How can medical marijuana help with… ANOREXIA?

Definition of anorexia.

Anorexia is a general term for the state of decreased appetite. It is frequently confused with anorexia nervosa, which is mental disorder involving food abstinence. However, anorexia itself is typically merely a symptom, although it can indicate a number of serious diseases, namely: depression, viral hepatitis, AIDS, cancer, congestive heart failure etc. Anorexia can also appear as side effect to exhausting treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Regardless the reason, loss of appetite keeps the body from acquiring nutrients needed to function properly. Restoring healthy appetite is the key prerequisite for treatment of any known disease.

How can medical marijuana help?

According to clinical evidence, using medical marijuana is a safe, effective way to increase appetite. While the primary effect of marijuana wears off, a person who has smoked cannabis typically feels an irresistible desire of having a meal. This isn’t an urge and will never force the smoker to deliberately overeat, but nearly all 100% of patients report that with medical marijuana, they re-discover the taste of food. A 2005 Columbia University study found that THC (the main active substance of cannabis) caused a major increase in caloric intake of HIV-positive patients. Another study, conducted by the National Cancer Institute has evaluated the effects of THC in treatment of cancer-related anorexia. The results show that almost every patient in the group improved their nutrition with medical marijuana.