Cannabis has always been associated with appetite stimulation - that sensation you feel soon after consuming marijuana - some folks call it \"the munchies\". Well, now science is beginning to back up that association. Research has shown\nthat cannabis does have a positive effect on appetite. For people whose\nappetite has been affected by chronic illness, this is encouraging news.\nCannabis may help restore their appetite, allowing them to eat and\nback on the path to good health.
\nPeople who are sick often do not eat or take in sufficient quantities of\nfood, and malnourishment is common among the critically ill. A\nstudy of patients in a\nhospital found that 40 percent of critically ill patients were\nmalnourished upon admission and that their status often deteriorated\nacross the hospital stay. Furthermore, malnourishment often lingers for\na period of time after\ndischarge, which\ndelays the healing process.
\nWhile symptoms of a patient's chronic illness, including nausea,\nvomiting, and chronic pain, may contribute to the inability or lack of\ndesire to eat, there are actual biological changes that impair appetite.\nFor example, critically ill patients have significantly lower levels of\nghrelin, a hormone produced by the gastrointestinal tract. This hormone\nis associated with appetite stimulation and is at its highest levels\nafter fasting and prior to eating. In critically ill patients, ghrelin\nis significantly lower\nthan in healthy individuals. Levels of the peptide hormone leptin are\nsimilarly affected. This hormone is associated with energy balance,\nincreasing appetite when the body's energy is low.
\nStudies of those who suffer from anorexia\nnervosa,\na mental illness in which patients have a distorted body image and avoid\nfood, may provide insight into the effects of illness-induced anorexia.\nThese studies have found that among anorexia patients:
\nIn addition to ghrelin and leptin, the\nendocannabinoid\nsystem in the body can affect appetite. This complex system includes\ncannabinoid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous system, as\nwell as in the immune system, and is associated with balance or\nhomeostasis. Some of these receptors, particularly CB1 receptors, are\nconcentrated in portions of the brain that affect memory, movement,\nemotions, higher cognition, and\nappetite. Naturally\noccurring cannabinoids produced by the human body bind with these\nreceptors to create balance. Disrupting this binding can either reduce\nor increase the effects on memory, emotions, and appetite. Disruptions\ncan be caused by medication, illness, and cannabinoids from cannabis.
\nDelta-tetrahydrocannabinol\n(THC),\nis the most common cannabinoid in cannabis and is responsible for the\nhigh associated with the plant. THC is also responsible for stimulating\nappetite.
\nTHC binds with CB1 receptors, including those associated with taste and\npleasure, food intake, and energy balance. When THC is taken in, it is\nrapidly taken up by the CB1 receptors and appetite is enhanced, eating\nis more pleasurable, and the feeling of satiety (fullness) is reduced.
\nIn addition to enhancing CB1 receptors in the brain, THC also:
\nMedical cannabis comes in a variety of forms and can be taken a variety\nof ways. Smoking, which introduces the cannabinoids to the system\nquickly, may be difficult for people who are feeling nauseous. For those\nsuffering from vomiting, an edible form of cannabis may not be\neffective. Luckily there are a number of alternatives, including:
\nAnother option is Marinol®. This\nsynthetic form of THC has been approved by the FDA for use in patients\nwith acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and anorexia to\nstimulate appetite. It has also been approved for treating the side\neffects of chemotherapy in cancer patients who suffer from vomiting and\nnausea and who do not respond to traditional medications. However,\ncompared to cannabis-based THC, marinol can increase nausea and vomiting\nin some patients and is more expensive. Plus naturally occurring THC is\noften balanced with cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid that can counteract\nthe \"high\" of THC without decreasing the appetite-stimulating property.
\nGood nutrition is always important. But the effects of poor nutrition\ncan be measured in the critically ill.\nMalnourishment\nis associated with increased complications, longer hospital stays, and\npoorer recovery for critically ill patients.
\nIn addition, patients who have a critical illness often suffer from\ndepression and\nanxiety.\nThese conditions are worsened by malnourishment and by the inability to\neat or enjoy food. By stimulating the appetite, cannabis can help\npatients feel better and recover sooner. Cannabis is also associated\nwith improving\ndepression\nand\nanxiety.\nPatients who feel better, have an improved quality of life and can cope\nbetter with their critical illness.
\nPatients should talk with their medical marijuana provider to see if\nthey could benefit from the appetite-stimulating properties of cannabis\nand to identify the best delivery option for their condition and\nsymptoms.
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