Cannabis can Restore our Bodies to their Pre-menopausal Condition and Alleviate the Life-threatening Diseases of Menopause
Your Endocannabinoid System: The Most Important System in your Body you Probably Never Heard of
For those who haven’t head read this blog [1] or this one [2] here are a few salient points before I launch into menopause. Cannabis is the most exceptional of medicinal plants because we are in an intimate relationship with this plant. We both have Endocannabinoid Systems (“ECS”) which produce cannabinoids. In our bodies the cannabinoids are called endocannabinoids. In the plant they’re called phytocannabinoids. The two most well-known phytocannabinoids are THC and CBD.
Cannabinoids, whether created by our bodies or by the plant, work as messengers inside our body - sending chemical messages to the cannabinoid receptors, which are located everywhere throughout our bodies. On a regular basis our endocannabinoids signal our cannabinoid receptors, with instructions on how to regulate whatever requires attention in order to restore balance to the body. This is the main function of the ECS: to maintain bodily homeostasis, essential for sustaining life.
As we age, and at other stressful times in a body’s life, scientists have been able to observe that the production of cannabinoids in our body declines and with it, our health. Our ECS is no longer being sufficiently fueled. That is where the plant’s cannabinoids come in to replenish our deficient supply. In one study [3] researchers fed two groups of mice (one older and the other young mice) with a daily dose of cannabinoids which included THC. What they saw amazed them: the cannabis reversed the aging process in the brains of the older mice, dramatically increasing their brain performance up to the same level as the younger mice! Cannabis restored cognitive function in the older brains, reversing the aging process! One researcher suggested that we think of cannabis like vitamin C and take it daily to protect our health.
Interestingly, in all the research I did before writing these blog pieces a little over a year ago, there was practically no mention of menopause and postmenopause. And yet, if supplementing our cannabinoid production from the plant can reverse aging in the brain, what can it do for menopause?
In preparation for this blog post, I looked solely for cannabis and menopause and what I found, scarce and recent as it was, was consistent with the findings of the study demonstrating how cannabis restored cognitive function to the older mice. Just as our bodies lose the ability to produce sufficient cannabinoids to fuel our ECS as we age, the very same problem occurs when we experience our hormonal changes- whether that’s related to our cycles while we’re ovulating or the more extreme years transitioning to menopause and then postmenopause. I’m going to focus on menopause/post-menopause here, but the benefit of supplementing with the plant’s cannabinoids applies to all stages of our changing hormonal lives. [4]
The Loss of Estrogen in Menopause Results in a Loss of Endocannabinoid Tone, but Supplementing with the Plant’s Cannabinoids can Restore the Body even Without the Estrogen and Alleviate the Life-Threatening Diseases of Menopause
It is during menopause and postmenopause when we experience the greatest collapse of estrogen. Researchers have now directly observed in mice how a decline in estrogen causes a reduction in the level of cannabinoids being produced by the body and concomitantly, weakened cannabinoid receptors and weakened cannabinoid signaling. Just as with aging, in menopause our unsupported ECS can’t keep up with its life-sustaining job of maintaining bodily homeostasis.
Our only option to try to avoid the augmented risk of post-menopausal diseases has been to boost our hormone levels, but that too carries the increased risk of life-threatening diseases. The good news is - supporting your ECS with phytocannabinoids can restore your body, even as your estrogen plummets. And cannabis is by far the safest option.
Estrogen deficiency is responsible for reducing bone mass density and increasing bone fragility as well as increasing the risk of fractures and leads to osteoporosis. Estrogen deficiency promotes not just bone loss, but intestinal inflammation and scientists have observed a direct connection between the gut microbiota and our skeletal system, in other works our gut health impacts our bone health.
There is also a relationship between bone loss and cognitive decline that has been demonstrated repeatedly in studies, showing a higher risk of cognitive impairment among women with osteoporosis. Estrogen deficiency also predisposes postmenopausal women to heart attack, stroke, and cancer.
This is why doctors so readily prescribe estrogen replacement. Without the previously protective levels of estrogen in the body, postmenopausal women are at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis, dementia, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer. [5] But hormone replacement also carries increased risks for heart attack, blood clots, gallstones, stroke, breast cancer, and dementia. These risks are even greater for women who have been on hormones for a long time or for those over 60. [6]
We can stop limiting our options to this binary - hormone replacement (risks) or taking nothing (risks)- because we have another choice that is risk-free. Knowing that when our estrogen levels decline so do our endocannabinoid levels, we can replenish our body’s deficient cannabinoid production with phytocannabinoids, thereby enabling our ECS to resume its protective role.
This is precisely what scientists found in this study [7] wherein cannabis revitalized the ECS of estrogen-deficient mice. Researchers surgically removed the ovaries of female mice, thus inducing estrogen-deficiency in the mice (OVX mice). They observed a drastic reduction in the expression of the CB1 endocannabinoid receptor in the OVX mice’s cardiac tissue. After a two-week treatment with daily ingestion of cannabinoid supplementation, researchers were able to restore the mice’s ECS condition “obtaining the same benefits of estrogen replacement therapy”. [8]
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. [9] Total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels increase during menopause, which leads to heart disease. Cannabis use is associated with higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, which can balance out the increase in “bad” cholesterol found in menopause and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. [10]
Another study just last year (2022), showed huge menopausal relief from cannabis supplementation (CBD). Scientists again induced estrogen deficiency in two groups of mice. Over an 18-week period, the untreated group were fed peanut butter balls while the other group received CBD-dosed peanut butter balls. The untreated estrogen-deficient mice developed symptoms that resembled those of postmenopausal human females, such as metabolic dysfunction, evidence of inflammation, lower bone density, and lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria. The cannabis treated group showed significant improvement. The CBD-supported mice had better bone health: their bone density improved. They had less inflammation in the gut and bone tissue. The study demonstrated how CBD impacted the ECS, increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus, such that the CBD mice’s levels of beneficial gut bacteria were higher. [11]
The CBD-fed mice also burned more energy, compared with their cannabis-deprived counterparts, and their blood stream more readily disposed of glucose. The relationship between fat and glucose metabolism has been recognized for many decades. The dysregulation of the ECS during menopause can result in an elevation of body fat. Menopause-associated obesity and other metabolic disorders is a significant risk. Regulating the ECS through supplementation of phytocannabinoids is vital to regain control over the dysregulation, particularly since obesity has an impact on the development of osteoporosis. [12]
The study’s researchers concluded:
“Our results indicate that CBD treatment of OVX mice impacts the immune system and the gut microbiota to improve energy metabolism and bone homeostasis. These data indicate that CBD modulates a gut-bone axis to favorably alleviate several chronic disease symptoms of postmenopause.” [13] (emphasis supplied)
Cannabis has also been shown to lower insulin levels, which prevents the development of type 2 diabetes. In a 2016 study [14] it was found that THCV and CBD decreased blood glucose levels and increased insulin production in people with type 2 diabetes.
While all cannabis can help to prevent osteoporosis, obesity and the other menopause-related diseases, the cannabinoid THCV has been specifically shown to stimulate bone growth and is currently under examination for the treatment of osteoporosis and arthritis. It’s also being studied for treatment of obesity and diabetes, assisting with blood sugar regulation, improving glucose intolerance and insulin insensitivity. Other studies with THCV have been promising for seizure prevention and for delaying neurodegenerative symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and ALS. [15]
As noted earlier, the relationship between low bone mineral density and an elevated risk of cognitive decline increases even further as postmenopausal women age. [16] In her book, XX Brain, Lisa Mosconi, director of the Women’s Brain Initiative and associate director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College, explains that the decrease of estrogen at menopause is related to a higher risk for Alzheimer’s. She also points out that there is some evidence indicating that for younger women who begin hormone therapy within five years of menopause, these hormones may be helpful in fighting off cognitive decline, but in women older than 60 years, or more than five years past menopause, that hormone therapy may increase the risk of dementia.
In addition to protecting ourselves against the increased risks of these life-threatening conditions from menopause and/or from hormone therapy, there are the immediate symptoms we confront: hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, cholesterol, high blood pressure, increased pains, mood swings, anxiety, brain fog, migraines, low libido, to name a few.
Again, our answer to alleviate these symptoms is to focus on bringing homeostasis back to the body and that is the primary job of the ECS. We already know that cannabis can alleviate all the dis-eases we suffer, whether they occur before, during or after menopause. I’ve documented much of the conditions cannabis can relieve, like pain, anxiety, migraines, insomnia, etc. in these two blogs. [17] And many more studies have shown that cannabis can successfully be used to regulate mood and mitigate feelings of depression or anxiety. [18] But now we know how cannabis works to relieve our symptoms in menopause as well as why cannabis can protect us against future diseases associated with postmenopause.
One interesting study with direct bearing on hot flashes found that endocannabinoids impact the hypothalamus’s ability to function. The hypothalamus is the body’s thermostat. We know there are endogenous cannabinoids in the hypothalamus. [19] The study demonstrated how cannabinoids can change body temperature in a dose-dependent manner. High doses cause hypothermia while low doses cause hyperthermia. THC, the cannabinoid that most mimics our body’s cannabinoid Anandamide, is believed to be the key to reducing hot flashes. When working with THC to reduce hot flashes it is particularly important to pay attention to one’s dose. It has been suggested by the study that consuming higher doses of THC has a cooling effect on the system, thereby lowering body temperature, whereas consuming small amounts of THC might actually raise body temperature.
Taking Matters into Our Own Women Hands - Women Deserve only the Best Medicine: Regeneratively tended, sun-grown Cannabis provides Greater Healing Benefits than other Cannabis and Whole Plant Preparations are the Most Effective
The collection of studies reviewed in this blog piece all recognize the promise of cannabinoid therapy to treat menopausal/postmenopausal conditions and all conclude that more research should be done. And yet there are no clinical trials. [20] Why should women continue waiting and suffering when supplementing with phytocannabinoids has been shown to stimulate the ECS and restore the protection our estrogen-deficient bodies so desperately need.
When we weigh the risk/benefit of using hormone replacement, it is always and only a comparison of hormone supplementation or nothing to protect us from the diseases that postmenopausal women are at increased risk for. In that light, hormone therapy is the lesser of two evils. But when you introduce the safe choice that is cannabis, this becomes a very different risk/benefit analysis. Then there is no reason to have to choose a therapy that brings its own escalated risk of disease. And for those who feel hormone replacement therapy has value that outweighs the risks for them, adding cannabis to one’s daily regiment can potentially protect against the augmented risks of cancer and dementia and other conditions the hormones expose one to.
Compounding the paucity of studies about women, there is the further limitation that the studies which do exist rarely use whole plant medicine, choosing instead what pharmecutical companies have synthetically created or using isolates from the plant. And yet studies have shown whole plant cannabis preparations are superior to isolated cannabinoids. [21]
Whole plant remedies respect the intelligence of the plant, who’s cannabinoids and terpenes and flavonoids all work together synergistically to produce an effect that is far greater than the sum of its individual parts (i.e., any individual isolated cannabinoid part). [22] Scientists call this enhanced synergy the “entourage effect”. Whole plant medicine has been found to be 4-330 times more effective than partial plant isolates. [23] Most commercial cannabis products are not whole plant. Imagine the benefit to menopausal women working with a whole plant!
Then imagine the even greater support and potency from cannabis that is grown regeneratively, [24] sun-kissed, deeply rooted in fertile soil, interconnected with the subterranean fungal network that is the web of life which supports the plants and by extension, all human life. Imagine plants that are nourished by the air, wind, and rain, surrounded by dozens of companion plants who attract beneficial insects, pollinating bees, and birds. Imagine female plants that are tended and gently harvested by women’s hands, connected to the divine feminine energy and spirit that is this sacred plant. Plants grown with this consciousness know what women need.
A recent study (2023) was the first to evaluate the impact of natural and artificial cultivations on the profile of cannabinoids and terpenes in commercial cannabis. [25] The results revealed significant differences in the terpene and cannabinoid profiles of indoor vs outdoor commercial cannabis, with the outdoor plants providing greater healing benefits. The indoor grown samples contained more degraded cannabinoids and were homogenous- all genetically identical. The sun-grown plants had a greater diversity of unusual cannabinoids and had more terpenes, both of which increase the healing potential.
Terpenes are organic compounds found in cannabis and other flowering plants. They are what provides cannabis with her famous scent and are healing agents, in their own right. Terpenes synergistically interact with cannabinoids to further amplify the entourage effect, [26] meaning outdoor cannabis produces stronger and more effective medicine.
Limonene is a terpene that is anti-depressant, helps with stress and induces apoptosis (cell death) in breast cancer cells! Pinene is anti-inflammatory and promotes focus, concentration, and memory. Linalool has anticancer properties and supports sleep. Myrcene is anti-inflammatory and analgesic: cultivars with more than .5% tend to be sedating while those under .5% tend to be energizing. Terpinolene is anticancer and sedative.
This study [27] from 2020 acknowledged the synergy between terpenes and cannabinoids, recognizing the potential for increased therapeutic value for people suffering mood disorders and anxiety.
The scientific studies discussed herein are of some value, limited as they are, but we are our best support. There is much anecdotal evidence in support of cannabis’s ability to reduce the symptoms of menopause. We are on our own with regard to issues like what cultivars help more than others; the increased benefits of consuming orally vs smoking or vaping; the impact of choosing whole plant medicine vs processed formulas using isolates; the greater medicinal (and spiritual) value of medicine from plants that were grown regeneratively under the sun vs everything else. And while science has historically been less interested in women than men, fortunately we have the best teachers: the plants themselves. Scientists are catching up and figuring out what women already know. It is high time we took matters into our own hands (pun intended).
Based on our experiences helping people find relief with cannabis, Crone Grown believes that oral ingestion is key to refueling your endocannabinoid system and healing. Smoking and vaping are important for break through pain or for enjoyment, but not necessarily for the support we need in menopause and beyond. There is also some evidence that smoking cannabis releases toxins similar to cigarettes which can cause lung irritation. Smoking can also cause the disintegration of some of the cannabinoids with important healing properties. And finally, there is some mixed evidence that smoking can further lower estrogen levels. [28] You can keep smoking, but if you’ve made the decision to forgo hormone therapy, it is critical that you also consume cannabis orally every day to stabilize your hormones.
Crone Grown also encourages women to use a variety of plants to support themselves during this period including, Motherwort, Vitex, Red clover, Black cohosh, and others. We have only personally experimented with motherwort and the women we have given motherwort to for menstrual cramping as well as menopausal symptoms, find motherwort indispensable. I have experienced the immediate calming and grounding effects of motherwort, when taken in the moment I need it. Motherwort tincture can minimize hot flashes and night sweats, moderate mood swings, sooth our nervous systems and reduce anxiety. [29]
I have always cherished the fact that we grow female plants for our medicine. The connections that science continues to reveal support what we intuitively know. Here is a truly natural, extremely safe choice that reduces or avoids the harmful effects of both the menopause-related diseases as well as the risks associated with hormone replacement therapies. It is a win/win for women and who else to deliver that than a female cannabis plant!
[1] See, All Our Plant Partners & The Benefits to You, https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/partners
[2] See, The Extraordinary Healing Benefits of the Cannabis Plant and the Endocannabinoid System, https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/ecs
[3] See, Cannabis reverses aging processes in the brain, Researchers restore the memory performance of Methuselah mice to a juvenile stage, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170508112400.htm;
A chronic low dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) restores cognitive function in old mice, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28481360/
[4] We have cannabinoid receptors located everywhere in our bodies, including in our ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and reproductive system. Our own endocannabinoids directly influence our menstrual cycle as well as menopause.
See, The fundamental role of the endocannabinoid system in endometrium and placenta: implications in pathophysiological aspects of uterine and pregnancy disorders, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7317288/.
See also, The role of the endocannabinoid system in female reproductive tissues. J Ovarian Res 12, 3 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-018-0478-9. Scientists recognize that critical for fertilization and embryo implantation is our endocannabinoid system, 2019 Walker, O.S., Holloway, A.C. & Raha, S.
[5] See, Cannabidiol-Treated Ovariectomized Mice Show Improved Glucose, Energy, and Bone Metabolism With a Bloom in Lactobacillus, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9255917/. “Decline in the production of ovarian 17β-estradiol (E2) during menopause and postmenopause places women at greater risk for weight gain, cardiometabolic disease, osteoporosis, and gastrointestinal disorders (Monteleone et al., 2018)”
“Loss of ovarian E2 leads to systemic physiological changes including an altered gut microbiota (Flores et al., 2012; Choi et al., 2017; Chen et al., 2021) and dysregulation of metabolic functions (Mauvais-Jarvis et al., 2013).”
[6] See, Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15245-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms#:~:text=Known%20health%20risks%20include%3A,chance%20of%20gallbladder%2Fgallstone%20problems.
Compounding the extreme health risks of menopause/post menopause and the independent risks of hormone replacement therapies, there are also the unwanted side effects associated with the non-hormonal prescription drugs women are so often prescribed, like antidepressants (SSRIs). These include weight gain, gastrointestinal distress, sexual dysfunction and suicidal ideation. After numerous deaths, black box warnings are now placed on drugs like SSRIs.
[7] See, A Potential Involvement of Anandamide in the Modulation of HO/NOS Systems: Women, Menopause, and "Medical Cannabinoids, 2020- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7699915/
See also, The Role of Endocannabinoid System in Menopause and Its Related-Diseases, https://austinpublishinggroup.com/obstetrics-gynecology/fulltext/ajog-v8-id1177.php
In this 2021 paper “The Role of Endocannabinoid System in Menopause and Its Related-Diseases,” researchers looked at over 100 studies relating to menopause and the alteration of cannabinoid receptors expression and endocannabinoids levels which result when estrogen collapses and found the evidence supports the protective role of the ECS in counteracting the harmful effects of these menopause-related diseases.
[8] See, The Role of Endocannabinoid System in Menopause and Its Related-Diseases,
https://austinpublishinggroup.com/obstetrics-gynecology/fulltext/ajog-v8-id1177.php
[9] See, Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women,
https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/heartdisease/index.html
[10] See, Cannabidiol-Treated Ovariectomized Mice Show Improved Glucose, Energy, and Bone Metabolism With a Bloom in Lactobacillus, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9255917/:
“Estrogens reduction and deregulation of lipid metabolism predispose postmenopausal women to Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) . Indeed, in menopause it is reported an increase of total cholesterol, triglycerides, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels and of total cholesterol/High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, which lead to CVDs .”
[11] See, Cannabidiol-Treated Ovariectomized Mice Show Improved Glucose, Energy, and Bone Metabolism With a Bloom in Lactobacillus, 2022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9255917/. Researchers demonstrated how CBD treatment in estrogen-deficient mice alleviated the symptoms of estrogen deficiency.
[12] See, Cannabidiol-Treated Ovariectomized Mice Show Improved Glucose, Energy, and Bone Metabolism With a Bloom in Lactobacillus,2022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9255917/. Scientists recognize that The ECS is involved in modulating food intake, energy balance, thermogenesis and fat accumulation. “Taken together, these data highlight the important role of ECS in menopause-associated obesity; in particular, several variants of both cannabinoids receptors and endocannabinoids are involved in inducing metabolic disorders and obesity.”
[13] See, Cannabidiol-Treated Ovariectomized Mice Show Improved Glucose, Energy, and Bone Metabolism With a Bloom in Lactobacillus, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9255917/.
See also, Cannabidiol Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Inflammatory Microenvironment via the CB2-dependent p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway, https://www.ijstemcell.com/journal/view.html?uid=533&vmd=Full, International Journal of Stem Cells 2022;15:405-414, Published online November 30, 2022 Korean Society for Stem Cell Research.
Researchers tested the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on mouse bone marrow stem cells and found that CBD, reduced inflammation markers as well as promoted new bone cell growth.
[14] “THCV and CBD have been shown to improve metabolism and blood glucose in human and animal models of diabetes. A 2016 study found that THCV and CBD decreased blood glucose levels and increased insulin production in people with type 2 diabetes, indicating a “new therapeutic agent for glycemic control”. “
Cannabis and Diabetes, https://www.diabetes.co.uk/recreational-drugs/cannabis.html#:~:text=THCV%20and%20CBD%20have%20been,therapeutic%20agent%20for%20glycemic%20control%E2%80%9D
See also, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabivarin on Glycemic and Lipid Parameters in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Pilot Study, https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/39/10/1777/129/Efficacy-and-Safety-of-Cannabidiol-and
[15] See, The Mystery and the Magic of THCV, https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/thcv for citation to the various studies mentioned herein.
[16] See, High prevalence of dementia in women with osteoporosis. Joint Bone Spine 2017 Oct;84(5):611-614 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27697401/
[17] See, All Our Plant Partners & the Benefits to You, https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/partners for a partial list of the conditions cannabis can help with:
- protect the brain after a stroke,
- provide pain relief from almost any type of chronic pain including migraines, muscle & joint pain,
- calm and regulate moods,
- heal bone injuries,
- treat inflammatory bowel disease,
- reverse aging in the brain,
- soothe symptoms of Parkinson’s,
- prevent Alzheimer’s,
- increase energy,
- control seizures from epilepsy and other seizure-inducing conditions,
- reduce painful muscle contractions in MS,
- stop cancer cells from spreading,
- treat glaucoma by reducing pressure in the eye,
- improve symptoms of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes and ALS,
- stop asthma attacks and increase lung capacity improving conditions like pulmonary fibrosis,
- treat gout,
- treat Crohn’s disease,
- reduce blood pressure,
- lower anxiety and depression,
- protect against age-related bone-loss- osteoporosis.
See also, The Extraordinary Healing Benefits of the Cannabis Plant and the Endocannabinoid System,
https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/ecs
Despite the illegality of cannabis, which historically had made it difficult for scientists to study, there exist thousands of studies demonstrating an extraordinary breadth of conditions that cannabis can relieve or heal. The list includes the ability to:
- reverse the aging processes in the brain by increasing learning capacity and memory performance;
- kill cancer cells and further inhibit metastasis and tumor growth;
- moderate autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, relieve symptoms of Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and ALS;
- lower pain levels associated with a very long list of conditions and either replace the need for opioids or reduce the amount of opioids needed to control pain;
- control seizures of epilepsy;
- reduce blood pressure;
- lower anxiety and treat depression.
Cannabis can help treat conditions that disproportionately affect women:
- relieving menstrual cramps,
- lessen hot flashes,
- reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia,
- control migraines
- protect against age-related bone-loss (osteoporosis).
Diseases as diverse as Crohn’s, asthma, Tourette’s Syndrome and Pulmonary fibrosis - have all been shown to benefit from supplementing with cannabinoids from the plant. And cannabis is able to suppress cytokine production (the hyperinflammation that can kill us when viruses attack the lungs).
It is well known that most diseases of aging are inflammatory in origin, thus making cannabis the best anti-aging supplement we could take to avoid arthritis, dementia, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer.
[18] See, Cannabinoids and their therapeutic applications in mental disorders, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7605020/#:~:text=sectional%20investigations%20in%20which%20there,to%20alleviate%20symptoms%20of%20depression.
“In spite of this strong evidence for an involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the pathophysiology of depression, no clinical trials have been registered to evaluate the efficacy of medical cannabis/medicinal cannabinoids for the treatment of major depression. Most of the evidence for an antidepressant effect of medical cannabis comes from case reports and observational studies. For example, in a systematic review, Walsh et al identified several cross-sectional investigations in which there was clear evidence for an improvement of mood through medical cannabis. This was corroborated by another recent meta-analytic review in which over 35% of the participants reported self-medication with cannabis to alleviate symptoms of depression. “ (emphasis supplied)
[19] See, The role of endocannabinoids in the hypothalamic regulation of visceral function, https://pages.ucsd.edu/~mboyle/COGS163/pdf-files/The%20role%20of%20endocannabinoids%20in%20the%20hypothalamic%20regulation%20of%20visceral%20function-2002.pdf
[20] NIH Definition of a Clinical Trial: A research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of those interventions on health-related biomedical or behavioral outcomes.
[21] In this study, Overcoming the Bell‐Shaped Dose‐Response of Cannabidiol by Using Cannabis Extract Enriched in Cannabidiol, https://file.scirp.org/pdf/PP_2015021016351567.pdf, researchers reported that extracts derived from the cannabis plant provided higher levels of relief than an isolated CBD product provided by a German pharmaceutical company. Authors concluded that the administration of plant-derived extracts is "superior" to the use of synthetic CBD in the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases. Our findings [show] that CBD in the presence of other plant constituents improves the dose-response," authors reported. Researchers had further observed that when the doses were increased, the full plant extract provided increased relief whereas the CBD isolate at increased doses did not provide more relief.
A study with children with treatment-resistant epilepsy, found that whole-plant cannabis therapies reduced seizures by 86 percent. The children had not responded to CBD products in the past, but in the study, they were given whole-plant cannabis oil containing THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids as well as compounds including terpenes and flavonoids, which decreased the frequency of their seizures by nearly 90 percent. Medical cannabis for severe treatment resistant epilepsy in children: a case-series of 10 patients https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/bmjpo/5/1/e001234.full.pdf
[22] See, Overcoming the Bell‐Shaped Dose‐Response of Cannabidiol by Using Cannabis Extract Enriched in Cannabidiol, https://file.scirp.org/pdf/PP_2015021016351567.pdf
[23] See, How to Choose the Best Cannabis Medicine That Preserves the Integrity of the Whole Plant https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/choose
[24] See, A Paradigm Switch to Regenerative Farming is Essential to the Preservation of Life on Earth, https://www.terrafarmany.com/blog/regen1
[25] See, Comparison of the Cannabinoid and Terpene Profiles in Commercial Cannabis from Natural and Artificial Cultivation, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9861703/
We found that in general, the commercial samples that were sun-grown (naturally) have less oxidized and degraded cannabinoids and more terpenes (quantity and type of terpenes), particularly the sesquiterpenes, than the genetically identical commercial samples grown indoors, under artificial lights utilizing artificial growth media.
One important conclusion of this study is that the consumer is not being given a complete picture of the components in cannabis. Indoor samples have a greater preponderance of oxidized and degraded cannabinoids, and the outdoor samples are able to express more cannabinoids with potentially desirable bioactivity. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the composition of secondary metabolites, such as cannabinoids and terpenes grown in different environmental conditions, is of primary importance for the medical and recreational use of cannabis. Growing cannabis that expresses the unusual cannabinoids, such as C4- and C6-Δ9-THCA, could have significant medicinal benefit.
Terpenes can act synergistically with variations in quantities and ratios and in combinations with other bioactive secondary metabolites such as annabinoids as suggested by the varied medicinal effects, known as the “entourage effect”. This synergy could be significant in cultivating and breeding cannabis with greater therapeutic benefits.
The main finding is that the outdoor cannabis samples had a greater diversity of terpenes and greater amounts of the ones that are present when compared to indoor cannabis from the same genetic stock.
[26] This was an early paper finding synergies between terpenes and cannabinoids. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/.
In addition to assisting with the entourage effect, terpenes have effects in their own right. This study showed that inhalation of terpenes at concentrations similar to that in cannabis leads to “profound effects on activity levels, suggesting a direct pharmacological effect on the brain.
[27] See, The “Entourage Effect”: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7324885/#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9Centourage%20effect%E2%80%9D%2C%20is,effects%20of%20its%20contributing%20parts
“To the best of our best knowledge, such innovative combinations between terpenes and cannabinoids have not been considered earlier in existing scientific research. The use of various cannabis-derived compounds opens the arena to the option of avoiding the adverse effects of the available antidepressants and mood stabilizers while treating mood disorders. This may be particularly important for patients who are non-responsive or non-adherent to conventional treatment.”
“The “entourage effect”, is the suggested positive contribution derived from the addition of terpenes to the effect of cannabinoids. This means that the entirety of the effect is greater than the sum effects of its contributing parts.”
“Synergistic interactions may be found between different cannabinoids (i.e.,“intra-entourage”) [105] and between cannabinoids and terpenes (i.e.,“inter-entourage”) . Thus, cannabis appliance should be optimized to contain mixtures of these C. sativa-derived combined components. Another possibility is to use the whole extract with all compounds that produce the greatest synergistic activity.”
[28] See, Estrogenic effects of marijuana smoke condensate and cannabinoid compounds, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0041008X06000093
[29] See, 4 Benefits of Motherwort Tincture for Women of All Ages, https://www.corinnawood.com/blog/making-motherwort-tincture
Motherwort’s botanical name, Leonurus cardiaca, translates to lion-hearted and motherwort is commonly prescribed for its benefits to the heart- especially when we need the courage of a lion. Motherwort tincture can cool the intensity of hot flashes and reduce night sweats if taken before bed. It is recommended for hormonal related mood swings, particularly the rageful ones. When we’re anxious and our heart is racing, motherwort can sooth our nervous system.
Motherwort is such a powerful plant remedy that it is contraindicated for menopausal women who have extremely heavy bleeding. But for the rest of us, or when the heavy bleeding stops, it can calm the nerves, decrease anxiety, and cool the hot flashes. Taking 20-30 drops of motherwort tincture usually takes the edge and intensity off cramps, hot flashes and hormonal mood swings within a half hour.
