Cannabis and Diabetes Control

All over the world, people have diabetes. The body struggles to regulate blood sugar levels in this condition, which can potentially result in adverse health outcomes if not managed well. The most common types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Both diabetes types disrupt the body’s glucose metabolism but differ in their onset and management. Recently, there has been growing interest in cannabis and diabetes control, as some studies suggest that cannabis might help in managing blood sugar levels and improving overall health outcomes for people with diabetes.

Many people are now focusing on the usage of cannabis or marijuana, particularly for Type 2 diabetes. For some, this might be a shocker, but the attention it’s getting, especially regarding Type 2 blood sugar control, is quite remarkable. But what is the research telling us? This blog post aims to discuss the evidence surrounding cannabis and diabetes. We’ll analyze the research out there, address the potential opportunities, and look at the possible challenges, too.

Understanding Diabetes

Let’s take a moment to understand diabetes before we discuss how cannabis might help.

Diabetes is divided into two main categories: Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body produces insufficient amounts of insulin, a hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. People with Type 1 need to be on insulin medication injections every single day for blood sugar control.

Type 2 diabetes is simply more familiar. This is when the body fails to produce sufficient insulin, or the insulin that’s made does not work as it should. This naturally leads to an elevation in blood sugar levels, and prolonged Uncontrolled hyperglycemia is likely to cause harm in the long run.

Both types of diabetes cause high sugar levels in the blood. Type 2 diabetes can be affected by what you eat and how much you exercise. It’s important to take care of diabetes because if you don’t, it can hurt your heart, kidneys, and eyes, or even lead to losing a limb.

Diabetic patients today still insist on taking their medications and insulin, as well as making lifestyle changes to try to mitigate the blood glucose figures on the meter. These, to some degree, may rely on, may rely too heavily on everyone, and some users struggle with monitoring their blood glucose levels.

The Role of Cannabis in Diabetes Management

For surgeons over a millennium, cannabis has been used for treatment; however, it has only been a while since people have begun looking into its novel possibilities as an aid for diabetes patients. The most popular and widely used cannabinoids are THC and CBD, both of which Kaplan identified. Cannabinoids, and for this explainer, cannabis, pertain to a variety of organic compounds found in certain plants. Engels contends that THC is the compound responsible for producing effects that stimulate the human mind and alertness as well as bodily senses. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and cannot cause such effects.

But now the question arises: are those cannabinoids actually useful for diabetes treatment? Authors pointed out in their studies that cannabis consumption has the potential to positively impact blood sugar levels and possibly lead to improvements in the condition of diabetes patients. Let’s proceed to a few approaches to using cannabis for diabetes.

Insulin Sensitivity

Throughout the years, the improvement of the body’s responsiveness to insulin is one of the critical ways cannabis could affect diabetes. In other words, how well the body utilizes the available insulin. With Type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity is almost always low, which means the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin as they ought to. Specific animal tests have suggested that some cannabinoids, particularly CBD, might help enhance insulin sensitivity, facilitating better blood sugar control within the body.

Reduction of Inflammation

Increased inflammation is commonly associated with diabetes. An underlying condition may aggravate it or may lead to additional diseases or make existing ones more serious. CBD is known to help reduce inflammation in the body. This would help improve the chances of managing diabetes while mitigating its complications.

Appetite Control

Specifically, Type 2 diabetes patients may find it intimidating to deal with overeating or excessive weight gain. Some cannabis consumers claim to be more or less hungry after a cannabis session. These statements, as well as other studies, suggest that cannabis could be used to manage one’s appetite, which may be beneficial to people living with diabetes who are trying to lose weight and maintain healthy levels.

Review of Current Research

What do the studies show, in fact? Let’s review the data from both the animal studies and the studies done on humans.

Animal Studies

In most animal studies, scientists investigate the impact of cannabis on the blood sugar levels of rats and mice. Some studies indicate that cannabis aids in the reduction of blood glucose levels in diabetic animals, while others suggest that blood sugar levels rise significantly after cannabis consumption. These animal studies are quite helpful because they offer scientists a reasonable guess for how cannabis may be beneficial for human beings. Understandably, these studies cannot be directly compared to those of humans, so much work remains to be done to figure out what effects it truly has on humans.

Studies on Humans

Some studies show that using cannabis might help lower blood sugar levels, which is good for diabetes. But other studies say it doesn’t change blood sugar much at all, and some suggest it might even raise blood sugar. So, we don’t really know how cannabis affects blood sugar, and we need to learn more about it.

Long-Term Effects and Side Effects

Cannabis may be beneficial for patients with diabetes. However, the potential risks and long-term implications should still be taken into consideration.

Cannabis Use and Diabetes

While we do not have sufficient data on the long-term effects of cannabis use, it is clear that most studies on the matter are short-term oriented. A large portion of people who have Type 2 Diabetes do claim to feel better with cannabis usage. Still, we cannot as certain whether this is a positive or negative progress indicator without longitudinal data.

Possible Discomfort

As with the majority of drugs and dietary supplements, cannabis is also linked with potential side effects. These effects include dizziness, dry mouth, and impaired memory/concentration. Moreover, individuals who consume cannabis products, especially those high in THC, risk being affected by a “high” or privation of rational thinking that may steer level of thought, impacting their ability to think critically and make logical decisions. As diabetes patients swipe users who “pay their way,” these consequences may be intolerable, considering the loss of sharpness and focus required.

Bottom Line

Studies about cannabis and diabetes are just starting. Some research suggests that cannabis might help the body use insulin better and control hunger. This could help people with diabetes. However, we still don’t know how it affects blood sugar, and many questions are still unanswered.

The good news is that scientists are continuing to study cannabis and its possible effects on diabetes. In the future, we might better understand how to use cannabis safely and effectively in diabetes management. Until then, people with diabetes should talk to their healthcare provider before using cannabis to manage their blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

In the end, cannabis is something that is widely researched in the field of diabetes care. Some studies indicate the possibility of it aiding blood sugar control. However, further human research is necessary. The impact of cannabis on people who have type 2 diabetes is likely to differ along several lines. Risks and side effects also need to be taken into consideration. People with diabetes have to be careful and consult with their doctors before self-medicating with cannabis for diabetes control. An improved understanding of diabetes will most probably be possible, along with the advancement of research on cannabis.