New Study Explains “the Munchies”
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]A[/dropcap] research team has gotten to the bottom of how cannabis induces appetite. Using animal studies, investigators from Washington State University identified how cannabis triggers hormones that induce hunger and how the brain shifts into “hungry mode,” according to a July 17 press release.
The study, “Investigating the Neuroendocrine and Behavioral Controls of Cannabis-Induced Feeding Behavior,” was recently presented at the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior in Bonita Springs, Florida.
Lab rats were dosed with cannabis vapor. Investigators mentioned a specific hormone ghrelin that is released when the stomach is empty. But when lab rats were exposed to measured doses of cannabis vapor, it triggered a “ghrelin surge.” They also noticed that cannabis causes changes in the small region of the hypothalamus in the brain responsible for sensing ghrelin. When rats were given a drug to prevent the ghrelin surge, the hunger stopped.
Predictably, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was identified as the most active appetite-inducing molecule. (Some studies claim high cannabidiol (CBD) strains increase appetite less.)
The team hopes to clarify how “the munchies” works. “We all know cannabis use affects appetite, but until recently we’ve actually understood very little about how or why,” stated Jon Davis, Ph.D., researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology and Neurosciences at Washington State. “By studying exposure to cannabis plant matter, the most widely consumed form, we’re finding genetic and physiological events in the body that allow cannabis to turn eating behavior on or off.”
For decades, people have been using cannabis to battle illness-induced anorexia, or wasting syndrome common in people living with HIV/AIDS or cancer. Others have speculated how cannabis could be used to treat common eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia. Investigators are hopeful that these findings could pave the way to cannabis treatments specifically designed to treat physical and psychological appetite loss.
The findings help clarify what cannabis does to the body’s metabolism.”We found that cannabis exposure caused more frequent, small meals,” stated Davis. “But there’s a delay before it takes effect.”
