Generally speaking, medical cannabis use by men and women is equal, though it varies by state.
There are certain qualifying conditions that are more likely to affect women than men. If you are a woman with a serious medical condition that can be treated with marijuana, you should first speak with an MMJ doctor. They can give you advice on how to use marijuana safely and determine whether medical marijuana is appropriate for you.
Osteoporosis vs. Osteopenia: Key Differences
Because of osteoporosis, about half of women over 50 will break a bone. Cannabis may reduce bone loss, according to some studies conducted on animal models. Osteopenia is a condition that is related to osteoporosis and affects older people. It weakens bones and causes loss of bone mass.
By controlling noradrenaline production, which can cause bone loss, cannabidiol (CBD) may help reverse bone loss, according to some encouraging lab results. However, to determine whether cannabis could benefit women with osteoporosis, human clinical trials are required.
Endometriosis
When tissue that resembles the endometrium, the lining of the womb, begins to proliferate in other locations, like the ovaries and fallopian tubes, it is known as endometriosis. Irritation of the surrounding tissue may lead to the development of adhesions and scar tissue, which are aberrant bands of fibrous tissue that can cause pelvic tissues and organs to adhere to one another.
This can be extremely painful, particularly when you’re menstruating. Half of people with endometriosis also experience issues with memory and fertility. Endometriosis affects 176 million women worldwide, or 10% of all women.
Endometriosis may be treated with cannabis because:
- Numerous terpenes and anti-inflammatory cannabinoids found in the plant can aid in the treatment of chronic pain.
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has the potential to reduce pain and stop the growth of the endometrium.
- According to Australian women, cannabis alleviates their symptoms.
Women with endometriosis are frequently prescribed additional treatments, such as hormonal birth control. In severe cases, endometriosis may require surgery. To find out if cannabis could be a part of your endometriosis treatment plan, consult your OB-GYN.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) vs. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Key Differences
While premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe and uncommon syndrome, premenstrual symptom (PMS) is a common condition that affects many women in their menstrual years. Bloating, exhaustion, irritability, cramps, back pain, headaches, and nausea are all signs of PMS, while PMDD is characterized by worsening symptoms and other problems like panic attacks. Iron-rich food, exercise, ibuprofen, and occasionally antidepressants are the most often prescribed treatments for PMS.
Cannabis can help relieve headaches and nausea and help replace prescription drugs like ibuprofen. Cannabis and CBD can also be used to treat back pain, depression, anxiety, and cramps. This makes cannabis potentially very helpful for treating PMS, especially since there aren’t many medications that can treat so many symptoms at once. This is an illustration of how cannabis functions as a plant pharmacy.
Cannabis may be useful in treating PMS for a number of reasons, including:
- It might ease the tenderness and pain in the breasts brought on by an increase in progesterone production during the menstrual cycle’s luteal phase.
- For PMS, some products might be especially helpful. Tampons containing cannabinoids lessen and may even cure lower back pain and cramps.
- May reduce migraine.
- Cannabis may help treat acne, which is a common side effect of PMS.
- Terpenes like limonene and linalool may have stress-relieving properties, while cannabinoids like CBD may help stabilize mood.
- aids in the treatment of insomnia.
- Menstrual bleeding is linked to TRPV1 (also known as vanilloid receptors, the body’s thermometer) and calcium ion channels; desensitizing these channels may help alleviate any PMS pain.
Please check with your doctor to see if cannabis is a suitable treatment option if you have severe PMS, including PMDD.
Postpartum Depression
There is proof that cannabis can be used to treat depression. The relationship between cannabis use and postpartum depression, which can happen up to a year after giving birth, is not as well studied. However, cannabis may help some women who are suffering from postpartum depression. Unless a doctor advises otherwise, it might be best for other women—especially nursing women—to abstain from cannabis use.
Autoimmune Conditions
Women are more prone than men to have autoimmune diseases, which include rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and type 1 diabetes. The disparity is especially noticeable in lupus, where women account for 90% of cases, but the development rate of autoimmune diseases is roughly three women to one man.
Women are diagnosed with autoimmune diseases at a higher rate than men for two main reasons: 2) Women’s stronger immune systems, which, although helpful in preventing certain cancers and viruses like COVID-19, also have the regrettable side effect of raising the likelihood of having an overactive immune system. 1) testosterone, which lowers the number of B cells, a type of lymphocyte that releases harmful antibodies.
Cannabis can help with this. It is commonly known that pro-inflammatory cytokine production can be inhibited by cannabinoids. Cytokines are a class of signaling molecules that mediate and regulate inflammation and immunity. Although inflammation isn’t always bad, too much of it can be uncomfortable and harmful. Therefore, it can be very beneficial to reduce the production of cytokines.
Additionally, cannabinoids can raise the levels of certain anti-inflammatory cytokines called interleukins, which causes the body to release more anti-inflammatory proteins. THC and CBD are strong immunomodulators (substances that can help normalize or regulate the immune system) and anti-inflammatories.
People with hyperactive immune systems frequently experience serious inflammation problems:
- Abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, exhaustion, weight loss, and malnutrition are all symptoms of Crohn’s disease, which is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The central nervous system (CNS) becomes inflamed in multiple sclerosis (MS) that is autoimmune in nature.
- Insulin-producing cells may be harmed by pancreatic inflammation in type 1 diabetes.
- Swelling is caused by inflammation of the bones and joints in rheumatoid arthritis. Regarding lupus, it is a common inflammatory illness that impacts every part of the body.
Because they can lower inflammation and calm an overactive immune system, cannabis and cannabinoids may be beneficial for autoimmune disorders of any kind.
Cancer
Women are primarily or exclusively affected by a number of cancer types. These include ovarian, cervical, and breast cancers. With a survival rate of about 80–90% for the majority of its types, breast cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in women, making up 25% of all cases. However, because it is so common, breast cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths in women.
With a 49% 5-year survival rate, ovarian cancer ranks seventh in terms of incidence and eighth in terms of cancer-related deaths among women. The fourth most frequent cause of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women is cervical cancer. The five-year survival rate for this particularly aggressive cancer is approximately 68% in the United States, but it can drop as low as 50% in less developed nations.
The type of cancer greatly influences how well cannabis works to treat it. Cannabinoid-responsive cancers have their own endocannabinoid receptors, but not all cancer types respond to cannabis. Plant-derived cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids, may be a useful adjuvant treatment for some types of cancer when paired with chemotherapy. Terpenes and flavonoids, as well as cannabinoids like THC and CBD, have shown some antitumoral activity in laboratory studies.
In some cases, patients receiving cancer treatment may not benefit most from cannabinoid therapy. For instance, people receiving immunotherapy shouldn’t use cannabis because it may interfere with the treatment due to its immunomodulatory effects. More research is required to provide a higher level of precision regarding dosage, but it may also be crucial to match the cannabinoid treatment to the type of cancer being treated (i.e., the THC:CBD ratios, as well as other minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids being ingested by the patient).
How Does Cannabis Impact Women Differently Than Men?
Indeed, women and men are affected by cannabis in different ways. The following are some main ways that men and women typically react differently to cannabis:
- Due to differences in the distribution of muscle mass and fat tissue between males and females, women are more susceptible to the effects of THC. Because they have more fat tissue, THC stays in their bodies longer.
- Women may experience stronger analgesic (painkiller) effects from cannabis due to this sensitivity to THC, and they will probably require less THC to treat depression and anxiety.
- Regarding the aforementioned point, women might be more likely to use cannabis instead of prescription medications.
- It’s interesting to note that while cannabis use may increase sex drive in women, it has the opposite effect on men.
- Compared to men, women have more sensitive endocannabinoid receptors to cannabis. This indicates that dopamine, the neurotransmitter of “pleasure” and “reward,” and the endocannabinoid system interact sex-dependently, with women releasing more dopamine when using cannabis.
- THC exposure impairs the ability of female eggs to develop viable embryos, potentially lowering fertility. But since this study was conducted on animals, the results might not apply to people.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that these are generalizations and that cannabis can have a very different impact on each person, regardless of gender. More research is required to understand how individual hormonal differences affect and interact with each person’s unique endocannabinoid system (ECS). The way the body metabolizes cannabis and its compounds may also be influenced by other variables, such as age, body-mass index (BMI), activity levels, and mode of ingestion.
All things considered, cannabis is a very promising substitute for more severe treatments and drugs. The human body generally tolerates cannabis well, and many health issues may be treated with the safe and cautious use of whole plant medications.
Discover the potential advantages of medical cannabis for a range of conditions that qualify. Get in touch with the West Virginia MMJ Card Doctor virtual clinic right now, and our medical professionals will begin the process of getting you a Charleston medical marijuana card online.
