Fatty Liver Disease and Medical Marijuana (Cannabis)
Fatty Liver Disease and Cannabis
Summary: The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the body, performing over 500 functions. Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is a major cause of liver disease and increased mortality. The number of cases continues to increase around the world, paralleling the increased rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is involved as the cause of multiple diseases, including fatty liver disease. Treatment to modulate the ECS has a strong scientific basis. The best product to activate the Endocannabinoid System is cannabis!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3745655/
The worldwide prevalence of NASH is approximately 20-50% of people. There is a spectrum of disease with the worst cases showing signs of liver fibrosis (scarring). The risk of cirrhosis is approximately 10-20% after 10-20 years of fatty liver.
***Studies have shown that use of cannabis reduces inflammation, thus reducing liver fibrosis***. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and appears to reduce liver fibrosis through this mechanism of action.
Obesity is a leading cause of fatty liver. In the United States, one out of every three people is obese. As a general rule, the American diet is highly fatty and too few people are exercising regularly. This unhealthy lifestyle is a leading cause of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.
https://wayofleaf.com/cannabis/101/cannabis-help-to-reduce-liver-disease
“In this nationally representative sample (of over 20,000 people), active marijuana use provided a protective effect against NAFLD independent of known metabolic risk factors. The pathophysiology is unclear and warrants further investigation.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648282/
“Increased incidence of obesity and excess weight lead to an increased incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recent evidence indicates a protective effect of cannabis consumption on weight gain and related metabolic alterations in psychosis patients. Overall, patients are at greater risk of presenting fatty diseases, such as NAFLD, partly due to lipid and glycemic metabolic disturbances. However, there are no previous studies on the likely effect of cannabis on liver steatosis.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278584619301393
Written by Dr. Charlie Booras, MD on 11/10/20
