Title: The science behind munchies: cannabis and your appetite | Examine.com
Headings: The science behind munchies: cannabis and your appetite
The science behind munchies: cannabis and your appetite
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid in cannabis, can bind the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and thus promote overeating and weight gain. This effect, detrimental to most people, can prove beneficial under certain medical conditions, such as cancer and HIV-associated wasting syndrome.
How cannabis works
Does cannabis cause weight gain?
Cannabis for weight gain in clinical populations
HIV-associated wasting syndrome
Cancer-associated cachexia
Anorexia nervosa
CB1: the key to weight loss?
Bottom line
💊 Get unbiased supplement information
References

Content: Apr 17, 2019
Tags: marijuana
appetite
cannabis
Cannabis (aka marijuana) is a popular recreational drug that also has a variety of potential medicinal uses, from boosting appetite to reducing nausea and anxiety. [ 1] In cancer patients, cannabis may help ease the pain associated with chemotherapy while simultaneously increasing appetite (a serious side effect of chemotherapy being nausea). [ 1]
Aside from euphoria, this increase in appetite is probably cannabis best-known effect — you might refer to it as “the munchies”. Historical sources indicate that people as early as 300 BCE knew that cannabis stimulated appetite, especially for sweet and savory food. [ 2]
But what exactly is cannabis and how does it affect appetite? Let’s dig in. How cannabis works
The word “cannabis” refers to several plants in the Cannabis genus, including sativa, indica, and ruderalis. The cannabinoid compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of cannabis main active ingredients, is also the main reason why cannabis can cause “the munchies”: by partially binding to and thus activating cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), THC increases your appetite.