The number of people with diabetes in the world has increased dramatically from 108 million in 1980, to 422 million in 2014. [1] Around 9.3 percent of the global adult population suffered from diabetes in 2019, and by the year 2045 this number is expected to rise to almost 11 percent. Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, refers to a group of metabolic disorders that result in chronic high blood sugar levels. In 2014, the total costs linked to diagnosed diabetes in the United States reached $322 billion, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In the main editorial of the July 2013 issue of the American Journal of Medicine, Dr. Joseph S. Alpert, its editor-in-chief and a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona, posed the question: “Is it possible that THC will be commonly prescribed in the future for patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome..?
Alpert’s editorial accompanied a new epidemiological study by University of Nebraska researchers, which indicated that current cannabis users had much healthier levels of insulin, as we as less insulin resistance than nonusers of cannabis.
Healthy levels of insulin and insulin resistance translate into fewer instances of diabetes. [3] Both diabetes and prediabetes affect over 120 million Americans. [4] Cannabis and cannabinoid medicines might eventually provide new treatments and prevention approaches for diabetes and related metabolic syndromes.
Cannabinoids and Diabetes Research
In 2000, Raphael Mechoulam (codiscoverer of THC) joined a group of Israeli immunologists to investigate the use of cannabinoids as potential treatments for autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. [5] Initial success in their investigations prompted the team to further look into cannabinoid effectiveness in suppressing or modulating the immune response in the onset and progression of type 1 diabetes in a mouse model. [6] Since 2006, research has been conducted to determine how cannabinoids may be used to treat diabetes. [7] In the United Kingdom, the pharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceuticals is conducting studies with the cannabinoids THCV and CBD to treat fatty liver disease and high cholesterol in type 2 diabetes patients.
What is Diabetes
Diabetes is classified as a type of metabolic condition where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or has become resistant to its effects. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert starches, sugar, and other foods into energy. The two most common forms of diabetes are designated type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by where the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, and it is generally diagnosed in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is significantly more common, typically affecting adults, and is associated with obesity. In type 2 diabetes, the body grows resistant to the effects of insulin, which enables glucose to accumulate to dangerous levels within the body. High glucose levels damage vascular and other tissues, resulting in heart disease, blindness, stroke, and kidney and nerve damage. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness among adults. [8]
Medical Marijuana for Diabetes
The effectiveness of medical cannabis to assist with the underlying causes and complications of prediabetes and diabetes remains, but it is still being researched. People with type 1 and 2 diabetes trying to bring anti inflammatory relief to nerve pain, restricted blood vessels, and other symptoms should seek medical advice from their doctor about the use of CBD oils and to manage any side effects of CBD oil. Hemp oil rich in phytonutrients is considered the low to no-THC option, which can be worth looking into for long term pain relief.
The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and does not consitute medical advice. Before making changes to your treatment plan or lifestyle, always consult with your doctor.
The Endocannabinoid System
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a molecular signaling system made up of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 that stretch across the entire body, and is responsible for maintaining order and balance across every major bodily system. It is first seen to develop at 8-weeks gestation and the compounds it produces called “endocannabinoids” can be found in breast milk; to support healthy growth and development of the baby. The ECS can fall into a state of dysfunction if overstressed and undernourished. As such, the ECS seems to play a crucial role in the development of diabetes and its complications. Diabetic complications that are linked to endocannabinoid system function include: atherosclerosis, blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and neuropathic pain. [9] Plant cannabinoids with limited or no psychoactivity such as CBD, CBDV, and THCV, could prove of interest in maintaining pancreatic function and insulin resistance. For more information, read The Endocannabinoid System Explained.
Cannabidiol Research
Recent research has emerged proposing that CBD could help prevent retinal damage to the eyes associated with diabetes, by acting as an antioxidant and boosting the retina’s own defenses against inflammation. [10] THCV could prove to be of interest because it is an antagonist of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. Although a recent clinical trial of THCV and CBD in humans with type 2 diabetes revealed some promise for THCV as a new therapeutic agent in glycemic control (helping to control blood glucose levels), the trial failed to meet its primary endpoint of change in mean serum HDL-C from baseline, in CBD and THCV groups, compared with the change in the placebo group at week 13. It also failed to meet other end points, including changes in glycemic control, lipid profile in patients receiving CBD, body weight, insulin sensitivity, visceral adiposity, cardiovascular function, appetite, changes in markers of inflammation, vascular function, endocannabinoids, adipokines, and gut hormone concentrations. While THCV and CBD have shown promise in preclinical models, a better understanding of their mechanisms may be needed to translate this research to the clinic. [11]
Dosage Protocols
The recommended dosage protocol of medicinal cannabis for diabetes and prediabetes will vary depending on the dominant cannabinoid (CBD, THC, CBDV, THCV, etc.) of the cannabis strain being used. Further research will illuminate the appropriate co
Combination and dose of phytocannabinoids for addressing these conditions. As with all cannabis plant based CBD products, always start with a micro dose to test for sensitivity and titrate your way up from there until symptoms subside, and to minimize any side effects. As with all cannabis, start low and slow. You can always take more, but you can't take less.
What oil is good for diabetes?
Cannabis products that are vaporized or consumed orally may be of value, especially high CBD oil, CBDV, or THCV strains, in assisting with controlling metabolic illnesses, such as diabetes.
Best strains for diabetes
South African strains produce some THCV, especially Durban Poison, which could be of value in treating some symptoms of diabetes and metabolic disorders. High-THCV cannabis could also prove effective, especially those cultivars that produce over 15 percent THCV.
Is CBD oil safe for diabetics?
High-CBD strains such as ACDC and Deadlights, along with low-myrcene Type IIs producing CBD and THC could also be of value for diabetics. CBDV strains could also be worth exploring.
Lifestyle Interventions
What kind of lifestyle causes diabetes?
Being obeses, overweight, and not exercising increases diabetes risk. People are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in what many are referring to as a "lifestyle disease" - given that lack of physical activity, extra fat accumulation, especially around the mid-section (which can result due to stress), are major contributing factors.
What Increases Risk of Diabetes?
The known risk factors for increasing diabetes including having a brother, sister, or parent with diabetes (largely, lifestyle factors are passed around, as are genes), physical inactivity, and excess body fat. People can develop type 1 diabetes at any age, but it's more likely to develop during childhood.
Can diabetes go away?
Although diabetes is medically considered "incurable", a person can "heal" themselves, thereby falling into remission (a medical term, meaning that there are no signs of the disease), and this state can last for a long time, potentially as long as the person keeps up the changes to their lifestyle that helped them heal in the first place.
What can a person do to prevent diabetes?
- Cut out or limit refined foods: these foods enter the bloodstream quicker and are more likely to cause issues with insulin and blood glucose.
- Exercise regularly: a combination of resistance training and cardio is ideal, but the best exercise is the one you'll engage in most regularly; whether that's biking, yoga, swimming, lifting, walking, hiking, tai chi, and so on.
- Drink more water: make H20 your preferred main beverage of choice, and if you want more flavor, opt for non-sugary herbal teas.
- Lose body fat and weight: if you're overweight or obese, trimming down the adipose tissue is a crucial element in bringing insulin and blood glucose levels back under control.
- Quit smoking: if you've been relying on cigarettes for stress relief, to manage daily life, to get some time out, it's time to find other ways to manage and bring balance to your life. Find alternatives to smoking that are healthy, such as drinking water, tea, reading a book, brush your teeth, chew gum, rub hand lotion.
- Follow a mediterranian wholefood (mostly plant-based diet): meaning consume more whole plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and low-mercury oily fish such as macarel and salmon.
For more information, see our other articles;
Cannabinoids for Diabetes & Weight Loss
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1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27061677/
2. https://www.amjmed.com/article/s0002-9343(13)00313-6/fulltext
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23684393/
4. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/12/3172
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10920191/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16698671/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21484568/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248324/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3349875/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2955420/
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27573936/
