Two most common causes of death in the U.S. are cancer and heart (cardiovascular) diseases. However, a chronic disease that is a prime risk factor for development of a heart disease and a number of other serious ailments is often ignored. Yes, we’re talking about diabetes, a disease that affects 29.1 million Americans. There are two forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is a genetic disorder that destroys those cells responsible for insulin production. Our bodies need insulin, a compound that absorbs glucose in order to produce energy. Type 2 on the other hand is a result of the body “misunderstanding” how to properly use insulin, which results in glycemic imbalances and that can be potentially dangerous in the long run or if left untreated. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, which includes both healthy diet and weight, can slow down the progression of Type 2 diabetes.
Michigan State Rocks The Research
Recently, a new study showed up, according to which marijuana may play a key role in glycemic regulation. Researchers from Michigan State University, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics conducted a meta-analytic study assessing cannabis use and diabetes in the general population. The team came to a conclusion that people with history of cannabis use were approximately 30 percent less likely to have diabetes, when compared to folks who didn’t use cannabis. “Recently active cannabis smoking and diabetes mellitus are inversely associated. Current evidence is too weak for causal inference, but there now is a more stable evidence base for new lines of clinical translational research on a possibly protective (or spurious) cannabis smoking-diabetes mellitus association suggested in prior research,” the researchers determined.
Supporting Studies
Some previously conducted research suggests the same – an observational trial published from 2013 found that “subjects who consumed cannabis possess favorable indices related to diabetic control compared to those without a history of recent marijuana use.” The trial was published in the American Journal of Medicine. Another trial from 2012, published in he British Medical Journal reported that cannabis users have lower prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of developing the disease when compared to folks who never consumed cannabis.
So what does this leave us with? Firstly, we definitely need more studies to be able to know for sure what’s hiding behind these promising findings. Secondly, we need our federal government to stop ignoring marijuana and get it out of the Schedule 1 category. Until they do that, marijuana will remain illegal on federal level, and as such, difficult for scientists to get their hands on it to conduct meaningful research. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Diego have found that cannabis may help treat the pain caused by diabetes, namely diabetic neuropathy, a condition that affects diabetics. It appears that cannabis might as well as possibly help prevent it. This research, as well as other mentioned in this text, is only an indicator that more large scale studies are needed, soon. And who know, perhaps in future we’ll be administering cannabis to people who are predisposed to develop the disease?
