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In this post we’ll explore the intricacies of how marijuana and diabetes interact with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n [Click any of the section titles below to jump there]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Type 1 Diabetes, also known as “Juvenile Diabetes,” is actually a genetic condition in which the pancreas is incapable of creating sufficient amounts of insulin to meet the body\u2019s needs. As a result, patients with type 1 diabetes often require insulin injections multiple times, every single day of their life.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With type 2 diabetes, more widely known as “Adult Onset,” the body does produce insulin, it just doesn\u2019t produce it properly. And that “improper” insulin production signals the pancreas to produce even more – more than the body needs, or can process. Feast or famine.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With one out of every ten Americans affected, researchers are working hard to help patients better manage the potentially life-threatening disease, which from this perspective means\u00a0taking a hard look at how marijuana and diabetes engage each other.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 2005, the American Alliance for Medical Marijuana released a <\/span>groundbreaking report<\/span><\/a> detailing five key areas where medical marijuana was believed to benefit people living with diabetes. The AAMC stated that:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Additionally, the AAMC reported that topical ointments or rubs made with cannabis CBD oil<\/strong> were helpful in reducing symptoms such as neuropathic pain and tingling sensations in the hands and feet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But the research didn\u2019t stop there.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since 2005, there have been countless studies done on the benefits of cannabis for people with diabetes, including one done in 2013, and published in the <\/span>American Journal of Medicine<\/span><\/a>. That study quickly became a cornerstone for discussing the potential of cannabis to help battle the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And while doubt surrounding the drug\u2019s effectiveness for delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes continued to linger, the AJM report left little doubt that marijuana\u00a0was helpful (and healthful) for those already diagnosed with diabetes<\/strong> \u2013 type 1 or type 2; further noting its benefits for patients who experienced associated complications.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The research found that current cannabis users were reported to have a \u201cbetter\u201d metabolism of carbohydrates<\/strong> when compared to non-users. The study\u2019s author, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Murray Mittleman, said the key finding in the study was that the fasting insulin levels of cannabis users was not only lower, but also appeared to be \u201cless resistant\u201d to the insulin<\/strong> that their body produced, enabling them to \u201c<\/span>maintain a normal blood-sugar level.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because the results of the study apply to patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it has the potential to change the face of how people live with the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Type 1 patients, for example, may benefit from the lower fasting level with a reduced need for insulin injections<\/strong>. So while it is unlikely that cannabis would ever completely eliminate the need for insulin injections 100%, it could cut the number of injections a patient needs per day in half.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because type 2 diabetes is more \u2018resistant\u2019 to insulin, cannabis has the potential to slow down the advancement of the disease, by helping the body develop its ability to manage sugar levels naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Marijuana and diabetes\u00a0are\u00a0not mutually exclusive.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes carry <\/span>associated conditions and complications<\/span><\/a> that can make life even more challenging. In addition to neuropathy, people with diabetes are often diagnosed with glaucoma, high blood pressure, and peripheral vascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Neuropathy (nerve damage) affects between 65 \u2013 70% of all persons with diabetes, typically in one of four areas: <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat you'll learn in this post:<\/h2>\n
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Types of Diabetes\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Research\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Why This Is Such Big News<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Diabetes Associated Conditions\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Neuropathy<\/h3>\n
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