Tag: Cannabis

Cannabis for the Endocrine System 

The endocrine system is pretty much a system of different parts of the body that secret hormones that help with a lot of the biological problems that happen. 

Cannabis can help with this, especially if there is a problem with maintaining homeostasis and endocrine disorders too. 

What Endocrine disorders Entail 

This is pretty much when the endocrines system is producing too little or too specific of a hormone, or maybe too much of a hormone too, causing it to create an imbalance with the feedback loops that are needed for maintaining homeostasis. 

Tumors, lesions, infections, and the like cause a lot of problems. 

From weight gain to face puffiness, to pain of the abdomen, to even creating brittle nails and hair and making it harder to keep a period or pregnancy, these are all problems that the endocrine system can have. 

Where Cannabis Fits In 

So where does it fit in? 

Well, remember the ECS? That’s the system of cannabinoid receptors, and there are even receptors in the organs of the endocrine system including the pituitary, thyroid, and hypothalamus systems too. 

This is done to keep the homeostasis of the body, regulating the bone mass, your appetite, and even the neurotransmitters and the like. You can use this to bind the same receptors both directly and indirectly, changing the levels of the cannabinoids inside too. 

How does this counteract the disorders? While we don’t know for sure, the tight clinical trials will help to build understanding, investing how THC along with CBD may target these conditions. 

How THC can help 

THC is pretty much what makes weed well, weed, and it’s one of the biggest parts of cultivars looking to have cannabis. While some don’t like the feeling of getting high, it can help with quality of life improvements. 

This can be used to help with appetite stimulation, which can help to counteract appetite loss that comes with the disorders of the endocrine system, including thyroid and whatnot. Cannabis medicines including Marinol are oftentimes used to help with appetite boosting in those who have these conditions. 

Some may also look into how THC and cannabis may impact your mood. You may learn that in the short-term, these molecules can cause dopamine surges within the brain, resulting in both euphoria, along with relaxation. 

But long-term use may cause a blunting of this effect, and right now more studies must be done to look at these connections. 

What about pain and cramping that happens with this? Does THC help with this? While there does need to be further developments with this, there is a chance that there is a possibility that this can help with putting back the pain receptors in a patient too. 

What about CBD 

CBD is a little bit different. CBD works in a much more broad manner that binds the affinity of the cannabinoid to the sites, offering a chance to elevate the endocannabinoid in the body called anandamide. Because it binds in the same manner that THC does, it offers a similar effect that this does with THC, but milder since it isn’t psychoactive. 

Hemp oil cbd, Cannabis herb and leaves for treatment, Extract from hemp oil.

It does help with improving the mood and well-being, and it can also bind to the expanded endocannabinoid receptors, which can help determine whether or not CBD can help with pain and anxiety. 

It does help with some anxiety symptoms, especially those with hyperthyroidism. Right now though, there is still many clinical trials being done on the effectiveness of this on the body, and whether it’s a surefire treatment for those suffering from these various disorders as well too.

Marijuana and Lithium 

There are certain medications that some people use, and it can cause severe side effects. One of them is lithium and cannabis. It’s something that you should definitely try not to take together, and here, we’ll go over what happens if you take both of these, and why it’s frowned upon for you to do so. 

What Lithium Is 

Lithium is a medication that you take orally to treat bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and also manic disorders. It also reduces self-harm, aggression, and behaviors that are suicidal. You usually get this in a liquid or a tablet form. 

You must be over 12 to have this and have no kidney and thyroid problems, as it can affect both. Your doctor will get blood samples and sometimes an ECG before you can take lithium. 

The side effects include: 

  • Diarrhea 
  • Weight gain 
  • Dry mouth 
  • Thirst 
  • Metallic tastes in your mouth 
  • Tiredness 
  • Tremors 
  • Nausea along with vomiting 

You should never suddenly stop taking this though, and always discuss this with a doctor before your stop, as it might be dangerous. 

The mechanism on how this works isn’t definitely known, but it can affect the CNS and the brain when you take this. 

Some of the effects that lithium has include the following: – stopping the growth of specific enzymes that’ll stop the growth of cells 

Increasing the brain cell density for those with bipolar 

Increasing the concentration of the neuronal markers of your brain cells and the health of this 

Protecting the neurons from cell death 

The Risk of this 

There are a lot of risks that you should be mindful of, as they’re much more profound than just the benefits that might be there. First thing is the lithium toxicity. When you mix lithium with cannabis, it causes a lithium overdose. CBD also can interact with this. 

In severe instances, this can be fatal. The kidneys are able to excrete most of the lithium, with the rest of it leaving through feces and sweat.  This is not metabolized, and if your kidneys are struggling to excrete it as it metabolizes, it can accumulate within the blood, increasing the risk. 

This also can cause cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which is where you start to vomit excessively after using cannabis.  This is definitely something that’s majorly increased in the use of lithium and like. 

It also reduces the effectiveness of lithium, due to the way that the cannabinoid receptors can impact the enzymes necessary to break down these chemicals too. 

There are also some really bad side effects, especially if you mix these together. 

The side effects include: 

  • Cardiac arrest 
  • Dizziness 
  • Coma 
  • Drowsiness 
  • Itching 
  • Hives 
  • Respiratory depression 
  • Palpitations 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Seizures 
  • Sluggish feelings 

This is something you do not want to mess around with, so if you experience any of the side effects listed above after taking this, it’s vital that you get to the ER before it’s too late. 

If you do wish to mix them, do not do this before talking to your doctor, as they can help with figuring out better and other treatment methods, and also go through the other side effects and the interactions at hand. 

If you mix these, do keep them in mind. If you noticed any of the other factors that are listed above, you should definitely be mindful. 

Finally, keep in mind that lithium toxicity also can happen, which includes all of those symptoms above, but weakness, uncontrollable feelings, and also vomiting.