What You Need To Know About Cannabis And Your Gut

What You Need To Know About Cannabis And Your Gut


This article was originally published on The Fresh Toast and appears here with permission.

CBD has been shown to promote resilience to stress and decrease anxiety, adding to its powerful role in gut function.

It’s becoming a rage to learn more about our gut health. The gut breaks down the food you eat and absorbs nutrients that support your body’s functions. The medical community is beginning to recognize its importance and research is increasing. Data indicate that the gut microbiome can affect every organ in the body.

From probiotics to diets specifically for health concerns, more attention is being paid to the stomach (and its contents) than ever before. And CBD is starting to gain attention for its gut health benefits.

The CBD-Gut Link

Dr. Aimée Gould Shunney, naturopathic doctor, believes in the power of good gut bacteria and believes that CBD offers benefits that are not yet fully understood. During a recent interview, he shared, “CBD is an immune modulator and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. It also helps balance the ECS (endocannabinoid system) and therefore has great potential to positively affect a variety of complaints digestive”.

Taking it a step further, Dr. Shunney demonstrated the link between stress, anxiety, and the body’s digestive system, citing, “Stress aggravates our gut, and managing stress is crucial to maintaining to curb symptoms. CBD has been shown to promote resilience to stress and decrease anxiety, adding to its powerful role in gut function.”

Studies support Dr. Shunney’s claims, including 2017 research from the US National Library of Medicine investigating the often misunderstood condition of inflammatory bowel disease and the potential of cannabinoids. The study found that cannabinoids showed promise in fighting intestinal diseases (such as IBS and Crohn’s disease) and further research is needed.

Medicine can also hurt the gut

Another study from the Netherlands reported that drugs once labeled as safe could pose a risk to gut microbiomes, crowding out good bacteria and raising the potential to allow infections and obesity to occur.
Principal investigator Arnau Vich Vila shared, “We already know that the efficiency and toxicity of certain drugs are influenced by the bacterial composition of the gastrointestinal tract, and the gut microbiota has been linked to multiple health conditions.” Vich Vila continued: “Our work highlights the importance of considering the role of the gut microbiota when designing treatments and also points to new hypotheses that could explain certain side effects associated with medication use.”

In fact, the study published in October and presented at the UGE Week in Spain found that more than half of the commonly used drugs affected the intestine and posed a risk. The list of drugs with the highest risk includes:

  • Metformin, which is used for diabetes
  • Antibiotics are often used for bacterial infections
  • Laxatives to treat constipation
  • Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used for dyspepsia

(See a full list of study results here.)

Since gut health often dictates the well-being of the human body as a whole, there is an interesting discussion about whether cannabis or CBD oil could help the body from the effects of other medications. Although more research is needed to understand the role of cannabinoids in the body and their effects on specific medications, it is something to discuss with your care team.

This article is by an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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