Can Cannabis Contribute to Stomach Ulcers?
There may be a link between the development of stomach ulcers and marijuana consumption. Legal access to marijuana is typically necessary in order to consume it for medical purposes. You must be able to legally obtain medical marijuana in your state if you have stomach ulcers. From the comfort of your home, you can apply online for the cheapest medical marijuana card.
This association could exist for a number of reasons. For instance, cannabis may raise the risk of inflammation while also reducing pain due to its analgesic effects. This could conceal persistent stomach inflammation and accelerate the development of stomach ulcers. The majority of adverse outcomes, however, were observed in patients with cannabis use disorder (CUD) or those who used synthetic cannabinoids.
However, because cannabis contains a number of cannabinoids with anti-inflammatory qualities, there is also evidence supporting the use of medicinal cannabis to prevent and treat stomach ulcers. CBD may protect the stomach and help control some of the side effects of ulcers, like pain and gastrointestinal distress, by lowering gastric acid and boosting blood flow to the stomach lining.
Understanding How Ulcers Develop
An ulcer is an open, swollen sore that develops on the outside or inside of the body. Ulcers can develop in a variety of body organs.
For instance, when the mucus lining that envelops and shields the stomach degrades, gastric acids and enzymes can erode the stomach walls, leading to the development of a stomach ulcer.
Because Helicobacter pylori is a stomach bacterium, ulcers are typically caused by inflammation and infection. Misuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also lead to stomach ulcers because they can irritate the stomach lining and interfere with some of the stomach’s natural healing chemicals. Ulcers can also result from severe psychological distress.
A gastric ulcer is another name for a stomach ulcer. This is only one kind of peptic ulcer; the other kind is called a duodenal ulcer, and it develops in the duodenum, a section of the small intestine. In addition to these, other parts of the body, like the esophagus, can also get ulcers.
Conventional Treatments for Ulcers
Proton pump inhibitors, histamine receptor blockers, and antacids are among the medications that are typically used to treat stomach ulcers. Dietary adjustments may also be beneficial. Severe ulcers that are bleeding, obstructing organs or bodily passageways, or that have ruptured the stomach may occasionally need to be surgically removed.
How Cannabis Affects Stomach Health
Cannabis has recently demonstrated promise in the treatment of gastrointestinal issues and disorders, including diarrhea and abdominal pain linked to inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis).
The endocannabinoid system, a signaling network composed of cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors, is principally responsible for this.
The cannabinoids that attach to the receptors are produced by our bodies. However, these receptors are also bound and activated by the cannabinoids present in cannabis, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabinoids attach to the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1 receptor) in the gastrointestinal tract, one area of the body where the endocannabinoid system is active.
Activation of cannabinoid receptors has several benefits, including supporting gut health. This involves safeguarding against gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and irritable bowel disease (IBD), as well as disorders related to motility, gastric acid secretion, gastric emptying, and esophageal sphincter relaxation.
For instance, research on both humans and experimental animals demonstrated that gastric acid secretion is inhibited when the CB1 receptor is stimulated with cannabis extracts that contain high levels of THC.
Given its well-established anti-inflammatory, vasodilator, and antioxidant qualities, cannabis may also have these effects on the stomach’s inner lining, or gastric mucosa. It might shield the stomach mucosa from medications that are known to cause gastric ulcers, such as NSAIDs.
On the other hand, chronic and long-term cannabis use may have negative effects on stomach health. Rarely, it may result in cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition marked by nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Additionally, CHS might contribute to the development of stomach ulcers.
The Link Between Cannabis and Ulcers
It has been discovered that cannabis use disorders significantly raise the risk of hospitalization for peptic ulcer disease by 18 percent. Given that this research focuses on cannabis use disorders, it is possible that the elevated risk only occurs when cannabis is abused. With careful dosage, these risks could be significantly reduced.
Cannabis is believed to have the potential to raise the risk of inflammation, which may lead to stomach ulcers, even though some of its constituents have anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its analgesic effects, cannabis also lessens pain sensitivity, but this could have unintended consequences as well. It may conceal persistent stomach inflammation, keep you from seeking conventional treatment, and ultimately worsen or increase the incidence of stomach ulcers.
But there are also advantages to take into account. Utilizing cannabis may help prevent stomach ulcers, according to some research. In rats, preclinical research revealed that oral and subcutaneous THC prevented the formation of stomach ulcers. Exogenous administration of cannabinoids, like those in cannabis, is thought to prevent the development of gastric ulcers brought on by NSAIDs and pylorus ligation.
Additionally, cannabis may help treat and heal gastric ulcers because it is thought to have gastroprotective effects by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, decreasing gastric motility, and reducing gastric acid secretion.
Cannabis may help manage the pain associated with having a gastric ulcer because it is generally used as a pain and nausea reliever.
Final Words!
The majority of current research suggests that cannabis may be a protective agent that could treat and prevent stomach ulcers from developing, rather than directly causing them, despite the extremely small amount of evidence from human-based clinical trials.
Cannabis users should still exercise caution, though, as it may conceal the pain and inflammation associated with stomach ulcers and keep you from getting professional assistance.
