Obesity is a growing concern in the United States, with an increasing number of adults facing health challenges due to excessive weight gain. Emerging research is exploring new avenues beyond traditional treatments like dieting.  As more studies delve into cannabis' effects on metabolism, the question arises: could cannabis offer a new remedy for obesity? While some initial findings are intriguing, much remains to be understood about how this widely used plant might influence weight loss.

Obesity in the US

The Body Mass Index is the main element to define obesity. It is defined as the ratio between mass and height of a person and is related to the body's fat amount.

It can be summarized like this:

  • BMI between 18.5 and 25: Healthy weight
  • BMI between 25 and 30: overweight
  • BMI between 30 and 40: Obesity
  • BMI above 40: severe obesity

According to the National Institute of Health, 30.7% of American adults are overweighted, while 9.2% are in a situation of severe obesity. Many factors contribute to obesity, like genetics, food habits, sedentary behavior, medical conditions, sleeping habits, access to and ability to healthy food and sports facilities, ... 

Most popular treatment options

Diet

The most famous of all, probably the most hated as well, diet plans are often the first idea that comes to mind when thinking about losing weight. It is logical since weight directly comes from food, but it is often badly done.

Moreover, people usually start a new, very restrictive, diet and keep to it for a short period, a few months maximum, before getting back to their former habits. Of course, this kind of diet doesn't have any lasting effects and can be very frustrating. Despite its bad reputation, the controlled diet proves itself to be the most effective treatment against overweight in the majority of cases, but only if it is done correctly. 

Here are the most important aspects to consider when starting a new diet:

  • Consult a dietitian: only a professional is capable of creating a tailored eating plan for you. No pre-made recommendation will fit you perfectly, because every person's situation comes with its characteristics.
  • Include a variety of food in your diet: do not restrict yourself to only a few selected ingredients, you will get nothing good from it. Instead, focus on the balance between different foods, and the quantity you need to eat.
  • Pick vegetables, fruits, and grains to eat every day. These ingredients are necessary to give you the nutrients you need
  • Not all fats are bad, and a little guilty pleasure won't ruin all your efforts: Don't stop on pre-conceived ideas, fat and sugar are not to be completely banned from your diet, some types are important to the metabolism. A little snack like chocolate or candy is not a problem if it is not a regular habit, and if it remains in small quantity.

Medical treatment

Of course, obesity is not only linked to food habits, it is also caused by genetic predispositions or certain conditions. Other medical treatments can also lead to a significant increase in weight.

In such cases, a medical treatment might be required to reduce weight.

Bariatric surgery, the dedicated section for weight loss, is usually recommended for people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, and a body mass over 100 pounds, but these criteria are only indicative.

The main possible surgeries consist of reducing stomach size with gastric banding or stapling or rerouting food past a part of the small intestine, which is called a bypass. 

Other non-surgical options are also available, like using a gastric balloon, which doesn't require any anesthesia. Spatz Medical developed an adjustable model, which improves the results in the longer term.

Whether it is surgical or not, a medical act is not enough in itself and needs to be the starting point of new long-term life habits to be efficient.

Exercise and environment

A good diet will never be enough to avoid the lasting consequences of obesity, especially cardiac and respiratory problems. Respecting a daily exercise program helps to prevent several conditions like diabetes, and is good for improving mood, sleep, and flexibility while reducing weight and reinforcing muscles and joints.

Exercising doesn't always require a dedicated time of the day, and it doesn't have to be a lonely time. Choosing the stairs instead of the elevator, walking on a treadmill while watching TV, and enjoying family activities are simple and enjoyable ways to be active.

What is cannabis?

Cannabis, originally a plant, is directly linked to marijuana, its dried version, which is probably one of the most common drugs in the US. It is mostly used for recreational purposes, but more medical applications have been developed recently.

The main components, THC, THCV and CBD

Cannabis sativa is a plant from which approximately 500 components can be extracted and transformed to produce different derivatives, including marijuana. Three molecules are causing most of the effects on the body : 

  • THC
  • THCV
  • CBD

The consumption of cannabis in the US

22 million adults are estimated to consume cannabis regularly in the US. 90% of them use it recreationally, while others use it for medical purposes.

Medical cannabis treatment takes the form of pills, like any other medicine. Ingesting cannabis in uncontrolled forms, like smoking or vaporizing it, can be extremely dangerous because the properties of the molecules can change under high heat or pressure, which can make the effects far more powerful than expected. That's why it is important to follow the guided instructions of a professional to protect yourself against dangerous consumption.

Recent studies about cannabis' effect on weight loss

Recent studies reported in the National Library of Medicine show that cannabis could have a positive effect on obesity, but the results remain uncertain, and the conclusions are still to be drawn. It has been observed in multiple studies that regular consumers of cannabis have a lower average BMI.

When it enters the body, cannabis interacts with cannabinoid receptors, which regulate thermogenesis (the temperature control system of the body), inflammation, and food intake. These are the major elements controlling our metabolism, which means that ingesting cannabis has direct consequences on it. 

The main observed effects on the cannabinoid receptors are the following:

  • THCV : anorectic effect and weight loss, improved insulin tolerance, attenuated effect of immune cell receptors
  • THC : Reduced calorie consumption and body weight, improved insulin sensitivity, altered intestinal microbiota
  • CBD : Decreased food consumption and body weight, reduced inflammation, reduced pro-inflammatory genes, attenuated immune cell receptors

Such observations can seem contradictory at first because one of the most well-known physiological effects of marijuana is an increased appetite. But this side effect could make people more conscious of their food intake, leading to a behavioral change explaining a smaller food intake among them. 

It is also possible that the weight difference measured between consumers and non-consumers is only linked to a behavioral difference and not a chemical change by cannabis itself. Indeed, the investigations only detected a weight difference, without analyzing the cause of it. If cannabis is affecting the cannabinoid receptors, there is no evidence that this interaction is enough to have an actual impact on weight, considering the number of parameters.

In the end, the results currently available are not enough to conclude the real benefits of cannabis. Moreover, the development of a special cannabis-based treatment to help reduce weight is not going to be over in one night

What are the effects of cannabis on the body?

Of course, cannabis is primarily known for affecting the brain in a more or less pleasant way. THC is the molecule responsible for the biggest troubles felt by the consumer.

Here are some of the short-term effects when THC is absorbed in the blood:

  • altered senses
  • altered sense of time
  • altered thinking capacities
  • impaired memory
  • impaired body movements
  • mood change

When taken at higher doses, THC can provoke hallucinations or psychosis.

All of these symptoms can appear in a few minutes when the THC is smoked because it transits directly into the blood. Depending on the quantity of THC taken, they disappear in a few hours.

The problem with cannabis is its long-term effects, which are not immediately visible and often irreversible. THC and CBD attack neuronal connections, damaging all cognitive functions, particularly memory and learning capacity. Exposure to these molecules at a young age is even more damaging because the brain can't develop properly.

The brain is not the only organ to be touched in the long run, the lungs and the heart are also endangered, with higher risks of developing diseases like cancer, infections, heart attack, and permanent fatigue. Intense nausea and vomiting often become daily after time.

Finally, mental health is highly deteriorated by the regular consumption of cannabis. Addiction and depression are the two first problems to appear, and they can be followed by dementia or psychosis.

The magnitude of the potential risks of consuming marijuana is even bigger when considering all the derivatives that exist. “Homemade” versions of this drug can be extremely dangerous because they contain much more powerful transformed molecules.

Research about the possible link between cannabis consumption and weight loss is still in its early stages. If the study of cannabinoid receptors could raise opportunities, the risks associated with cannabis use make it difficult to progress quickly. For now, the more classical methods remain the most reliable, thanks to the expertise developed in these areas.