Munchies – How cannabis affects appetite
If you smoke weed, you know that a night of smoking can end in a crazy food festival. The munchies, is a phenomenon that almost everyone who smokes has experienced at least once. It is not that the munchies always attack, nor that everyone gets them every time. But the fact is, the munchies often lead to funny situations where people eat the strangest things and combinations when they are high. Sound familiar? It probably does!
But how do the munchies arise? What exactly causes them? How come when you are high, you suddenly feel like eating a bag of Doritos—or two?
Marijuana causes the munchies
Cannabis has been proven to help digest food. The process ensures that gastrointestinal motility is increased. That is quite a mouth full, but a simple explanation is that a huge feeling of hunger strikes. This hunger-boosting effect is one of the reasons cannabis has drawn interest within the medical community around appetite support. This is general information, not medical advice — anyone dealing with appetite loss or nutrition concerns should speak with a healthcare professional about appropriate care.
THC in cannabis
Cannabis is known to contain THC. And THC is increasingly being used to treat all kinds of diseases. Cannabis is used by doctors to simulate the feeling of hunger and thereby get the patient to eat. A reaction in the brain increases appetite. But even if you are not a patient you can get quite hungry from THC! THC actually, tricks your brain and tells you that your body needs food. That is why your brain sends signals that you are hungry.
The hunger effect
One of the properties of THC is that it can stimulate the feeling of hunger. This gives users the feeling that they are hungry all the time. While it may cause problems for some people because they eat a lot, it is a solution for other people. There are THC-based medicines that are used by doctors to induce the feeling of hunger. This greatly improves the quality of life for many patients.
Food tastes better thanks to THC
A characteristic that THC also has is that food often tastes better because of it. Research also shows that the opposite is the case with certain weed strains. There are weed strains that suppress appetite, and there are weed strains that actually, increase it. Some cannabis strains therefore induce the opposite feeling, so it can work both ways.
What do you eat when you have the munchies?
Feeling hungry? take a bite from our Blue Cheese.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Frequently asked questions
Cannabis makes you feel hungry because THC, a compound found in cannabis, interacts with the brain to stimulate appetite. THC binds to receptors in the brain that are involved in regulating hunger and digestion, tricking your brain into thinking you need food.
THC is known to stimulate hunger, which is why cannabis has drawn interest in the context of appetite support. This is general information, not medical advice — anyone experiencing appetite loss or nutrition concerns should speak with a healthcare professional about appropriate treatment.
No, not all cannabis strains increase appetite. While some strains with high THC content are known to stimulate hunger, there are other strains, that can suppress appetite. The effect of cannabis on appetite can vary depending on the strain and its specific cannabinoid profile.
