“Cannabis for weight loss.” That doesn’t sound right! The herb is so famous for causing “the munchies”- that uncontrollable urge to eat whatever you can find.
Then how can it help you lose weight?
Well, it may sound contradictory, but cannabis can actually help you with the task. In fact, there are many studies emerging now, supporting this fact. And given this, a lot of people are applying for a medical cannabis card nowadays.
But how is it really possible?
Well, the relationship between cannabis and the obesity isn’t very straightforward. And that’s exactly what we are here to discuss. So, shall we start?
The Causes of Obesity
To better understand how cannabis may help you lose weight, let’s first understand what causes obesity in the first place.
In general, a person’s weight depends upon the amount of calories he is taking in and how he spends his energy. If there is an imbalance between these two, or in other words, if the person consumes more calories than what he burns, it may lead to weight gain. So, in short, the more you eat and the less you move, the more your weight will be.
However, this is not the only reason for a person being overweight. Here are some of the other reasons you may gain extra weight:
Genetics
If one or both the parents of a person are obese, he is more prone to being overweight. This often happens because of some genetic deficiency. For instance, Leptin, a hormone that controls and regulates the quantity of food we eat by signaling the brain to eat more or less, may not work properly.
Improper Sleep
As per the research until now, improper or lack of sleep may also contribute to the likeliness of you becoming overweight.
A research conducted at the University of Warwick suggested that sleep deprivation can significantly increase the risk of being obese. As per a leading scientist on the team, not sleeping enough may cause disruption in the hormone system, which may lead to less Leptin and more Ghrelin production. These changes often increase the appetite in people.
Medicines
Another very significant reason behind a person being overweight is the excessive use of medications. Today, we have become too dependent on medicines. Be it a headache, depression or any other type of problem, we never hesitate to get random chemicals into our system. And this creates hormonal imbalance.
One of the very major issues with medicines is that most of them have a lot of side effects. And many times these side effects affect your food habits too. This also leads to an increase in weight.
Psychological Factors
Overeating is not triggered by some physical condition only. Sometimes, your emotional state may also make you eat more. Did you know stress is one of the major contributors to a number of medical problems? And obesity is one of them. At first, you may start losing weight because of stress. But if it persists for a long time, it may boost your hunger.
Furthermore, stress also increases the level of cortisol hormone in your body. And this further leads to an increase in insulin levels and a decrease in blood sugar levels, which makes you eat more sugary foods.
Using Cannabis to Lose Weight
Cannabis, as you probably know, has more than a hundred different cannabinoids. And THC is one of the most famous ones. And why not? After all, this is the cannabinoid that makes you high. But did you know it is THC only that is responsible for the cannabis munchies?
So, if THC is responsible for making you eat more, it probably isn’t a good idea to consume it if you want to lose weight.
You probably have heard about CBD too, which is one of the most researched cannabinoids of cannabis. It is very famous for its medicinal effects. Plus, it doesn’t even contribute to weight gain. In fact, you might have heard that CBD can counteract some of the effects of THC. This means, it can balance out the THC induced hunger.
Given all this, if you want to consume cannabis and don’t want to gain weight, prefer consuming low THC and high CBD strains.
However, you should note that though this may help you not gain weight, it probably won’t help you lose it. For that purpose, you need to focus on something else. As I said earlier, the cannabis plant has many different cannabinoids. And there is one particular compound that may help you even lose your weight- tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV.)
Though a homologue of THC, THCV is actually very different in terms of effects. The compound, unlike THC, can suppress your appetite. Furthermore, it may also help you regulate your blood sugar level, which further makes you eat less sugary foods.
So, in short, if you want to lose weight using cannabis, you need to find a strain that has a high amount of THCV and CBD and less THC.
Other Ways Cannabis May Help You Lose Weight
Good Night Sleep
As we discussed, poor sleep is one of the very major reasons behind a person being overweight. And cannabis may help you manage this problem.
Cannabis is a very famous and effective remedy against insomnia. In fact, there are a lot of people who have a medical cannabis card just to manage this condition. However, you should note that if you want to use cannabis for sleep deprivation, prefer consuming a strain that is rich in CBD. CBD is very famous for its relaxing effects. And this may help you fall asleep quickly and improve your overall sleep quality.
Exercise
Apart from making you calm and relaxed, CBD may also help you become more focused on the task in hand. So, if are not able to work out properly due to some distractions, CBD may help you overcome that. Furthermore, the cannabinoid may also help you recover from your workout exhaustion quickly. And it’s anti-inflammatory properties can help you manage your post-workout muscle pain and inflammation.
Stress Buster
Cannabis may also help you fight stress and depression. And here too, CBD is the most prominent cannabinoid. CBD, as we discussed, is quite famous for its calming effects. And this helps people ease down their stress levels. Furthermore, the compound also has some effects on the endocannabinoid system of the body, though indirectly. And this helps people keep their cortisol levels in control.
Final Thoughts
Given all the above facts, it is quite clear that cannabis may help you keep your body weight in control. However, as discussed, you need to find the right strains. You need to focus on finding a strain with high CBD and THCV for the purpose.
But you should note that finding some selective strains can sometimes be difficult. And so, if you do find one, try to preserve it. You may also go for growing it on your own. And for that, all you need is a medical marijuana grower license.
In the end, you should note that “cannabis as a medicine” is still a new concept. And so, if you are thinking of using it for any purpose, you should talk to a qualified doctor first.