Scientists continue to explore the ability of cannabis (aka marijuana) plants in treatment. New study says, marijuana contains components that can help control blood sugar.
Cannabis also has a strong association with body weight. In addition to increasing appetite, cannabis could actually help a person to stay slim.
Three recent studies showed that marijuana users had a lower risk of obesity. In addition, they also have a lower risk of diabetes and body mass index values are smaller. The third benefit is obtained even though the marijuana users drink more calories.
How does that happen? One reason is because marijuana users have a better carbohydrate metabolism.
"Their fasting insulin levels were also lower, and they also have a lower risk of insulin resistance (a condition that triggers diabetes) due to their body's ability to maintain normal blood sugar levels," said Murray Mittleman, of Harvard Medical School researchers.
Research conducted Mittleman it includes 4,600 men and women who participated in the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005-2010.
Of these respondents, 48 percent had smoked marijuana at least once in their lives, and 12 percent are still sucking up now.
The researchers controlled for other risk factors that affect the risk of diabetes, such as age, gender, alcohol use, smoking habits, and physical activity.
Although the risk factors taken into account, the marijuana users until now have fasting insulin levels 16 percent lower than those who had never smoked or had not smoked again. The cannabis was also getting sucker decreased levels of insulin resistance around 17 percent.
Fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance levels are also closely associated with the occurrence of type two diabetes and obesity.
The marijuana users also turned out to have higher levels of good cholesterol, which can protect the body from heart disease. In general, they also have a smaller waist circumference.
Researchers do not yet fully understand the connection because this research is not case-control studies. Also not known whether marijuana or other lifestyle factors that of the respondents who cause they got a number of health benefits.
One of the allegations is the influence of marijuana at specific receptors in the brain related to appetite and metabolism.