Cannabis is a plant that has various compounds, including terpenes and cannabinoids, which can be used recreationally or medicinally. It is typically smoked, eaten, vaporized or applied topically.
A recent study found that regular cannabis use can affect metabolism and appetite. It can also change how the body responds to certain hormones.
1. THC
THC is a psychoactive substance that affects the brain and nervous system. It’s one of more than 100 compounds found in cannabis plants, all with different effects on the body.
It is known to have a variety of side effects, but what many people don’t realize is that it can also have an impact on the metabolism. In particular, it can increase the body’s ability to burn fat and sugar.
In fact, this is what makes it so popular with many patients who struggle with weight loss or obesity.
The way THC affects the metabolism is that it stimulates the beta-adrenergic receptors in the body. These receptors are important for regulating the rate of energy consumption and metabolism.
When THC hits those receptors, the body immediately increases its metabolic rate. This is why smokers experience the so-called “munchies” after smoking a joint.
This can be a good thing for patients who need to eat more because they have medical conditions that make it difficult to eat, such as HIV or cancer.
But it can also be a bad thing, as well. If you’re taking medications for any type of health condition, including a mental illness, it can interfere with their metabolization and cause a number of side effects.
Another side effect of THC is that it can boost your appetite, which can lead to you eating more food and gaining weight. This is great for some patients who have a hard time losing weight, but it can also be a problem for others who have trouble controlling their diets and avoiding obesity.
The best way to combat the munchies is by preparing healthy snacks, such as fruits or veggies. Having these on hand will keep you from overindulging and increasing your body’s fat stores, which can lead to weight gain.
Similarly, CBD (another cannabinoid that’s not psychoactive) has been shown to reduce the amount of fat in the body. This is because it affects the fatty tissue in 3 ways.
So, if you’re looking to reduce your weight, try experimenting with cannabis as a means of getting a boost in your metabolism and controlling your eating habits.
2. Cannabinoids
The impact of cannabis on the metabolism is often the subject of controversy, mainly because some people believe it makes you lose weight. However, the science isn’t clear on how this works.
While some studies have shown that cannabis can affect your appetite, others have found no evidence to support this. The reason why is because there’s a difference between what’s considered healthy and unhealthy food, according to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR).
THC activates CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus, a brain region that regulates hunger and appetite, so smoking marijuana might not make you lose weight. The overactive CB1 receptor may actually promote obesity and increase fat levels, explains AICR.
In addition, THC binds to the endocannabinoid system (ECS) – which is a network of chemicals and cellular organelles that regulate bodily functions such as memory, sleep, pain, immune responses, and appetite. ECS receptors are also a key part of the brain’s “reward” system, which sends a signal to tell your body when to stop eating.
One study found that THC inhibited the production of GLP-1, a hormone that reduces appetite and helps to slow gastric emptying. Researchers believe that this might be because THC stimulates a receptor that controls the production of GLP-1.
Another way that cannabis may influence your metabolism is by stimulating the release of insulin in your cells, causing it to become more sensitive to blood sugar levels. This can cause your body to burn more calories than normal, which in turn can help you lose weight.
3. Endocannabinoids
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in many important processes throughout your body. This includes regulating appetite, mood and pain perception.
Endocannabinoids can also influence how your cells use energy in the body, affecting insulin levels and helping to maintain a healthy metabolic balance. This can help prevent weight gain and other health complications, including diabetes and obesity.
However, a lot of research is still needed to find out how cannabis affects this process. A study published last year in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research looked at 16 studies that examined this relationship, and found many different ways that cannabis seems to regulate metabolism.
One large study published in 2019 indicated that people who smoked cannabis were more likely to be less obese than those who didn’t. These findings are promising, and could mean that cannabis could be used to treat obesity.
In addition, a recent study suggests that exercise can increase endocannabinoid levels in your body. This could help to boost your metabolism and lead to other health benefits, such as increased energy and mental focus.
The endocannabinoid systems in the brain and other parts of the body play a crucial role in a range of important functions, including stress-recovery, motor control, anti-nociception, learning and memory processing. Specifically, they can also modulate inflammation, which has been linked to various diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
This is why some studies suggest that a lack of endocannabinoids in the brain may contribute to age-related cognitive decline. Researchers are now exploring whether endocannabinoids can protect the brain from the effects of ageing, which include increasing levels of toxic metabolic by-products and damaged macromolecules.
Endocannabinoids are able to suppress neuroinflammatory processes that can cause age-related cognitive deficits. They also seem to be able to promote the development of new neurons in the brain. This can help to combat the effects of ageing, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Endocannabinoid receptors
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates and maintains homeostasis in the human body. It is made up of a complex network of cellular receptors that communicate with the brain and other organs to enable normal functioning.
The ECS is responsible for regulating your mood, appetite, and sleep. It also helps your body fight infections and pain, among other things.
Endocannabinoids are molecule-like chemicals that your body produces by itself, which interact with the ECS to help you feel and function your best. They are made of a number of different compounds, including anandamide and 2-AG.
These molecules bind to the CB1 receptors found in many parts of the body, such as the brain and spinal cord, the immune system, and the gastrointestinal tract. They have effects that vary depending on where they bind and which endocannabinoids they bind with.
They help control your appetite and metabolism by sending signals to your brain, which then turns up or down the activity of whichever system needs to be adjusted. For example, if you eat too much, the CB1 receptors in your stomach send a signal to the brain to make you stop eating.
In contrast, when you don’t eat enough, the CB2 receptors in your gastrointestinal tract send a signal to the brain to increase your appetite. This is why you sometimes get the munchies while using cannabis.
Another way endocannabinoids regulate your metabolism is by affecting the amount of glucose and fatty acids in your bloodstream. When you have low glucose levels, your brain releases less insulin to keep your blood sugar in the right range. This results in a higher concentration of fatty acids in your bloodstream, which can lead to fat storage and weight gain.
Similarly, when you have high glucose levels, your brain produces more insulin to prevent fat from accumulating in the bloodstream. The combination of a low blood glucose level with high insulin levels can cause diabetes or other conditions like obesity.
In this study, we looked at the impact of cannabis on the metabolism by measuring concentrations of ghrelin and insulin in the bloodstream of regular and occasional cannabis users. When cannabis was administered orally, it increased total ghrelin and suppressed insulin concentrations. Interestingly, this was also the case with smoked and vaporized cannabis.
