New Calif. study finds evidence cannabis could treat obesity, diabetes
SFGATE • • health
Key Points:
- A UC Riverside study found that obese mice given cannabis lost weight, with those receiving concentrated cannabis oil showing improved metabolic function, suggesting potential for cannabis-based diet therapies.
- The research aimed to explain why chronic cannabis users often have lower weight and reduced diabetes risk, despite expectations that increased appetite would lead to weight gain.
- Mice treated with isolated THC still exhibited impaired metabolism, while those given broad-spectrum cannabis oil returned to normal metabolic function, highlighting differences among cannabis compounds.
- The study underscores growing scientific interest in cannabinoids as possible treatments for obesity and metabolic disorders, due to their interaction with the body's endocannabinoid system.
- Researchers caution that these findings in mice do not prove cannabis causes weight loss or diabetes treatment in humans, and efforts are ongoing to isolate non-intoxicating compounds for potential therapeutic use.