{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/metabolism/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2906-markdown","title":"Can CBD Speed Up Your Metabolism?","slug":"can-cbd-speed-up-your-metabolism","content":"Every week, it seems there’s a new supplement or diet that promises to boost your metabolism and increase weight loss. But just as quickly as these products hit the scene, they fade into the crowded graveyard of short-lived health and wellness trends. \n\nWith so many fads out there, the question that inevitably comes up is: Are there any natural ways to increase metabolism and burn fat? \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\nYou’ve probably heard of cannabidiol (CBD)—a nonintoxicating cannabinoid found in cannabis—and its ability to help fight a variety of conditions like:\n\n* Intractable seizures\n* Anxiety\n* Chronic pain \n* Inflammation\n\nBut have you considered CBD to help speed up your metabolism? According to HelloMD’s co-founder Pamela Hadfield, adding CBD to her daily routine gave her metabolism the boost it needed to get rid of some stubborn baby weight hanging around after her last pregnancy. \n\nRELATED: [CBD OIL VS. HEMP OIL ](https://hellomd.ca/articles/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil-is-one-better-than-the-other/)\n\nAnecdotal evidence has long been the guiding light for cannabis-related research. So, what do researchers have to say about the metabolism-boosting claims around CBD?\n\n### What Is Metabolism?\n\nBefore diving into relevant research on CBD’s ability to influence metabolism, let’s get the facts straight. What is metabolism? And why is boosting metabolism integral to weight loss?\n\nYour body needs a certain level of energy to perform basic functions, like breathing and pumping blood. Metabolism is a combination of metabolic processes that create this energy. Metabolism converts food and nutrients into energy and rids the body of waste products. It’s responsible for delivering nutrients on the cellular level, which go on to create energy for muscles, nerves and cells. \n\nWhen people discuss metabolism in the context of weight loss, they’re referring to the rate at which the body burns calories into energy. Everyone’s metabolic rate is different. And that rate can even vary day to day, depending on what activities you’re doing and what you’re eating. \n\nGenerally speaking, the faster the metabolism, the better for weight loss. The more calories that can be burned in the form of energy, the easier it is to maintain a healthy weight. And while some aspects of metabolism are immutable, based on genetics and age, there are some natural ways to boost the body’s metabolic rate. \n\n### How the Endocannabinoid System Influences Metabolism \n\nThe endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the network in the body that processes cannabinoids like CBD. It does this via an intricate system of two types of receptors called CB1 and CB2. Cannabinoids interact with these receptors like a lock and key. \n\nThese receptors are found throughout the body, including in the brain and digestive tract, and influence many physiological processes like metabolism and appetite. Specifically, the ECS is thought to aid in transporting nutrients and storing energy.\n\nBut not all of the ECS’s influence on metabolism is positive. Over-activation of the ECS, specifically CB1 receptors, [can actually slow metabolism down](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2228268/). The CB1 receptors can be over-activated by consuming too much of certain cannabinoids, like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabinol (CBN). This can lead to increased:\n\n* Belly fat\n* Appetite\n* Blood sugar\n* Blood pressure \n\nLuckily, not all cannabinoids have this effect. \n\nRELATED: [HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING? TRY NON-PSYCHOACTIVE CBN](https://hellomd.com/articles/having-trouble-sleeping-try-non-psychoactive-cbn/)\n\n### Using CBD to Boost Metabolism\n\nIf you want to speed up metabolism with a natural supplement, CBD is an increasingly promising option for a number of reasons. First, CBD can actually keep CB1 receptors from being over-activated. That’s because CBD is a CB1 antagonist, meaning it keeps CB1 receptors from activating and can work to rev up metabolism as a result. \n\nThere are some other interesting ways CBD works to boost metabolism. A study conducted by Korean researchers and published in the _Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry_ observed CBD’s effect on immature fat cells. The researchers concluded that [CBD boosts metabolism in three ways](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11010-016-2702-5): \n\n1. Increasing the body’s ability to burn calories by boosting the activity of the mitochondria in cells \n2. Decreasing the availability of proteins that are necessary to generate fat cells  \n3. Aiding in the browning of fat by stimulating genes and proteins to more effectively break down and oxidize fat cells \n\n### CBD & Fat Browning: What You Need to Know \n\nThe final point in the list above is one of the most interesting aspects of CBD for boosting metabolism and aiding in weight loss. \n\nDid you know not all fat is unhealthy? Did you even know there were different types of fat? If not, no worries. Even scientific researchers are just beginning to really dive into the difference between white and brown fat. What’s fueling this new interest on the topic is something called fat browning.\n\nWhite-colored fatty tissue stores energy in the body. This is the type of fat that’s associated with negative health outcomes, like increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. \n\nOn the other hand, brown fatty tissue burns energy and can actually increase weight loss. According to a study from the _Diabetes & Metabolism Journal_, [brown fat can increase energy expenditure and produce heat, limiting weight gain](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4768046/).\n\nAnd the more brown fat in your body, the more effective it is. Researchers from this study go so far as to say that brown fat is a “good candidate organ to treat obesity and its related disorders.” \n\nLuckily, it’s possible to turn white fat into brown fat. Researchers know that through a process of activating immune cells in the fat and/or cold exposure, white fatty tissue can turn into its more effective sibling.\n\nBut as the study referenced above suggests, [CBD can also turn white fat into brown fat](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11010-016-2702-5), boosting metabolism, burning more energy and limiting weight gain. \n\nWhile more research is always needed, the studies that do exist on the topic of CBD and metabolism are promising. If you’ve had personal experiences with weight loss or a boost to your metabolism after taking CBD, we’d love to hear about it in the comments.\n\nPhoto credit: [Peter Conlan](https://unsplash.com/@peterconlan)\n\nWant to try CBD, but don’t know where to start? [Shop our selection of high-quality, lab-tested CBD products](https://hellomd.com/)and have them shipped to your door. And if you have questions about CBD, [ask them](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/) and our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAOABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEAf/EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABYubcVBGD/8QAHBAAAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEgMEERMU/9oACAEBAAEFAnsSPTJndlLWE0jk/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAwEBPwE//8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABL/2gAIAQIBAT8BpT//xAAZEAACAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAhMUL/2gAIAQEABj8CxFI5MRSj/8QAGhAAAwADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERITFBUf/aAAgBAQABPyFJyRMoUfSDHJTQluT0ddZ//9oADAMBAAIAAwAAABB0z//EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARIVH/2gAIAQMBAT8QvUv/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQEf/aAAgBAgEBPxCB/8QAGxABAQEBAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFxgbH/2gAIAQEAAT8QqRPldFdqPKvcJ9D2Ir+6RUiItM6+wdwww55Lv//Z","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/14b42/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/f836f/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 200w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/2244e/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 400w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/14b42/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 800w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/47498/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 1200w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/0e329/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 1600w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/d59ca/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.jpg 3666w","srcWebp":"/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/58556/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/61e93/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 200w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/1f5c5/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 400w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/58556/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 800w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/99238/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 1200w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/7c22d/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 1600w,\n/static/ec7a3804af541eee2db732c463039f04/53f94/0fff638b63882777b5daeb5d96cf1c6b.webp 3666w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2739-markdown","title":"How Cannabis Can Keep You Healthy Via Your Gut Microbiome","slug":"how-cannabis-can-keep-you-healthy-via-your-gut-microbiome","content":"Since the early 2000s, our knowledge on the gut microbiome has soared: We now know that microbes in our digestive system can influence our immune response, metabolism and even our mental health. \n\nGiven that our gut health seems to be interconnected with many systems in our body, it makes sense that the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—and the components that work on it, like cannabis—can affect our gut microbiome as well.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### The Connection Between the Endocannabinoid System & the Gut Microbiome \n\nThe network of receptors in our body that make up the ECS plays a key role in a number of life processes like eating, sleeping and handling stress. Cannabinoids, like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), found in cannabis act on this system to produce therapeutic effects such as pain and stress relief. Our bodies also make cannabinoids that attach to this system; they’re known as endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids, and the two that are most studied are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG). \n\nBoth cannabinoids from cannabis and those made by our bodies, attach to receptors in the endocannabinoid system. The two receptors that are the most well-studied and prevalent are CB1 and CB2. \n\nStudies show that [microorganisms in the gut can control levels of endocannabinoids by influencing different parts of the endocannabinoid system](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26678807), including the CB1 receptor, and the enzymes that breakdown AEA and 2AG. \n\nChanges in the gut microbiome via high-fat diets, prebiotics, probiotics and antibiotics can also alter the endocannabinoid system in various ways—for example, by changing how CB1 and CB2 receptors are expressed, or altering endocannabinoid levels. \n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA, GUT HEALTH AND THE BRAIN](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59c96bc5e79bb936e12ce02e/marijuana-gut-health-and-the-brain)\n\nIt’s apparent that the gut microbiome and the endocannabinoid system are linked in some way, though more research needs to be done to figure out exactly how—and studies are already underway. \n\n### THC Prevents Weight Gain & Negative Changes in Gut Microbiota \n\nTo further explore how the endocannabinoid system and the gut microbiome are interconnected, scientists are studying cannabis’s effect on mice. \n\nA 2015 study by researchers in Canada set out to find [how diet combined with daily administration of THC would affect the weight and gut microbiota of mice](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0144270). Researchers gave mice either a lean or high-fat diet, along with THC or a placebo daily for a total of six weeks. \n\nAt the end of the study, they found that mice fed a high-fat diet without THC gained up to 4 g of weight—that’s a lot for a tiny mouse: about a 20% increase in body mass. Meanwhile, the mice on the high-fat diet with THC didn’t gain any weight on average. The mice on the lean diet didn’t gain any weight either—regardless of whether they consumed THC. \n\nThe researchers also looked at gut microbiota in the mice. Scientists already know that [obese and diabetic mice have different microbiota compositions](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20664638) than their healthy counterparts do—the former tend to have higher levels of bad, or harmful, bacteria in their system relative to good bacteria. This imbalance is in turn associated with how the body metabolizes fats. A higher ratio of bad bacteria can activate enzymes that encourage the storage of fat in fat cells, thereby causing weight gain. \n\nIn the mice fed a high-fat diet with THC, the imbalance—more bad vs. good bacteria—was prevented, though the reasons why are still a mystery. \n\nIn another interesting twist, mice on the high-fat diet with THC also had increased levels of a prebiotic called _Akkermansia muciniphila_ in their guts than the mice on other regimens did—even the ones fed a lean diet. In other studies, [the addition of _Akkermansia muciniphila_ in mice led to an increase in CB2 receptors](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23671105). These receptors help control inflammation in the body. The prebiotic also limits the amount of fat that mice gain and improves how fat is metabolized. \n\nWhile we don’t exactly know how the endocannabinoid system and our individual gut microbiotas interact, it’s clear that there’s a connection, and that this connection could play a role in how we treat obesity, diabetes and likely many other conditions.  \n\nPhoto credit: [Warren Wong](https://unsplash.com/@wflwong)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/14b42/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg","srcSet":"/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/f836f/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 200w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/2244e/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 400w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/14b42/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 800w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/47498/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 1200w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/0e329/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 1600w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/a26ee/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.jpg 3734w","srcWebp":"/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/58556/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/61e93/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 200w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/1f5c5/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 400w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/58556/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 800w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/99238/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 1200w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/7c22d/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 1600w,\n/static/fd625e499f03894550a886e2c97fad0f/20abc/e05afc7df4727426fed0661b2dd963f7.webp 3734w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5505,"name":"Metabolism","slug":"metabolism","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}