Monthly Archives: May 2013

Can Marijuana really be used to treat obesity?

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“Some of you may read that title and are subconsciously checking off another reason why pot is fucking awesome. Good for you, the perception of marijuana as  an illicit substance has been changing steadily over the course of the decades. Several opinion polls now indicate that a majority of Americans now support the legalization of marijuana, conclusively proving that people like to get high.

Aside from getting high and playing Xbox live, it now appears that marijuana use may actually reduce the likelihood of obesity in individuals who smoke pot regularly. According to a study recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, regular users of cannabis have a much lower prevalence of obesity than non users. Even when the researchers adjusted for other factors that can contribute to body fat such as tobacco use, age or gender, the correlation remained strong.”

Read more:http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2013/05/can-marijuana-really-be-used-to-treat-obesity/

Pot Smokers May Have Lower Risk of Obesity – Fox News

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  • “Despite the tendency of marijuana users to experience the “munchies,” pot smokers may have a lower risk of obesity that those who don’t use the drug, a new study finds.”
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  • “The results show the prevalence of obesity is lower among people who frequently smoke pot compared with those who have never inhaled.

    The researchers said they were surprised by their initial results, because they expected to find the opposite. So they examined a second sample of people, and found exactly the same result. Together, the two samples studied more than 50,000 people…”

The study was published Aug. 24 in the American Journal of Epidemiology. One of the authors of the study has submitted a patent application in Canada entitled ‘‘Use of Marijuana and Compounds Therein for Treating Obesity.”

Pass it on: Obesity is less common in people who smoke cannabis.”

 Read more:http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/06/pot-smokers-may-have-lower-risk-obesity/

Cannabis – the new weight loss secret?

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“Now we might know why dopers look so thin and gaunt. Cannabis facilitates weight loss!”

Cannabis

“Two cannabis compounds can raise the quantum of energy the body burns and keep obesity at bay. Called THCV and cannabidiol, they were found to have an appetite suppressing effect too for a short while. Animal tests have shown these compounds can help treat type two diabetes while also lowering levels of cholesterol in the blood stream and fat in key organs like the liver.

Scientists also found the compounds also had an impact on the level of fat and its response to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, the Telegraph reports. THCV was also found to increase the animals’ sensitivity to insulin while also protecting the cells that produce insulin, allowing them to work better and for longer.

Steph Wright, director of research and development at GW Pharmaceuticals developing the drugs, said: “The results in animal models have been very encouraging. We are interested in how these drugs effect the fat distribution and utilisation in the body as a treatment for metabolic diseases”. We are conducting four Phase 2 clinical trials and we expect some results later this year,” Wright said. 

Tests in mice showed the compounds boosted their metabolism, leading to lower levels of fat in their livers and reduced cholesterol in their blood stream. They are now conducting clinical trials in 200 patients in the hope of producing a drug that can be used to treat patients suffering from “metabolic syndrome”, where diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity combine to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Mike Cawthorne, director of metabolic research at the University of Buckingham who has been conducting the animal studies, said: “Over all, it seems these molecules increase energy expenditure in the cells of the body by increasing the metabolism”.”

http://health.india.com/news/cannabis-the-new-weight-loss-secret/

Cannabis Compounds can Help Treat Obesity

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“Two cannabis compounds could be a new weapon in the fight against obesity, say researchers. Animal tests have shown these compounds can help treat type two diabetes while also lowering levels of cholesterol in the blood stream and fat in key organs like the liver.”

Cannabis Compounds can Help Treat Obesity

“Scientists also found the compounds also had an impact on the level of fat and its response to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, the Telegraph reports.

THCV was also found to increase the animals’ sensitivity to insulin while also protecting the cells that produce insulin, allowing them to work better and for longer.

Steph Wright, director of research and development at GW Pharmaceuticals developing the drugs, said: “The results in animal models have been very encouraging. We are interested in how these drugs effect the fat distribution and utilisation in the body as a treatment for metabolic diseases…”

Mike Cawthorne, director of metabolic research at the University of Buckingham who has been conducting the animal studies, said: “Over all, it seems these molecules increase energy expenditure in the cells of the body by increasing the metabolism”.”
 
 

Pot smokers are skinnier: study – MSN

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“People who smoke marijuana have smaller waists and are less likely to have insulin resistance, according to a controversial US study.”

Pot smokers are skinnier: study
 
“Despite the fact that the marijuana-induced “munchies” usually makes users eat more calories than non-smokers, users don’t appear to gain weight like people who don’t smoke.Researchers from the University of Nebraska, the Harvard School of Public Health and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre studied more than 4600 adults.Twelve percent of the participants were current marijuana users and 42 percent said they had smoked cannabis in the past.

The researchers tested their insulin resistance, cholesterol levels, waist circumference and fasting insulin and glucose levels, and found the pot smokers scored significantly better than the non-smokers, even after they’d factored in other risk factors, such as age, sex, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco use.

The smokers’ insulin levels were 16 percent lower and their insulin resistance was reduced by 17 percent. Insulin resistance is a condition where the body can’t effectively absorb glucose from the blood, and is linked with weight gain.

The pot smokers also had more good cholesterol.

The 42 percent who used to smoke also scored better, however the results were not as significant as the current smokers.

The authors said they’re not sure why it happens, however said the fact marijuana seems to aid insulin regulation and reduce fat gain could also explain why marijuana smokers are less likely to have diabetes”

http://health.msn.co.nz/healthnews/8660133/pot-smokers-are-skinnier-study 

Now they’re telling us smoking weed will also help fend off diabetes – MSN

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Man smoking a joint (©RL/KEYSTONE USA/Rex Features) 

“The magical weed that helps us stay trim, be less crazy, control seizures, cure Crohn’s, rescue the economy and make watching TV game shows more enjoyable is now being credited for possibly reducing the risk of diabetes, too. Analyzing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,” researchers uncovered the good news that current marijuana users had 16 percent lower fasting insulin levels and 17 percent lower levels of insulin resistance than their nonstoner friends.

Bonus: Scientists found that pot users also had slimmer waistlines and higher levels of “good” cholesterol.”

http://now.msn.com/marijuana-may-fight-diabetes-researchers-say 

Study: Why Pot Smokers Are Skinnier

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“Marijuana users had smaller waists and scored higher across several measures of blood sugar regulation.”
 
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“”Marijuana use is associated with an acute increase in caloric intake,” goes the clinical jargon for popular lore. Still despite eating more while high (by some measures, over 600 extra calories per day), marijuana users’ extra intake doesn’t seem to be reflected in increased BMI. Indeed, studies have identified a reduced prevalence of obesity in the pot smoking community…
 

IMPLICATIONS: Although they’re not sure exactly how it happens, write the authors, these findings suggest that marijuana somehow works to improve insulin control, regulating body weight and perhaps explaining why marijuana users have a lower incidence of diabetes. Adding to the big questions — “can weed can treat obesity?” and “marijuana makes you skinny?!” — is the possibility that marijuana might be useful in helping people to manage their blood sugar.”

Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-why-pot-smokers-are-skinnier/275846/

Regular Marijuana Users May Be Skinnier, Have Better Blood Sugar Control: Study

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“People who regularly smoke marijuana may have better control of their blood sugar and may be skinnier than non-marijuana users, according to a new study.”

Marijuana Users Skinnier
 
“The research, published in the American Journal of Medicine, shows that people who reported regularly using marijuana had a lower risk of insulin resistance and had lower fasting insulin levels, compared with people who never used marijuana. Researchers also found an association between using marijuana and having a smaller waist circumference and higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, compared with non-users. The research was conducted by scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the University of Nebraska and the Harvard School of Public Health.”
 
 

Does pot prevent obesity? What new marijuana study says – CBS News

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“Move over, fad diets. Scientists have identified something else that might keep off excess weight.

Smoking pot.

That’s right, marijuana users are less likely to be obese than their non-toking counterparts, according to a new study.

Doesn’t pot-smoking cause the munchies?

Actually, the researchers behind the study had been expecting to find that marijuana smokers would weigh more than non-users.

“Cannabis is supposed to increase appetite,” study author Dr. Yann Le Strat, a psychiatrist at Louis-Mourier Hospital in Colombes, France, told MSNBC.

 “We found that cannabis users are less likely to be obese than non-users…””

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20102773-10391704/does-pot-prevent-obesity-what-new-marijuana-study-says/

The Marijuana Diet? Scientists find link between pot smoking and weight loss

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“Low levels of insulin associated with users of marijuana. Vast ramifications seen.”

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“Smoking refer can help you better metabolize fats and carbs.

Go ahead, take another toke — the munchies don’t make you fat.

That’s the conclusion of a report published in the American Journal of Medicine, which found a strong correlation between marijuana use and a smaller waistband.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Nebraska, Harvard and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, examined 4,657 adults, 579 of whom regularly smoked reefer.

“We found significant associations between marijuana use and smaller waist circumferences,” the researchers report.

Specifically, potheads had 16% lower levels of insulin than their non-smoking peers.

The hormone regulates metabolism of fat and carbs. The Atlantic noted that the findings perhaps explain why smokers of the wacky tobacky are less prone to diabetes.

Even people who had smoked weed in the past but did not currently puff showed similar, though less striking, results.”

 http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/smoke-pot-thin-article-1.1345812