Healthcare
Does Cannabis Speed Up or Slow Down Your Metabolism?
Is cannabis a helping or hurting you if you are trying to diet and lose weight?
You’ve probably heard all the jokes about stoners and munchies by now. After all, 99% of all Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor combinations, odd fast food menu items, and strange snack chip varieties are entirely the fault of cannabis smokers.
Binges on junk food caused by marijuana are inadequate for maintaining a healthy diet. This is because science has repeatedly demonstrated that irregular eating habits (such as stopping at a late-night drive-through for a few tacos after eating dinner) can cause unhealthy and being overweight. Ultimately, this could lead to a wide range of health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer (colon cancer, for example).
Leaving humor and scares aside, some intriguing scientific research addresses how marijuana use impacts hunger and connects to weight gain or loss. Researchers are starting to understand how marijuana affects a healthy lifestyle in terms of metabolism, weight reduction, and lifestyle motivation.
Does marijuana affect metabolism?
A 2011 assessment of two nationwide studies between 2001 and 2003 sparked most of the debate about the effects of marijuana use on metabolism. The analysis found that those who have never used cannabis have higher rates of obesity than frequent cannabis users (at least three or more times per week).
Similar findings were also reached by a 2010 study published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse that looked at the relationship between marijuana usage and youth obesity. Anecdotal research suggests that cannabis may help reduce the rate of obesity and improve BMI by:
- Reducing alcohol consumption
- Boosting levels of physical activity.
- Assisting with sleep problems
- Simulating Cortisol/stress response
- Relieving aches and pains that may interfere with the exercise
Furthermore, these findings were validated by a 2018 review published in the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, which investigated the association between cannabis consumption and body mass index (BMI). It was discovered that, despite ingesting more calories, cannabis enthusiasts typically have lower BMIs and rates of obesity, which suggests cannabis impacts metabolism.
Tom Clark, the chair of Indiana University South Bend’s biological sciences department, claims that people naturally think cannabis users are overweight because it boosts appetite. Clark and his colleagues examined 17 research involving nearly 156,000 people and discovered that marijuana users were leaner than nonusers. Additionally, their body mass index (BMI) is typically 7 percent lower; for a 6-foot man, this translates to a 15-pound difference. Most intriguingly, marijuana users have a 30 to 35 percent lower risk of being obese.
Clark added that even though THC may cause an initial spike in appetite, the metabolism boosts more than makes up for it over time. He continues by assuming that the consequences of lowering obesity would be even higher if current strains had lost the munchie effects but retained increased metabolic rates. And you don’t have to be a heavy smoker to lose weight. According to research, using marijuana just once can increase your metabolism for approximately four weeks, making you appear leaner.
While the exact cannabis dose required is unknown, THC, in contrast to the more common legal, nonpsychoactive cannabidiol, has a more pronounced impact on metabolism. According to popular belief, our modern American diet is excessively high in omega-6 fatty acids found in foods such as vegetable oil and butter. Omega-6 in excess can induce inflammation in the body. It also overstimulates the CB1R receptor, which elevates appetite, gives food a better taste, lowers metabolic rates, and promotes fat accumulation. Clark claims that THC can “speak” to the CB1R receptor and thus bring balance. In other words, it may aid in the reduction of hunger and weight growth.
The gut microbiome, which also influences weight, may be improved by THC. Increased Firmicutes levels and decreased Bacteroidetes levels are associated with obesity. In a Canadian study on animals, THC was administered to obese mice on a high-calorie diet. Their levels of intestinal flora returned to normal, and they stopped gaining weight.
Still, poor eating habits cannot be fixed by marijuana. Myron Szewczuk, a biomedical researcher from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, asserts that a diet high in sugar, fat, and artificial sweeteners cannot be sustained if one wants to reduce weight. Not everybody agrees with the reported impacts cannabis has on metabolism. According to Diana Martinez, a psychiatry professor at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, the evidence indicating cannabis causes weight reduction is not reliable. While there are studies on animals, participants in human studies self-report their results, so it is impossible to tell how much they are consuming.
A study where some participants receive THC while others get a placebo is necessary to demonstrate the notion. Martinez is not always opposed to marijuana and its legaliziation. According to her, it can potentially treat crippling disorders that call for more treatment alternatives, such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease. However, before extensive human trials can be conducted, restrictions on THC in science need to be loosened in the United States.
What about Cannabis and Weight Gain?
So, how about the “munchies“? Obesity and weight increase may not be caused simply by cravings for food. Research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that regular marijuana users are less likely to be overweight or obese than nonusers.
The impact of cannabis in stimulating appetite is also not as simple as you might expect, according to Brian St. Pierre, R.D., a nutrition expert for Men’s Health. THC, the euphoric ingredient in marijuana that causes the “high,” can make people hungry. On the other hand, CBD appears to offset THC’s stimulant effects on hunger.
The systems in the brain that cause hunger may be affected by marijuana, according to a study, particularly the hormone-releasing receptors. Nevertheless, despite research crediting the Cheetos-eating stoner stereotype, other studies have demonstrated that marijuana use does not result in weight gain.
Conclusion
There is no empirical human-based evidence that marijuana has a profound impact on metabolism that will help cannabis smokers achieve their physical fitness goals. Adhering to a diet strategy that is effective for you is the most excellent method to lose weight.
Source: https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/does-cannabis-speed-up-or-slow-down-your-metabolism
Education News
AIIMS Gorakhpur Reservation Controversy: FIR Alleges Fake OBC Certificate Used Despite ₹80 Lakh Income
A major controversy has emerged at AIIMS Gorakhpur after allegations surfaced that reservation benefits were misused to secure a postgraduate medical seat. A criminal case has been registered against former AIIMS Gorakhpur Executive Director Dr. G.K. Pal and his son, Dr. Oro Prakash Pal, over the alleged use of a forged Other Backward Class (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer certificate for admission to an MD course.
The case has triggered widespread debate within medical and administrative circles, raising serious questions about transparency and oversight in admissions to premier medical institutions.
FIR Filed on Court’s Direction
The First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the AIIMS police station following directions from Chief Judicial Magistrate Tvishi Srivastava. According to the complaint, the alleged offence took place on August 30, 2024, when forged documents were purportedly used to obtain an MD seat under the OBC reservation quota.
Sources indicate that the matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the Union Ministry of Health, prompting internal reviews and administrative action.
Alleged Income Far Above Eligibility Threshold
Central to the allegations is the claim that Dr. G.K. Pal and his wife Parvati Pal have a combined annual income exceeding ₹80 lakh. Under existing reservation rules, families with such income levels are not eligible for OBC Non-Creamy Layer benefits.
Following the emergence of the controversy, Dr. Pal was first removed from his position at AIIMS Gorakhpur and later relieved of responsibilities at AIIMS Patna. He is currently posted at JIPMER Puducherry. With the registration of the FIR, officials suggest that further legal and departmental action may follow, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Complaint Highlights Systemic Concerns
The complaint was filed by Ashutosh Kumar Mishra, a resident of Divyanagar in the Cantonment area. He alleged that the events related to the case occurred between January and September 2024. The complainant argued that misuse of reservation provisions by individuals in senior positions undermines the integrity of public institutions and erodes trust in the medical education system.
The case has reignited concerns over whether verification mechanisms for reservation certificates are robust enough, particularly in high-stakes admissions.
Impact on Medical Community
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the medical fraternity. Experts believe that if the claims are substantiated, the case could prompt a broader review of admission procedures and lead to stricter scrutiny of category certificates across institutions like AIIMS.
Authorities have stated that all relevant documents will be carefully examined before taking further steps. The outcome of the investigation is expected to have far-reaching implications for accountability and compliance in medical admissions.
Questions Await Answers
As the probe continues, several key issues remain unresolved: whether reservation norms were deliberately violated, how verification processes failed, and whether similar cases may surface in the future. For now, the focus remains on the investigation and its potential consequences.
New Mexico regulators fined a cannabis operator nearly $300,000 and revoked its license after the company allegedly created fake reports in the state’s traceability software.
The New Mexico Cannabis Control Division (CCD) accused marijuana manufacturer and retailer Golden Roots of 11 violations, according to Albuquerque Business First.
Golden Roots operates the The Cannabis Revolution Dispensary.
The majority of the violations are related to the Albuquerque company’s improper use of BioTrack, which has been New Mexico’s track-and-trace vendor since 2015.
The CCD alleges Golden Roots reported marijuana production only two months after it had received its vertically integrated license, according to Albuquerque Business First.
Because cannabis takes longer than two months to be cultivated, the CCD was suspicious of the report.
After inspecting the company’s premises, the CCD alleged Golden Roots reported cultivation, transportation and sales in BioTrack but wasn’t able to provide officers who inspected the site evidence that the operator was cultivating cannabis.
In April, the CCD revoked Golden Roots’ license and issued a $10,000 fine, according to the news outlet.
The company requested a hearing, which the regulator scheduled for Sept. 1.
At the hearing, the CCD testified that the company’s dried-cannabis weights in BioTrack were suspicious because they didn’t seem to accurately reflect how much weight marijuana loses as it dries.
Company employees also poorly accounted for why they were making adjustments in the system of up to 24 pounds of cannabis, making comments such as “bad” or “mistake” in the software, Albuquerque Business First reported.
Golden Roots was fined $298,972.05 – the amount regulators allege the company made selling products that weren’t properly accounted for in BioTrack.
The CCD has been cracking down on cannabis operators accused of selling products procured from out-of-state or not grown legally:
- Regulators alleged in August that Albuquerque dispensary Sawmill Sweet Leaf sold out-of-state products and didn’t have a license for extraction.
- Paradise Exotics Distro lost its license in July after regulators alleged the company sold products made in California.
Golden Roots was the first alleged rulebreaker in New Mexico to be asked to pay a large fine.
Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/new-mexico-cannabis-operator-fined-loses-license-for-alleged-biotrack-fraud/
Alabama regulators are targeting Dec. 1 to award the first batch of medical cannabis business licenses after the agency’s first two attempts were scrapped because of scoring errors and litigation.
The first licenses will be awarded to individual cultivators, delivery providers, processors, dispensaries and state testing labs, according to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC).
Then, on Dec. 12, the AMCC will award licenses for vertically integrated operations, a designation set primarily for multistate operators.
Licenses are expected to be handed out 28 days after they have been awarded, so MMJ production could begin in early January, according to the Alabama Daily News.
That means MMJ products could be available for patients around early March, an AMCC spokesperson told the media outlet.
Regulators initially awarded 21 business licenses in June, only to void them after applicants alleged inconsistencies with how the applications were scored.
Then, in August, the state awarded 24 different licenses – 19 went to June recipients – only to reverse themselves again and scratch those licenses after spurned applicants filed lawsuits.
A state judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Chicago-based MSO Verano Holdings Corp., but another lawsuit is pending.
Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/alabama-plans-to-award-medical-cannabis-licenses-dec-1/
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