Smoking Weed Causing Diarrhea
Marijuana is a staple nowadays because of its legality and popularity, especially for leisure and medical use. While marijuana can help alleviate constipation and diarrhea, it can also cause either one of them.
For many patients who smoke or vape medical weed, these side effects are more common than you might think.
Can smoking weed cause diarrhea? Yes, smoking weed can cause diarrhea and constipation. It has something to do with THC and CBD affecting your digestive tract.
Learn the connection between diarrhea and weed in today’s post as we provide more information about medical marijuana side effects, whether positive or negative.
Connection Between Marijuana and Diarrhea
When it comes to the mechanisms of how marijuana induces diarrhea and constipation, the connections are still unclear.
However, several studies indicate that these effects are proven, and many marijuana doctors say that using marijuana can lead to stomach issues and bad stool.
It also does not matter if you smoke weed, use oils, or have taken edibles. Anything can be the reason why you have sudden diarrhea.
The gastrointestinal tract is influenced by the endocannabinoid system. The substances contained in marijuana can alter the function of the ECS.
Cannabinoids like THC and CBD can influence the digestive system and cause stomach issues like diarrhea.
In addition, cannabis-infused oils can sometimes irritate your guts, leading to more trips to the bathroom.
The Cause of Diarrhea and Constipation
The cause of diarrhea and other stomach-related issues due to medical weed is still an area that has gone unstudied.
However, many early studies suggest that THC is one of several cannabinoids that slows down your digestive tract.
It is also a possibility that many edibles and oils contain additional ingredients that can affect how fast or slow your digestive system breaks down food.
Also, another cannabinoid, called cannabidiol, is considered a potential motivator in many people experiencing diarrhea.
Many experts believe that with proper research and time, they can discover why medical weed causes diarrhea and constipation in some weed users.
While legality is one reason this topic has gone unresearched, another probability is that few people experience this side effect.
Positive Effects
While weed may cause side effects in your digestive tract, it can also have some positive effects. In most cases, weed can improve your digestive system, as cannabis is known to treat inflammatory bowel disorder.
It can also treat ulcerative colitis, ileitis, nausea, and vomiting.
Many studies have shown evidence for these positive effects of weed, and much scientific research indicates that some patients stop taking other drugs for their GI disorders.
Many patients are reported to have fewer bowel issues and a lower number of daily loose stools. Some even reported alleviated abdominal pain.
Negative Effects
If there are positive effects, you should expect that weed also has negative effects, regardless of how you use your marijuana.
Along with some common reactions to cannabis, like abnormal heart rate, dizziness, altered thinking, hallucinations, appetite change, low blood pressure, and panic attacks, you might experience GI side effects.
This can be in the form of repeated vomiting and diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and abdominal cramps. You can also expect to have a tender and painful stomach and slow gastric motility.
This can often be associated with the unpleasant and painful sensations in your stomach.
These side effects can be due to either acute pancreatitis or cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. These cases can happen only after daily heavy weed use for many years.
Use marijuana with caution, as it can lead to drug abuse, which is getting alarming in some states.
Recognizing
To recognize weed-induced diarrhea, you need to make observations and track your body’s response to weed.
The diarrhea symptoms from weed are bad stool, stomach cramps, frequent use of the bathroom, and nausea.
If your symptoms occur more than once, you need to visit your physician and ask for medical assistance.
This can be a reason to change your cannabis medical plan and cease any cannabis usage.
How to Avoid and Manage
When you face regular and bad diarrhea from your weed usage, you should make sure that these disorders are not related to other serious health problems.
Look for anal fissures, gastrointestinal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or Crohn’s disease.
When the loose or hard stool is caused by weed, and there is actually no malady, your doctor will recommend that you change your regular diet and lower your weed dose.
Also, think about other forms of using weed. You can vape weed instead of smoking it and vice versa.
Always communicate with your healthcare provider and report any changes in your body.
Because there is a lack of understanding of why medical marijuana can cause diarrhea or constipation, a tried and tested cure for this side effect has not yet been found.
In many cases, your physician will only recommend adjusting your diet, using a different strain of medical weed, or changing your dosage.
Conclusion
When it comes to the severe side effects of marijuana, cases are very rare, and there are no reported deaths caused by weed.
This is because all side effects usually pass in due time. Stool problems are no exception.
Diarrhea might occur, but it’s just a sign that you have been using too much weed. Always talk with your doctor regarding your dosage of medical weed.