{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/appetite-loss/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_1893-markdown","title":"Has Cachexia Met Its Match in Medical Marijuana?","slug":"has-cachexia-met-its-match-in-medical-marijuana","content":"What is Cachexia?\r\n-----------------\r\n\r\nCachexia is a condition characterized by extreme, unintentional weight\r\nloss combined with loss of muscle mass that cannot be completely\r\nexplained by lowered intake of calories. Often, increasing food intake\r\nhas no effect, and anorexia is commonly seen in conjunction with this\r\ncondition.\r\n\r\nCachexia is primarily associated with cancer and HIV/AIDS, but may also\r\nbe seen in cases of congestive heart failure, tuberculosis, COPD,\r\nrheumatoid arthritis, and other chronic diseases. It may also occur in\r\nthe elderly without any accompanying disease.\r\n\r\nFifty percent to 80 percent of cancer patients will develop cachexia,\r\nusually but not always during the final stages. Whatever the cause,\r\npatients suffering cachexia have a higher mortality rate than those\r\nwithout.\r\n\r\nSynthetic Cannabis Derivatives for Cachexia are FDA Approved\r\n------------------------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nBack in 1985, the FDA approved\r\n[Dronabinol](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a607054.html),\r\na synthetic THC derivative, to help treat wasting associated with\r\nHIV/AIDS. In studies, oral intake of 5 mg twice daily did increase the\r\nappetite of patients, leading to increased weight gain. Dronabinol,\r\nunder the brand name Marinol, has since been prescribed to combat\r\nchemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients with some\r\nsuccess. However, Dronabinol is prohibitively expensive to most patients.\r\n\r\nIngested Medical Marijuana for Cachexia\r\n---------------------------------------\r\n\r\nA 2007 [study by researchers at Columbia\r\nUniversity](http://journals.lww.com/jaids/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2007&issue=08150&article=00009&type=abstract),\r\nfound that orally administered medical marijuana significantly\r\nstimulated the appetite of AIDS patients suffering from cachexia,\r\nincreasing calorie intake and promoting weight gain. A second study in\r\n2011 found that ingested THC increased appetite in cancer patients by 64\r\npercent. THC-dominant varieties of marijuana are the most successful in\r\ntreating cachexia, and research suggests that THC itself may be the\r\neffective compound. The evidence is clear that cannabis has a beneficial\r\neffect for patients suffering from cachexia.\r\n\r\nOral and sublingual preparations appear to be the most effective route\r\nfor administration. Today there are many different types of ingestible\r\ncannabis-infused products that are very effective, including lozenges and\r\neven lollipops for patients who may have difficulty with solid foods.\r\nSublingual drops or sprays are also an option. For those with no other\r\nserious health issues, vaporizing or smoking may be a possibility, but\r\nthe other side effects of smoked marijuana make edibles a more\r\nattractive option.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/perspective/7628109884/in/photolist-cC54iW-nr2pe3-ueAoWT-mXpmLh-bmaBLF-cC5CKY-cC5eEJ-cC55ZC-cC51mu-cC4NRh-cC5Bx7-cC5zXN-cC65Dq-cC5yeN-cC5wG5-cC5v7Y-cC53od-cC52iC-mXndMg-7T8sQn-67n8kC-mXnstc-dFeBaW-nKiyWp-KofQ6-sgQ2XZ-nr2vAw-h6Dp61-ffTXYb-ffTeEJ-nHugvo-78VnUD-cC5du9-mXpfrd-mXncuM-ffU5UC-ffU4fL-f7Z9QU-f7JUv2-nFtrA9-nFtqCs-rXuYAr-kUuFXt-drtDdi-e5iYKQ-rzXydS-kZDUBD-dGruMr-ftN7ov-rp46yL)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/14b42/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg","srcSet":"/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/f836f/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg 200w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/2244e/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg 400w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/14b42/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg 800w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/47498/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg 1200w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/a6974/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.jpg 1536w","srcWebp":"/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/58556/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/61e93/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp 200w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/1f5c5/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp 400w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/58556/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp 800w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/99238/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp 1200w,\n/static/64a071821b88811c5863f574168c78ff/d5052/32a074726b2a8277ea23c7b058143fdd.webp 1536w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1869-markdown","title":"How Medical Marijuana Alleviates Symptoms Of HIV/AIDS","slug":"how-medical-marijuana-alleviates-symptoms-of-hivaids","content":"Back in the 1980s and 1990s, when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was at its\r\npeak, patients and their loved ones were desperate to find anything to\r\nameliorate the symptoms of the disease. Wasting is a common symptom of AIDS. When medical marijuana was found to help reduce nausea and vomiting, it became an issue of patients\r\nrights far and wide.\r\n\r\nCannabis and AIDS-Related Wasting\r\n---------------------------------\r\n\r\nPatients' life expectancy improved with the advent of antiretrovirals,\r\nsuch as AZT, but some of the most common side effects of these medications are nausea and\r\nvomiting. These are often severe enough to compromise medication\r\nadherence, and contribute to further wasting. Patients found that marijuana both\r\nreduced nausea and stimulated appetite, increasing the amount of\r\ncalories they consumed and preventing excessive weight loss.\r\n\r\nIn 2007, a [study by Columbia\r\nUniversity](http://journals.lww.com/jaids/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2007&issue=08150&article=00009&type=abstract)\r\nbacked up the anecdotal evidence. Researchers found that both orally\r\nadministered and smoked cannabis significantly stimulated appetite,\r\nincreasing the caloric intake of HIV/AIDS patients. \r\n\r\nThat same year, researchers at San Francisco General Hospital and the\r\nUniversity of California's Pain Clinical Research Center found that\r\n[cannabis reduced neuropathic\r\npain](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Cannabis+in+painful+HIV-associated+sensory+neuropathy%3A+a+randomized+placebo-controlled+trial.)\r\nby some 34 percent, and that it was comparable to pharmaceuticals\r\ncurrently used to treat neuropathy. This finding was validated in a\r\n[2008\r\nstudy](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Smoked+medicinal+cannabis+for+neuropathic+pain+in+HIV%3A+a+randomized%2C+crossover+clinical+trial)\r\nfrom the University of California. \r\n\r\nOral Usage May Be Most Effective for Nausea\r\n--------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nThe nausea and vomiting associated with HIV/AIDS and the medications\r\nused to treat these symptoms are linked to the enteric nervous system,\r\nwhich controls the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabinoids act on receptors\r\nin the enteric nervous system to ameliorate symptoms. While inhaled\r\ncannabis may be more effective in combating neuropathic pain, oral\r\ndosage appears to be most effective in managing nausea, vomiting, and\r\nloss of appetite.\r\n\r\nOral administration offers a variety of possibilities. Cannabis has\r\nhistorically been added to sweets, such as candy, brownies and cookies,\r\nin an effort to appeal to those with little or no appetite. However,\r\neven lollipops can be effective for those who experience problems with\r\nsolid food. \r\n\r\nMedical marijuana can be extremely beneficial for those living with\r\nHIV/AIDS. Even low doses of THC-heavy cannabis help stimulate appetite\r\nand reduce weight loss.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/87296837@N00/9180874836)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/14b42/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/f836f/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.jpg 200w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/2244e/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.jpg 400w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/14b42/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.jpg 800w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/16310/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/58556/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/61e93/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.webp 200w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/1f5c5/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.webp 400w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/58556/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.webp 800w,\n/static/b6ae24e64a1eabf7d9ad81d39a6f39d5/cc834/4cf657e3dd8e5641e0f9ceac32ebc66c.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1883-markdown","title":"Medical Marijuana Provides Relief for HIV/AIDS Symptoms","slug":"medical-marijuana-provides-relief-for-hivaids-symptoms","content":"The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a type of virus that leads to\r\nAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV invades the cells of\r\nhuman beings, weakening the immune system and making the victim highly\r\nsusceptible to opportunistic infections. According to\r\n[statistics](http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics.html) from the\r\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50,000\r\npeople contract HIV each year, while there are about 35 million people\r\nliving with HIV worldwide as of 2013.\r\n\r\nCannabis as Treatment\r\n---------------------\r\n\r\nThe use of medical marijuana or cannabis by those with HIV/AIDS dates as\r\nfar back as the early 1970s, especially in the San Francisco area where\r\nHIV/AIDS was prevalent. It was put into candy, brownies and cookies to\r\nhelp stimulate the appetite of HIV patients. Cannabis was successfully\r\nused to manage the wasting syndrome associated with HIV/AIDS, which\r\ninvariably resulted in severe weight loss prior to the advent of\r\nprotease-inhibitor drugs. Protease inhibitors block the activity of the\r\nprotease enzyme used by the HIV virus to wreak havoc on the immune\r\nsystem. AIDS wasting syndrome further weakened already sick victims,\r\nleaving them even more vulnerable to the effects of opportunistic\r\ninfections.\r\n\r\nCannabis served as an alternative form of medication for this condition,\r\ndue to its ability to stimulate appetite and to help in the management\r\nof other AIDS/HIV symptoms. [Clinical\r\ntests](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9692378) on the safety of\r\ncannabis on HIV/AIDS patients include the one conducted in 1999 at the\r\nUniversity of San Francisco which demonstrated that cannabis did not\r\ninterfere with the effectiveness of protease inhibitors when inhaled,\r\nand actually helped them gain weight.\r\n\r\nHopeful Developments\r\n--------------------\r\n\r\nIn 1992, the Food and Drug Administration\r\n[approved](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a607054.html)\r\nthe use of Dronabinol, a drug that is chiefly composed of synthetic THC,\r\none of the active compounds found in medical marijuana. A [clinical\r\ntrial](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1666930) in 1991 prior to the\r\napproval of the drug showed that more than 70% of those administered\r\nwith the drug gained weight. The only problem was that the oral method\r\nof administration was not as effective as the inhalation method, which\r\nallowed for faster absorption.\r\n\r\nA [clinical study](http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/images/pdfs/Abrams_2007.pdf)\r\nwas conducted between 2003 and 2005 by the University of California San\r\nDiego in the United States to determine the effect of smoked cannabis on\r\nHIV-associated pain (HIV-SN). It showed that cannabis effectively\r\nrelieved HIV-related chronic neuropathic pain. According to an\r\n[interview](http://www.truthonpot.com/2012/11/29/exclusive-interview-with-dr-donald-abrams-aids-pain-and-cannabis-expert/)\r\nwith the chief of oncology at San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Donald\r\nAbrams, inhaled cannabis can help manage the painful neuropathy\r\nassociated with HIV/AIDS.\r\n\r\nCannabis has been shown as an effective palliative treatment for the\r\nsymptoms of HIV/AIDS in many clinical trials. It now remains to be seen\r\nwhether those clinical results will lead to a change in the law that\r\ncurrently lists marijuana as a controlled substance.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/22526649@N03/15440604649)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7857142857142858,"src":"/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/14b42/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/f836f/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.jpg 200w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/2244e/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.jpg 400w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/14b42/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.jpg 800w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/16310/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/58556/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/61e93/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.webp 200w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/1f5c5/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.webp 400w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/58556/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.webp 800w,\n/static/1f94b7803dd3c9d3354e311771f8d749/cc834/67a94b1191f417691cb7435555d9504b.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":4958,"name":"Appetite Loss","slug":"appetite-loss","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}