And finally, the drug may also influence a protein called adiponectin, which has been linked with improved insulin sensitivity. One possible explanation: Previous research had found that when marijuana was given to obese mice, the rodents slimmed down and had better functioning of their beta cells, which produce insulin. Those who use cannabis eat more calories on average, the authors pointed out, and paradoxically also tend to have lower BMIs.
They were also interested in the association between using the drug and having a smaller waist circumference. On the basis of their preliminary findings, the authors noted that specific cannabinoid receptors in the body may help improve insulin sensitivity. They were also more likely to have smaller waistlines. Compared with those participants who had never used marijuana, participants who were current users had 16 and 17 percent lower fasting insulin levels and measures of insulin resistance, respectively. For example, a study published in July 2013 in The American Journal of Medicine looked at nearly 600 adult men and women currently using marijuana and about 2,000 who had used it in the past after fasting overnight, they had their blood drawn and were screened for other health factors, such as blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. That said, those observational studies may offer clues about how cannabis may affect diabetes. Such studies reduce the risk of bias in study authors, and provide the most reliable evidence we have for a cause-and-effect relationship between two factors (in this case, medical marijuana and diabetes) rather than just a correlative link, which observational studies draw. That’s because most of the studies haven’t met the gold standard for medical research: Medical marijuana hasn’t been analyzed in large, randomized, controlled studies in human subjects with type 2 diabetes. That all sounds great, but what’s really going on?Įven though some preliminary research suggests medical marijuana may help improve glucose control and insulin resistance, doctors across the board aren’t quick to recommend marijuana for diabetes prevention.
The marijuana plant contains chemicals called cannabinoids that have a range of effects, including increased appetite and diminished pain and inflammation. That legislation has passed at a time when some research, which has mostly been observational and conducted in animals, links marijuana use to improved symptoms associated with HIV, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and mental disorders.īut what do researchers say about using marijuana to help treat or prevent diabetes? Suffice it to say, studies suggest you shouldn’t light up just yet. Although research on marijuana for medicinal purposes is limited and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the drug as a standard of care, 29 states and Washington, DC, have legalized medical marijuana.
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