Cannabis and Appetite

The scientific community didn’t know exactly why cannabis triggers appetite. However, some theories claim that we crave for sweets after cannabis intake because we consume more glucose when cannabis enters our system.

But, do cannabinoids contribute to hunger stimulation? Actually, hunger stimulation is mainly caused by THC. However, CBD may help as well but in another way. For example, CBD reduces anxiety and one common side effect of anxiety is loss of appetite. Hence, CBD users tend to recover appetite because they have less anxiety issues after a prolonged CBD use.

According to recent studies, THC causes an increase hunger because somehow it “tricks” the brain into thinking that we are starving.

This recent research has found that the same neurons that are responsible for shutting down eating. Are the same ones that get stimulated by THC to “promote” hunger. THC act directly in the hypothalamus and the neurons start producing chemicals that tell the hypothalamus that we are hungry!

There are potential uses of THC to treat excessive weight loss and loss of hunger in patients with serious health conditions. For example, HIV patients tend to lose weight and appetite. And THC could be used to stimulate appetite in those patients.

Even right after a large dinner, THC will stimulate neurons in your brain to produce chemicals that would make you feel hunger. Obviously, not good if you are in good shape or normal health conditions. However, cannabis has great potential health benefits for those patients that suffer of extreme weight loss or appetite loss.