Tag Archives: obesity

The Central Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Is Required for Diet-Induced Obesity and Rimonabant’s Antiobesity Effects in Mice

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Abstract

“Cannabinoid receptor CB1 is expressed abundantly in the brain and presumably in the peripheral tissues responsible for energy metabolism. It is unclear if the antiobesity effects of rimonabant, a CB1 antagonist, are mediated through the central or the peripheral CB1 receptors. To address this question, we generated transgenic mice with central nervous system (CNS)-specific knockdown (KD) of CB1, by expressing an artificial microRNA (AMIR) under the control of the neuronal Thy1.2 promoter. In the mutant mice, CB1 expression was reduced in the brain and spinal cord, whereas no change was observed in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG), sympathetic trunk, enteric nervous system, and pancreatic ganglia. In contrast to the neuronal tissues, CB1 was undetectable in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) or the liver. Consistent with the selective loss of central CB1, agonist-induced hypothermia was attenuated in the mutant mice, but the agonist-induced delay of gastrointestinal transit (GIT), a primarily peripheral nervous system-mediated effect, was not. Compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, the mutant mice displayed reduced body weight (BW), adiposity, and feeding efficiency, and when fed a high-fat diet (HFD), showed decreased plasma insulin, leptin, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and elevated adiponectin levels. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of rimonabant on food intake (FI), BW, and serum parameters were markedly reduced and correlated with the degree of CB1 KD. Thus, KD of CB1 in the CNS recapitulates the metabolic phenotype of CB1 knockout (KO) mice and diminishes rimonabant’s efficacy, indicating that blockade of central CB1 is required for rimonabant’s antiobesity actions.”

http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v19/n10/full/oby2011250a.html

Marijuana smokers are thinner, less likely to be obese than non-smokers, according to new study

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“Stoners may spend a lot of time on the couch and craving White Castle, but they apparently don’t let their bodies go to pot.

People who smoke marijuana regularly are less likely to be obese than non-pot smokers, according to a new study by French researches.

“We found that cannabis users are less likely to be obese than non-users,” Dr. Yann Le Strat, French psychiatrist and co-author of a new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology told MSNBC. “We were so surprised, we thought we had [made] a mistake.”

Using data from two epidemiologic studies of U.S. adults, researchers found that between 22% to 25% of participants who didn’t smoke pot were obese.

But only between 14% and 17% of those people who admitted to taking a toke at least three times a week were overweight.

Le Strat said other factors, such as the stoners’ level of physical activity or diets, could have contributed to the results, but his team tried to rule out those factors.

The researches were also quick to point out that sucking on a bong isn’t the key to a tight tummy.

“The take-home message is certainly not ‘smoke cannabis, it will help you lose weight,'” Le Strat said. “The possibility that cannabis is associated with a lower risk of obesity remains an interesting hypothesis, but certainly does not counterbalance its negative effects on health and mental health.””

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-09-04/entertainment/30136983_1_cannabis-marijuana-smokers-smoke-pot

The future of weight loss: A ‘marijuana’ diet pill?

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“Limiting a brain compound that regulates metabolism allows genetically altered mice to stay skinny without exercising. Is a dream pill far behind?

If you find the prospect of staying thin while eating as much as you want appealing, scientists have news for you. New research from the University of California, Irvine — detailed in the March issue of Cell Metabolism — found that certain brain chemicals with characteristics similar to marijuana might help the body shed pounds without any exercise. A dream come true? Here’s a brief look at the promising discovery:

What chemical could have such power?
It’s an endocannabinoid compound called 2-AG. Endocannabinoids, as the name might suggest, share a similar molecular structure to the active ingredients in cannabis. Typically, high levels of 2-AG are found in the brains of mammals, and previous studies suggested that these compounds may make the body crave fat. Scientists think endocannabinoids play a key role in regulating the body’s metabolism, or the energy it makes from food.

How did scientists put the compound to the test?
Researchers genetically engineered brain cells in mice to exhibit low levels of 2-AG, on the theory that this would allow the rodents’ metabolic rates to “go crazy,” says Kristen Philipkoski at Gizmodo. And the hunch was right. These mice lived in a “hypermetabolic state,” burning fat calories far more efficiently than normal mice, study researcher Daniele Piomeli said in a statement. They were “resistant to obesity,” staying thin despite a high-fat diet without exercise. They even had normal blood pressure, and showed no increased risk of heart disease or diabetes. 

How could this discovery help humans?
“To produce the desired effects, we would need to create a drug that blocks 2-AG production in the brain,” says Piomeli, “something we’re not yet able to do.” 

So can we expect a miracle pill in the foreseeable future?
“Tweaking” human brain chemistry is no easy task, says Philipkoski. And preliminary estimates say it would take a decade and cost up to $2 billion to make the drug safe and effective enough for the FDA to to approve it. “So don’t cancel that gym membership just yet,” says Piomeli.”

http://news.yahoo.com/future-weight-loss-marijuana-diet-pill-071500947.html

Cannabis Cures… Obesity?

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“Contrary to the stigma of pot smokers being fat and lazy, driven to chow down on Doritos and Milk Duds by the ever-so-common “munchies” effect of cannabis, new studies show that pot smokers are less likely to be obese than non-smokers.

The cannabis study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, led by Dr. Yann Le Strat, a psychiatrist at Louis-Mourier Hospital in Colombes, France. He and his colleagues studied the weight differences between pot smokers and non-pot smokers based on two epidemiologic studies of U.S. adults. Non-pot smokers weighed in with 22%-25.3% obesity rates. Those who toke at least three times a week had obesity rates of just 14.3-17.2%. That means pot smokers are far more likely to be thin than their non-smoking counterparts.

Say what? The researchers did a double take, too. They hypothesized that since marijuana is known to increase appetites, surely smokers would weight more. Le Strat and his colleagues were so surprised by the results in the first study that they reassessed a completely different sample and found the same results.

“We found that cannabis users are less likely to be obese than non-users,” said Le Strat, as quoted by MSNBC. “We were so surprised, we thought we had [made] a mistake. Or that our results were due to the sample we studies. So we turned to another completely independent sample and found exactly the same association.””

 http://blog.420petition.com/international-marijuana-news/cannabis-research-cures-obesity/

Anti-Obesity diet drug from cannabis works!

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“For those whose New Year’s resolution was to yet again try to lose those extra kilos help may be at hand in the form of a new wonder drug derived from cannabis.

At first glance cannabis appears an unlikely candidate in the search for a weight-loss miracle drug, but the very same compound which switches off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis, could may well be the first blockbuster anti-obesity drug ever.”

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/01/17/15421.aspx

Cannabis could be used to treat obesity

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“Cannabis could be used in drugs to help people overcome obesity, according to new UK research.

Researchers at GW Pharmaceuticals have discovered two compounds in cannabis leaves that help our bodies burn more energy, the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported.

The company is developing a drug to treat “metabolic syndrome”, which occurs when people suffer obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, which increases their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Tests in mice showed the cannabis compounds improved their metabolism, which resulted in lower cholesterol in the bloodstream, plus less fat in key organs, such as the liver.

Now a trial is underway with 200 people and researchers hope the drug can treat metabolic syndrome.

Dr Stephen Wright, director of research and development at GW Pharmaceuticals, said they expect results in late 2012.

“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,” Dr Wright said.

“Humans have been using these plants for thousands of years so we have quite a lot of experience of the chemicals in the plants.”

Cannabis is illegal in the UK but GW Pharmaceuticals has been granted permission to grow it in secret greenhouses in the country’s south.

They are growing a type of cannabis with different quantities of compounds called cannabinoids.

While cannabis is known for inciting the “munchies”, these compounds, called THCV and cannabidiol, appear to suppress the appetite, while helping control sugar levels in the blood and fat levels throughout the body.

It appears THCV also helps cells that produce insulin work more effectively.

Now researchers are hoping the drugs will help people suffering type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related diseases.”

http://health.msn.co.nz/healthnews/8496828/cannabis-could-be-used-to-treat-obesity

Does pot prevent obesity? What new marijuana study says

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“(CBS) 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. We were so surprised, we thought we had [made] a mistake.”

For the study – published online in the August 24 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology – researchers analyzed data from two large population surveys of U.S. adults. The researchers found obesity rates in people who “just say no” were 22 percent and 25.3 percent in each survey, respectively. But study participants who puffed pot at least three times a week had obesity rates of 14.3 percent and 17.2. The study didn’t actually prove smoking pot causes weight-loss.

“There could be many other reasons why pot smokers have less obesity,” Andrea Giancoli, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, told MSNBC. “Maybe they’re inclined to exercise more, be outdoors more, eat more fruits and vegetables. There could be all kinds of confounding factors that could make the results null and void.”

Potheads might be more physically active? Seriously?

“I would be surprised that cannabis use is associated with a higher rate of physical activity, but this cannot be ruled out,” Le Strat told Fox News. Another possibility, he said, is that certain compounds in cannabis might help people lose weight, and could serve as an area of future research.

Should folks trying to lose weight consider picking up a bong instead of a barbell?”

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20102773-10391704.html

Pot Smokers May Have Lower Risk of Obesity

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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.

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 reason behind the link is not clear. It could be that people who use cannabis also engage in other behaviors that lower their obesity risk. Or it may be that pot smokers exercise more or have a specific diet that keeps them thin, said study researcher Yann Le Strat, a psychiatrist at Louis Mourier Hospital in France.

“On a personal point of view, I would be surprised that cannabis use is associated with a higher rate of physical activity, but this cannot be ruled out,” Le Strat told MyHealthNewsDaily.

Another possibility is that components of cannabis may help people lose weight. If this turns out to be the case, researchers should investigate which components these might be and try to put them into drug form, Le Strat said.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/06/pot-smokers-may-have-lower-risk-obesity/#ixzz29gdL3zlB

Study: Smoking Marijuana Not Linked to Obesity

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“”Initially, we thought we made a mistake,” said Le Strat, adding that he and co-author Bernard Le Foll checked the results several times to make sure they were correct.

“This is only a preliminary result. It doesn’t mean that marijuana does actually help you lose weight, but perhaps there is a component that does.”

The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, included two surveys of U.S. adults — one covering 43,000 people, the other about 9,300 respondents. Both had been conducted by branches of the U.S. National Institutes of Health between 2001 and 2009.

The larger of the surveys found that 14 percent of pot smokers were obese compared to 22 percent who didn’t smoke pot. Similarly, the smaller survey found 17 percent of pot smokers to be obese compared to 25 percent of non-smokers.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/12/study-smoking-marijuana-not-linked-to-obesity/#ixzz29gcGCKWu