Over the years, medical cannabis has attracted immense attention and research, thanks to its ability to possibly support a variety of conditions. Such conditions include chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, Crohn’s disease, and cancer, among many others. Only recently, medical researchers have discovered another intriguing secondary effect of medical cannabis: weight loss.
One of the most common features of cannabis is its ability to cause ‘munchies’, which is the intense urge to eat all snacks after smoking it. In fact, this increase in appetite is one of the reasons it was medically authorized initially. Chemotherapy patients frequently lose their appetite without the aid of cannabis.
We are all aware that cannabis is often associated with weight gain. So why would anyone suggest medical cannabis as a weight-loss aid? The situation is more complicated than it appears.
What Does Medical Cannabis Contain?
Marijuana, or cannabis to be more scientific, contains various elements known as cannabinoids. Generally, there are more than 100 cannabinoids available in cannabis plants. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the most well-known since it is the one that gets you high. You may also be familiar with CBD, which is the subject of the most medicinal studies.
Weight gain does not appear to be a side effect of CBD consumption. It is also not an appetite stimulator. As a result, persons who use CBD oil without THC should not be concerned about gaining weight. As a matter of fact, CBD can help to balance out the effects of THC by reducing hunger. On the other hand, CBD does not appear to aid with weight reduction.
However, CBD may affect your diet differently when added to various beverages and foods. Since CBD has the potiental to help alleviate nausea, it can relax your digestive tract and nervous system. In other words, it may make you feel better, allowing you to eat more. This is why persons suffering from chronic pain, cancer, and other conditions often prefer it.
However, note that medical cannabis may contain both CBD and THC or CBD only. The Food and Drug Administration does not oversee the production and sale of medical cannabis like other prescription drugs, meaning the ingredients can vary drastically. The legality of THC and CBD products is subject to the regulations in the state in which you live. However, most of them do not have the resources to keep track of and manage the sale of medical marijuana.
Better Sleep
Aside from what you eat, other factors play a role in diet and weight loss. You must also keep track of how much you burn. You might be surprised to learn that we shed some calories when sleeping. As a result, getting enough sleep is critical for weight loss. As any insomniac or midnight snacker will tell you, lack of sleep makes you hungry.
If you have trouble sleeping, look for cannabis strains with high CBD content. Many have experienced potential relaxing effects associated with marijuana usage.
More Focus
Besides its relaxing effects, CBD has the potential to help you concentrate on whatever activity you are working on. If you have difficulties motivating yourself to exercise, CBD may provide the concentration you need to fight your aversion. It is generally better for repetitive aerobic workouts like running or cycling, rather than resistance exercises such as weightlifting. As such, these types of exercises decrease the production of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers appetite, while promoting the production of peptide YY, which decreases appetite.
Final Point
We are living in a golden age for cannabis research, but additional research is needed to determine how cannabinoid combinations affect diet. However, if you reside in a state where medical cannabis is legal, ask your dispensary and doctor about how different strains impact your diet. Avoid high-THC strains since they enhance hunger, or if you must take THC, use CBD drops to counterbalance the appetite rise if you want to lose weight.
