Hunger is no stranger in the cannabis community. Everybody knows it well. Every cannabis enthusiast knows what hunger is, as this, called “munchies,” is a common side effect of use. Weed triggers appetite. Fact. People empty their fridges after weed delivery in Washington D.C. Empty their cupboards. The “munchies” describes insatiable hunger. It makes you ravenous. Starved even.
Because of this, cannabis proves a very promising candidate in the treatment of eating disorders. Studies have been decades in the making already. Results are inspiring, especially for anorexics. Physically anyway. Weed works, and it works very well. This is especially true for both Anorexia nervosa and Anorexia cachexia, the Anorexia type associated with HIV/AIDS.
However, despite all this study, little research was available. Prohibition laws made studying cannabis difficult. Impossible. Treating Anorexia nervosa, the most common eating issue, is particularly tricky. Weed can make one eat, but this is a disease of the mind. As the National Eating Disorders Association says, around 30 million people suffer eating disorders. Untreated, many die. Many.
Statistics among the youth are notably worse. The National Institute of Mental Health explains that around one quarter of young adults has an eating disorder. This equates to around 25 percent of college-aged people. Of all psychiatric conditions today, Anorexia is inarguably the deadliest. The disease itself kills many, but suicide rates are high too. Around six percent take their own lives.
Understanding Anorexia
Absolutely debilitating, Anorexia nervosa is a potentially deadly disease. Certainly, it is fatal without treatment. Patients stop eating, essentially starving themselves. They lose weight. Dramatically. The issue is partly body dysmorphia, a distorted perception of body image. The affliction is sadly obsessive. Compulsive. It takes over lives. Over families. Over life itself. There is no joy. No pleasure.
For almost a century, science blamed a preference in society for thin people. They blamed peer pressure, childhood trauma, and other sociocultural issues. However, new evidence lays more importance on genetic and neurobiological aspects as contributing factors to its development. Every person is unique, though. Different. The triggers for Anorexia in some may not appear in others.
Effect of Cannabis on Anorexia
It is logical that cannabis, with its appetite-boosting effects, can help tremendously in Anorexia cases. It appears an obvious choice for treatment. By inducing “munchies,” it makes hungry cancer and HIV/AIDS patients too. Anecdotal evidence is abundant. Studies give validation. They support these findings. Many studies also show how cannabis treats associated issues too, like anxiety and nausea.
Further, with so much anecdotal testimony available, it is possible to combine it with existing research. We now know how the endocannabinoid system regulates appetite. Since cannabis interacts with endocannabinoids directly, it is effective for Anorexia. Already, weed helps ease related suffering. Its various mechanisms of action might help patients overcome the disease altogether.
A Word of Science
A Belgian study in 2011 showed irregularities and imbalances of the endocannabinoid system in all eating disorders. It suggested cannabinoids as valuable therapy. Published in the Biological Psychiatry Journal, the study showed cannabinoids fixing endocannabinoid deficiencies most effectively, helping sufferers tremendously. It was too small for peer approval, though. So, more study is very necessary.
Then, three years later, in 2014, Nature published an animal study by neuroscientists out of Europe. It too suggested cannabis for treating Anorexia. Specifically, it shows how tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can reactivate pleasure pathways. Since anorexics no longer feel joy, or find no pleasures in daily life, THC can help directly by activating CB1 receptors responsible for smell and taste sensitivity.
Then, yet another study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, with actual human subjects, gave even more hope. Although very small with just 24 people, results were immediately promising. After administering synthetic THC, called Dronabinol, to participants, all gained around 1.6 pounds more weight than those given the placebo. This is significant. A ray of hope for families everywhere.
What is more, authors of the study found no side effects adverse. All patients involved did very well with treatment. Further, after a whole year of following up on participants, the team found all still doing well. Even improving. Every one of them was eating better. Getting more nutrients and clearly benefiting from cannabis use. None were starving. None were relapsing. None were withdrawing.
Best Dispensary in Washington D.C.
While study continues, the relief that weed brings to everyone with appetite issues is undeniable, proven, and personally experienced by all who use it. The hunger effects of cannabis are easily among its most identifiable. Everybody knows the “munchies.” Most ready themselves for it. Prepare snacks, make meals, do what they need to do to make sure they can eat after lighting up.
However, for those treating appetite problems, and anyone using cannabis medicinally, quality matters. It is very important that one gets the cannabinoids and terpenes required for cannabinoid therapy to work. Not all weed delivery in Washington D.C. is trusted. In fact, few are credible at all. Do your homework. Check reviews, scrutinize websites, ask questions, and get in touch personally.
