Your Liver and Marijuana: 11 Things Everyone Needs to Know
The consistent rise in the use of medicinal cannabinoids for treating gastrointestinal symptoms is reported in the country’s where they have been legalized by the authorities while its recreational uses document that it dates back to 3000 years approximately. The earliest banning on the use of Cannabis was reported during the early 14th century in the Islamic world and followed by Colonial countries in the 19th century. The waiver on restrictions starts appearing in the mid of the 20th century globally whereas the Netherlands was the first to regulate cannabis production for personal use while Uruguay, Canada, and South Africa to follow in 2015 and 2023 respectively for the same purpose of personal use.
Cannabis has never been an approved drug by the FDA (cbd oil usa). However, a limited number of General Practitioners authorize its use in different stats of cannabinoids for the liberation of signs accompanying with a variation of illnesses who have not retorted to conventional drugs. Among them the most common being the acute pain associated with multiple sclerosis, loss in body weight and appetite, insomnia and mood depression due to chronic diseases. Anyhow, it can’t be taken as evidence to prove that Cannabis is a safe and efficient drug to cure such conditions due to the lack of broader research on these topics. The excess of everything is bad, especially we don’t know the role it might play in our bodies is that of a foe or a friend!
#1 Causes of Liver disease
The liver is considered the largest organ inside the human body. It helps us developing immunities against a variety of infectious diseases, stores energy derived from the food, helps in digestion, and removes toxins from our bodies. The liver controls a variety of gastrointestinal functions that helps us mind a healthy body. The slight variations in bile secretions may lead to developing severe gastrointestinal issues and it happens when a liver is not functioning well due to illness or disorders.
Weed and liver that are strongly connected to each other due to its variable effects on liver functioning. Among the liver diseases Hepatitis, A, B, C are viral while Fatty liver disease and Cirrhosis are associated with drug abuse, toxins, and plenty of alcohol. The acute cases of liver cirrhosis may lead to developing Liver cancer while some inherited diseases are also prevalent such as Hemochromatosis and Wilson disease.
The signs and symptoms may vary in different liver diseases but common signs are swelling of legs & abdomen. Marijuana liver signs can vary, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, body rashes, changed color of urine and stool, and signs of jaundice that include yellowing of eyes and skin. Laboratory LFT’s would better guide the types and severity of the liver disease.
Historically, Marijuana is known as an adjunct agent in combination with Interferon against Hepatitis C and was associated with the highest cure while cannabis and liver connections and cure are not recommended, elsewhere.
#2 Liver functioning
The liver is supposed to be the largest organ in a human body that is located just below the diaphragm. A fully developed liver in the human body may weight up to 3 pounds that starts from the 5th rib and extends the lowest most of the rib cage in the right half of the human body. It metabolizes many digestion functions in the human body including production and excretion of Bile, excreting cholesterol, toxins, hormones, and bilirubin, metabolizes carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the body, stores glycogen, minerals, and vitamins, purifies the blood from toxins, and activates the enzymes. Due to these and other important metabolic activities, it may be prone to a variety of threats including injuries and malfunctioning.
#3 Marijuana and associated health hazards
The question that Is marijuana bad for your liver? The answer is that it would never help you out from any of the viral infections that cause a different type of Hepatitis including A, B, and C but the pain and sensation and triggering appetite that might be helpful for some patients with certain ailments. You may well consider the following salient features associated with Marijuana and liver directly.
You may be prone to impaired judgment as THC alters the way you process information.
It may deprive you of forming a fresh memory and storing it.
Babies whose mothers use marijuana during pregnancy may develop an issue with their memory and concentration.
It may help you lowering eye pressure to give short relief against Glaucoma.
The patients being treated with Chemotherapy may benefit from its side effects such as vomiting and nausea.
It also affects balance, communication, and reflex time that may hinder your driving abilities.
#4 Cannabis and Fatty Liver
Fatty liver is the result of heavy alcohol intake along with poor dietary habits in cooler environments where water intake is less than the daily body requirements. Cannabis can be a potential healing target against both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Animals testing models suggest that CB1 and CB2 possessed varying roles to promote fibrosis while CB2 alone was helpful to stop inflammation with induced insulin resistance. Whereas CB 1 alone was associated with declining fibrosis in the cultures of human cells. Although cannabinoids have a strong association with improvements in both cases, there is limited data to support this concept and needs further studies and research. No known medication seems to work, but cannabis seems to be the perfect solution for people with the mentioned liver disease! Does weed affect your liver? Becomes an ambiguous question when the researchers don’t have sufficient data to prove their findings.
#5 Is weed bad for your liver?
There has been sufficient proofs and concerns associated with both acute and chronic use of Cannabis that it plays a vital role in creating a hindrance in dependency and tolerance along with inducing psychiatric imbalances, poor work performance, central nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal and carcinogenic diseases, and cardiac & vascular diseases while CHS and fibrosis development in chronic Hepatitis C cases. However, very limited clinical studies exist for gastrointestinal diseases that got relief with Cannabis medications. Such studies or research are of either low quality that doesn’t include strong references for their authenticity. Another great concern is the quality and source of the cannabinoid products that still lack standardization across the world for the multiple bioactive compounds that are contained in cannabinoid. Predominantly, 2 of them are well studied that exist in these cannabinoids are THC and CBD(cbd bud no thc), Tetrahydro cannabidiol and cannabidiol, respectively but there are considerable variations of these compounds in different strains of Cannabis grown for the medicinal purpose. Another important factor is the inhaling and ingestion techniques that may drastically change the level of these compounds into human blood. Anyhow, the best practices for recreational purposes are Cannabis leaves that may be taken orally in the limited quantity with extreme care in combination with fruit juices and shakes. Smoking Cannabis has never been preferred over this conventional approach while for the medicinal purpose especially Liver therapy, it is too early to conclude that could be an effective remedy as the conventional allopathic drugs.
#6 Cannabis take on Liver cirrhosis
There is clear evidence from the studies that activating certain endocannabinoid receptors would worsen disease status in the patients with Cirrhosis to enhance fibrogenesis, ascites, steatosis, and fibrosis while activation of different endocannabinoid may reverse these conditions to put positive effects on the conditions like inflammation to promote liver health towards healing and recovery. Since endocannabinoids impacted liver on two different postures, it is still needed to explore what is the exact stat and form of cannabinoid that helps it recovering from the ailments. THC and Liver functioning studies would better explore good things in the future but the current studies are just aiming at helping or harming the liver and fast track effects on liver diseases which need a detailed study to target healthy liver from humans.
THC markers were also studied in the human blood from the healthy liver and no considerable changes were seen beside a bit better liver functioning in the human with a raised level of THC-Hydroxy. This scope of this research was also limited due to the small size of arranged samples but this positively advocates that medicinal cannabis left no harmful impacts on the liver health of healthy humans.
It is pertinent to note that research on the liver in regards to its association with medical Cannabis is still a baby child for the reason that was always targeted diseased liver instead of carrying it on the general public having healthy livers.
#7 Cannabis & Alcohol Abuse
According to the National Institute for Alcoholism (NIAAA), there are more than 88000 deaths annually, globally. Alcohol and drugs together contribute to some more dangerous figures globally. But the question is does Cannabis reduce alcohol dependency to avoid liver disease? Research data significantly says “No”.
It was studied later taking into account the individuals with depression and AUD and found that Cannabis worsened the liver status of such individuals with more depression leaving no positive effect on the state of mind and thinking.
It became more evident that cannabis users with AUD symptoms deteriorated much sooner than the people who didn’t opt Cannabis intake.
National Institute of Scientific Research at the University of Quebec stated that “Drinkers who smoke weed had significantly lower odds of developing liver diseases including hepatitis, cirrhosis, steatosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma”. This data was recorded for 320, 000 heads roughly that had the record of abusive alcohol use. However, it was a community-based survey and can’t be taken as authentic research because often spoilers or financers are seen behind such surveys, globally.
Terence Bukong, a hepatologist statement “We found that if people are using cannabis in a dependent manner, they are much more protected from alcoholic liver disease,” looks pretty fine as it uses a “dependent manner” and secondly protection from the liver disease, not curing it.
#8 Does cannabis help you drink less?
Does marijuana affect liver? You know well about the common liver diseases and syndromes and their association with drug abuse especially alcohol, most prevalent here but have you ever thought that one drug abuse can save you from another? Can Cannabis or Marijuana help you lower alcohol intake? Yes, it can be helpful provided that you possess a healthy liver and your Cannabis intake is oral in combination with fruit juices, cakes, shakes, desserts, and sorbets. The ingested Cannabis releases its compounds slowly into the human stomach and its effects are prolonged that may keep you restraining alcohol until it is fully digested and absorbed in your bloodstream. Smoking Cannabis can be harmful to both lungs and liver at the same time that may cause irritation and throat burning. I think you have got a better clue that Cannabis is good for the liver provided that it is already healthy.
Another study revealing that active drinkers who didn’t opt Cannabis as the second choice had 90% chances of developing liver problems compared to those who were active alcohol users along with using Cannabis with only 8% chances to develop liver issue appears like urging people to use alcohol and Cannabis together, seems misleading. So, the answer to all questions like does marijuana affect your liver? Does weed affect the liver? and does cannabis affect the liver? Is big YES for sure.
#9 Cannabis in relation with daily alcohol ration
Does smoking weed affect your liver? Alcohol indeed plays a vital role in liver inflammations and other associated diseases whereas the same does the Cannabis if smoked. The best consumption is in combination with fruit juices, cakes, shakes, desserts, and sorbets that lead you to lower your daily alcohol ration along with leaving long-term pleasing effects that can’t enjoy with alcohol.
#10 How to consume weed when having a Liver disease?
It would advisable to stay away from Cannabis if you’re having a sick liver as it was still unclear what cannabinoids would help you recover that particular disease. Anyhow, Spice cake is very much in along with a variety of desserts and shakes. you are wise in choosing good for your healthy lifestyle. The Asians especially Pakistani and Indian make an enticing drink from its dried leaves and commonly used during summers around. There are a variety of recipes in the Asian culture and you can simply google “How to make Bhang”. However, I must inform you that it grows as wild annual shrub there and there is very limited use due to some religious restrictions.
#11 How weed affects your Living style?
The excess of everything is bad and the same is true for Cannabis, Marijuana, Hemp, and Bhang whatever you name it. Its excessive usage takes you to permanent addiction that may spoil your life and your social circle. The side effects associate with its long-term uses are prevalent and can be a big hindrance while performing socio-economic duties for you, your family, and employers as well. May you stay blessed and spend a happy and healthy life.
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