What is Cirrhosis?
For those who have hepatitis or have abused alcohol for many years, cirrhosis is a real concern. It is even a concern for people who have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with obesity and diabetes as these can also cause cirrhosis down the road. The liver is responsible for detoxifying your body from harmful substances, keeping the blood clean, and making nutrients that are important for your body to function. Cirrhosis is scarring from damage done to the liver that makes it difficult for the liver to do its job properly. It can be a life-threatening condition in the advanced stages, but there is hope if it is caught early and treatments are started.
Some of the symptoms of cirrhosis include itchy skin, appetite loss, swollen legs, fluid buildup in the stomach area, fatigue, bleeding and bruising, and breakouts of blood vessels close to the top layers of the skin. Some causes of cirrhosis are inherited as is the case with cystic fibrosis, but otherwise it is from issues later in life such as alcohol abuse, and hepatitis b and c. The goal for treatment is to reduce symptoms and reduce the continued scarring associated with the disease. A liver transplant is sometimes necessary if the liver fails to function.
Does Cannabis Help Cirrhosis?
The research regarding the effect of cannabis on cirrhosis is progressing but not nearly complete. There are two main compounds found in cannabis. The first is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the second is cannabidiol (CBD). These two compounds attach to and activate receptors called the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system of the body. One of these receptors, called CB2, has shown promise in reducing negative effects of alcoholic fatty liver, liver inflammation from hepatitis, and liver injuries. CBD activates the CB2 receptor which has been shown to increase death of certain cells which cause scarring of the liver. In mice studies, CBD was shown to bring back liver function in mice with liver failure, and another study found CBD can protect against tissue damage with cirrhosis. With drinking alcohol, CBD was found to be helpful in prevention steatosis of the liver, or progressive damage of the liver. Medical marijuana can also be helpful with managing symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and steadying body weight. Overall, cannabis can be very helpful in reducing symptoms of cirrhosis.
Legal Cannabis Oil
Some states in the US have received approval to use medical marijuana for symptoms that are often associated with cirrhosis such as nausea, pain, and extreme weight loss, but many other patients in other states do not have this option. In this case, some patients prefer to use CBD hemp oil, such as the CBD on love-hemp.com. The other benefit to CBD oil is that the THC psychoactive component is missing so there is no high effect. Future researchers should listen to current patients’ stories of their success with cannabis treatment and seek to quantify this success with timely clinical studies.
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