{"id":1534,"date":"2022-06-10T15:01:36","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T18:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new-website.wecann.academy\/2022\/06\/10\/cannabis-and-pediatric-oncology-the-plant-as-adjuvant-therapy\/"},"modified":"2025-10-19T23:31:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T02:31:08","slug":"cannabis-and-pediatric-oncology-the-plant-as-adjuvant-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wecann.academy\/en\/cannabis-and-pediatric-oncology-the-plant-as-adjuvant-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannabis and anorexia: what is the therapeutic potential of this treatment?"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), <\/span><\/span>4.7% of the Brazilian population suffers from eating disorders.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/strong> The number is even more alarming when the sample is made up only by young people, reaching 10%. Some of the disorders included in this index are anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa, binge eating, and rumination or regurgitation disorder. In this post, we will specifically address Cannabis and anorexia, as studies point out to a high mortality rate from this disease and it is urgent to find more treatment alternatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A <\/span><\/span>study<\/span><\/span><\/a> published in 2009 showed that only 46% of patients fully recover from anorexia nervosa<\/strong>, a third improve with partial or residual symptoms of the disorder, and 20% remain chronically ill for a long time. Also, according to the study, in Anorexia Nervosa there is an increase of almost 18-fold in mortality rates compared to bulimia.<\/p>\n

Read more in the article Outcome of eating disorders<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In a <\/span><\/span>meta-analysis<\/span><\/span><\/a> of 36 studies on eating disorders, the authors analyzed 12,808 cases of anorexia nervosa, 639 of which resulted in death. That is, the<\/strong> Mortality rate among people with anorexia proves to be higher than in people with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder.<\/strong> Anorexia Nervosa is probably the psychiatric disorder that causes most deaths.<\/p>\n

Check out the study Mortality Rates in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Cannabis and anorexia: understand the relationship<\/h2>\n

The Endocannabinoid System<\/strong> acts on key points involved in food intake and energy expenditure. Therefore, it is seen as an interesting target in the management of diseases such as obesity and eating disorders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The system is already known to play an important role in brain circuits related to eating behavior and the rewarding properties of food. <\/span><\/span>Recent findings<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a> suggest that there is a dysregulation in the Endocannabinoid System in eating disorder patients.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Read <\/strong><\/span><\/span>The role of the endocannabinoid system in eating disorders: pharmacological implications<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Phytocannabinoids and Cannabis terpenes can help to (re) <\/span><\/span>balance the Endocannabinoid System<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a>, bringing more quality of life and well-being to patients in several pathological contexts, including anorexic patients.<\/p>\n

Cannabis and anorexia: what would be the benefits from treatment?<\/h2>\n

Psychotherapy is usually the treatment of choice for AN patients. However, <\/span><\/span>there is little response to this treatment in adults with chronic disorder and the dropout in this therapeutic approach is high<\/span><\/span><\/a>. In psychiatric medical care, antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs are also usually prescribed. However, researches show that <\/span><\/span>psychotropic drugs are often no more effective than placebo<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a> in improving symptoms unique to anorexia.<\/p>\n

Most studies addressing the <\/span><\/span>effectiveness of antidepressants in AN cases<\/span><\/span><\/a> are conducted in the acute phase of the disease, with weight gain as the main focus. Many drugs initially show to be promising in open studies, but the findings are not confirmed when interventions are evaluated in randomized clinical trials \u2014 with no statistically relevant difference when compared to placebo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are indications that medicinal cannabis may be a therapeutic alternative in these cases. A <\/span><\/span>study on Cannabis and anorexia<\/span><\/span><\/a>, published in 2014, evaluated the use of Dronabinol (synthetic THC) and placebo in 25 women, who had been diagnosed with AN more than five years ago. They had an average weight gain of 0.73 kg by using THC, compared to placebo, which was statistically significant.<\/strong>. No significant side effects were recorded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

See <\/strong><\/span><\/span>Dronabinol in severe, enduring anorexia nervosa: a randomized controlled trial<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to increasing appetite and weight gain, medicinal cannabis could also potentially help controlling anxiety and depressive symptoms in these patients.<\/p>\n