reducing the need to eat.

Cannabis Strains That Influence Your Appetite

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Cannabinoids

Different cannabis strains have different effects on people’s appetite. Some result in an increased need to eat, while others lead to a loss of it. Apart from the THC strain providing the euphoric feeling, it is also the one responsible for producing the urge to eat. It activates the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in the brain and small intestines. As a result, more ghrelin (the hunger hormone) produced. The method of cannabis consumption determines how much you eat. It may even determine the choice of food preferred.

Unlike the CBD and THC, the THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) is not popular. It is present in most cannabis strains but in undetectable amounts. You can barely experience its effects. In contrast to THC, the THCV suppresses appetite. It was found to reduce glucose levels in the body and increase one’s sensitivity to insulin. Many patients looking to lose weight choose THCV. They love it for its relaxing effects too. Although they are rare to find, lab results show that they are abundant in African strains.

Terpenes

There are over 150 different terpenes within the cannabis plant. They produce unique fragrances that influence customer preferences on a product. That said, each terpene has its unique powers. The humulene terpenes not only give a subtle, herbal scent but also suppress hunger. Alongside other chemicals, the humulene terpenes have helped in promoting weight loss. It amplifies your lack or appetite when it is combined with beta-caryophyllene (a dietary cannabinoid).

Cannabis for Weight Gain in Patients

Cannabis has been useful in helping to increase weight among the clinical populations. Oral cannabinoids have been used on patients with HIV-associated wasting syndrome. Synthetic THC has also been administered to patients with anorexia nervosa and cancer-associated cachexia. Although the slight increases may be beneficial to these patients, the results are not entirely reliable.

Conclusion

Safer, antagonistic cannabinoids may play a role in treating obesity in the future. But until we find conclusive evidence, we cannot rely on cannabis for weight loss. Doing exercises, drinking water, and having a healthy diet is the best way to cut weight.