Does Weed Cause Hormonal Imbalances?

The stigma has often been that smoking weed or ingesting edibles can cause a variety of hormone-related imbalances. Does weed cause hormonal imbalances in men and women? Can CBD lower cortisol like they say? Or does weed increase estrogen?! We’re here to dispel some myths about how weed affects hormones and deliver the facts about the ways in which cannabis can positively/negatively influence your hormone levels.

HORMONAL IMBALANCES IN MEN & WOMEN

When it comes to hormonal imbalance, there are many different examples. However, the majority of people who experience symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, lack of energy, and weight gain usually have one of the five big hormones out of balance.

Hormonal imbalances can manifest in a number of ways, but most cases include:

There can be some surprising changes in one’s weight, either up or down.

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Chronic fatigue, lethargy, and lack of energy are common problems for many people.

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Hormone imbalances can be seen in men and women in very unique ways. For example, many young men may experience lack of energy or weight fluctuations due to lowered levels of testosterone. In other examples, women can show signs of sudden weight gain or increased heart rates when their estrogen levels skyrocket for no apparent reason. Hormones don’t treat the sexes the same – some people suffer from reversed symptoms from increased/decreased hormone levels while others don’t suffer any symptoms at all. Like with most cannabis-related intolerances, it’s difficult to determine the causes & effects with hormones because everyone’s genetics, fitness, diet and lifestyles can greatly impact their hormonal health.

Hormones are similar to cannabinoids in that they are neurotransmitters that communicate with our vital organs. These signals can affect our mood and physical health in ways that depend on the hormones and cannabinoids involved. However, we now know that long-term cannabis use can impact hormone levels in various ways.

We know that weed can cause hormonal imbalances, but we don’t know exactly why. CBD may lower cortisol levels, but weed can also increase estrogen levels. So, let’s explore the root causes and effects of cannabinoids on hormones.

DOES WEED CAUSE HORMONAL IMBALANCES?

When it comes to hormones, marijuana use can have a number of effects on hormone levels, both good and bad. Some fluctuations in hormone levels can be beneficial, while others can be harmful to our health over the long term. Let’s take a closer look at how marijuana affects hormones in general.

Your endocannabinoid system can communicate with multiple hormone receptors throughout your body. This can influence how much or how little of certain hormones are being produced. What little is currently known about the direct impacts of cannabinoids on estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol or insulin is related to how your endocannabinoid system can instill changes in your various endocrine system functions.

There is limited research on the effects of weed on hormones, but studies have shown that cannabis can disruptbalance in key areas of the body’s hormone systems. Four separate research projects have focused on these areas, with each finding that cannabis can affect hormone levels in different ways.

HOW DOES WEED AFFECT HORMONES: HPA Axis

The Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal axis (HPA) is one of the most well studied hormone systems with relation to cannabinoids. Your HPA axis is responsible for cortisol production – an important hormone that helps with maintaining blood sugar levels, metabolism, blood pressure and more. Cortisol is an essential hormone for good health and wellbeing, but too much can always lead to negative outcomes.

Higher doses of THC or CBD can apparently lead to increased cortisol production, which can have negative health effects like depression or PTSD-like symptoms. Patients who suffer from mental health disorders like depression or anxiety have been shown to have erratic cortisol levels, which can be exacerbated by high-doses of THC.

While cortisol and cannabinoids like THC and CBD can indeed help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, it’s important to note that different people might respond differently to these treatments based on their individual tolerances to cannabis. Some people might not experience fluctuations in their cortisol hormones due to THC ingestion or inhalation. The question of whether CBD lowers cortisol levels seems to be false, as many examples of higher doses of THC or CBD showed a propensity for increased cortisol production, not decreased levels.

On the one hand, you are calm and controlled with your cortisol levels, which can lead to sluggish responses. On the other hand, adrenaline is also produced in the HPA axis, which is also involved in managing serotonin levels. Lower adrenaline levels can mean that you have delayed reactions and a sluggish mental state. Serotonin is well-known for its impacts on our moods, restfulness, memory, and gastrointestinal health. The HPA is the processing engine for many important hormones like serotonin, so cannabinoids can potentially disrupt hormone balance and cause you to feel restless, anxious, nervous, hyper, or scattered.

HOW DOES WEED AFFECT HORMONES: HPG Axis

There are a few ways in which THC can interfere with hormone levels in men and women, but it is only under specific circumstances. One of the ways THC can cause hormone imbalance is by affecting the HPG axis, which has some influence on reproductive health.

Although data is limited, there are some relationships between consistent, excessive THC consumption and irregular menstrual cycles in women, or erratic testosterone levels in men. Women’s HPG axis can be affected by cannabinoids during ovulation, potentially disrupting menstrual cycle normality.

Although THC, CBD and other cannabinoids have also been shown to have positive impacts on menstrual pain, inflammation and other symptoms of PMS, readers should take this example with a grain of salt.

From a male perspective, there is potential for HPG axis and THC to interact to cause irregular testosterone levels. This could lead to decreased energy, fatigue, and weight loss in some areas while increasing weight gain in others. This is a rare occurrence, but it’s concerning to have a substance that could inhibit testosterone or estrogen levels in anyone who suffers from low hormone levels.

HOW DOES WEED AFFECT HORMONES: HPT Axis

Cannabinoids are well known for their effects on the Hypothalamus pituitary thyroid axis (HPT). This axis governs a wide range of health areas, including heart rate, metabolism, muscular functions, digestive system and bone health. Many people who are familiar with hyperthyroidism are probably familiar with the dragging symptoms of fatigue, foggy mindedness, weight gain and abnormal sexual health or reproductive system. THC apparently can contribute to these symptoms by interrupting regular TSH production – the primary hormones that the HPT axis produces to manage these areas of your health. This is a valuable information for anyone who is struggling with hyperthyroidism.

CBD has been shown to help counteract the potential for altered TSH production. This is just one of the many reasons why many people prefer full-spectrum cannabis products – balanced profiles of many cannabinoids that compliment one another. There are cases where lowered TSH levels can be beneficial – for example, in patients who suffer from insomnia or struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

HOW DOES WEED AFFECT HORMONES: GH Axis

There are a lot of important reasons why growth hormones (GH) play a role in brain development, cell regeneration, and energy levels in the body. Cannabis doesn’t necessarily disrupt these functions in developing young people, but long-term impacts of THC, CBD, CBN, or CBG ingestion in young people is not fully known. For these reasons, most experts argue that cannabinoids might negatively impact the GH axis and its many functions.

There are many concerns about THC being used in young people. Some studies have suggested that it can harm brain development, while other studies have shown that it can have many benefits in reducing mental fatigue, improving focus and potentially increasing neurogenesis.

Cannabis has been shown to have positive impacts on insulin production through the IGF-1 axis (Insulin-like growth factor). Many people wonder if weed increases estrogen levels, but what is more apparent is that cannabinoids like CBD, CBG or CBN can help to regulate insulin levels, allowing the body to process sugars more efficiently.