Medical cannabis has multifarious uses. It can put an insomniac to sleep and turn severe anxiety into euphoria. But, out of all the different medical properties that cannabis possesses, its relation with appetite is one of the most confusing ones.
You’ll find some cannabis consumers reporting an increase in hunger while others may find themselves not feeling the need to eat. So, which one is it? Does cannabis improve your appetite or regulate it?
Well, considering all the recent research and reports from cannabis consumers, cannabis has the ability to do both. But, it’s not that straightforward. So, let’s take a look into the connection of cannabis with your appetite and understand how it delivers such different results.
If you have been around people who smoke or use cannabis recreationally or medically, you might have noticed that most of them feel the need to eat or munch on something after a session. In cannabis terms, it’s known as the munchies. They can be categorized as a side effect because it usually follows after a cannabis session whether you asked for it or not.
Munchies are caused by THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. When it enters your body, it stimulates the CB1 receptors on different areas of the body. After activation, a number of processes follow. For example, it increases the levels of ghrelin (appetite-inducing hormone) thereby causing munchies. THC also activates the CB1 receptors in the basal ganglia and limbic forebrain which enhances your eating pleasure and food palatability. All these factors combine to increase your hunger and make eating a more enjoyable experience.
Munchies may be the cause of weight gain and unhealthy eating for some people. But for others, these changes can be therapeutic. For people suffering from chronic illnesses like HIV-related anorexia, metabolic disorders, cancer or other ailments that cause extreme appetite loss, cannabis can help stimulate hunger and improve the patient’s condition. If you are one of them, take some time out to get medical marijuana card online and find relief with cannabis treatment.
Using cannabis to stimulate appetite is more natural and less stressful for the patients. It doesn’t force eating for the patients and makes it a more natural and voluntary process. As for people who gain weight due to munchies, a better option is to stick to low THC strains or fill the pantry with healthy snacks.
Cannabis is a storehouse of hundreds of different chemicals. One of these chemicals is THCV or Tetrahydrocannabivarin. It is similar to THC in its molecular structure but quite opposite in terms of the therapeutic effects.
We already know that cannabis stimulates hunger by activating the CB1 receptors. So, blocking these receptors will reduce the appetite. And THCV is the antagonist that blocks the activation of CB1 receptors. It also activates the amygdala region of the brain that enhances unpleasant feelings with food. So, the entire experience of eating becomes less enjoyable and the hunger reduces.
Such appetite suppressing properties of cannabis can help people dealing with obesity and those trying to maintain a healthy weight. It can also be a great option for medical cannabis patients who wish to experience the therapeutic effects of the green herb but without the munchies.
While cannabis plants do not come in an abundance of THCV. But there are certain strains such as Durban Poison, Doug’s Varin, and Pineapple Purps that are rich in THCV and perfect for people who are looking to maintain their weight using medical cannabis.
Reading all this might make you think if there is anything cannabis can’t help with. Well, one thing is for sure that whether you wish to stimulate or regulate your hunger, cannabis is the way to go. Appetite is an issue for a lot of people. Some are trying to control it to lose weight while others need to stimulate it to get healthy again. Either way, cannabis can be helpful.
If you have an issue related to appetite, connect with your cannabis doctor and get guidance for using the right cannabis for your condition. You can visit your nearest physician or have your 420 evaluations online in a few minutes. So, don’t wait and find the right cannabis for your appetite issues.