Can Cannabis Help Your Digestive Issues?

We know that cannabis might help with chemotherapy-related nausea; but does weed help with digestive issues? There is some evidence to suggest that cannabis can have a positive effect on digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.

While some people may notice that their digestive tract runs more smoothly as a result of recreational or medical cannabis use, others may find that cannabis (especially smoked cannabis) aggravates some digestive issues. For those suffering from chronic abdominal pain or other debilitating symptoms caused by a digestive ailment, non-smoked cannabis products could be worth a try.

Digestive Issues that Cannabis May Help

The cannabis plant may help with digestive issues by reducing symptoms like pain, diarrhea, or spasms. There is growing evidence to suggest that cannabis taken both for medicinal and recreational purposes could help people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and GI diseases. These include:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term that covers several different gastrointestinal symptoms that involve chronic inflammation in various parts of the digestive tract. Though more research is needed on the subject, it is estimated that 15% of IBD sufferers use products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa to improve their symptoms. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of IBD.

Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in 25 states. This reflects an increasing use of cannabis to control the symptoms of Crohn's disease in places like Seattle, Washington, and other states that have legalized marijuana to some degree. Common symptoms of Crohn's disease include chronic pain and discomfort, skin rashes, chronic inflammation, and joint pain. While only 25 states approve medical cannabis for Crohn's disease, many people around the country also use recreational cannabis to control their symptoms.

There is some debate in the scientific community surrounding the efficacy of marijuana for Crohn's disease and whether the benefits of cannabis for Crohn's disease outweigh the potential risks.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a gastrointestinal disorder that is similar to Crohn's disease. While Crohn's can affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus, UC affects the large intestine (colon and rectum). Some investigations as well as anecdotal evidence suggest that cannabis can have beneficial effects on UC symptoms including pain, diarrhea, and suppressed appetite.

Other Potential Effects of Cannabis on Digestion

The effects of cannabis on various parts of the digestive system have been studied by researchers. Marijuana use is known to cause a variety of effects on digestion and can offer benefits to people suffering from various conditions. Cannabis may also have different effects on different people. For example, some people may experience laxative effects, leading them to wonder if weed makes you poop. However, it may help stem diarrhea in conditions like Crohn's.

The following are two recognized effects of cannabis:

Stimulating Appetite

For many people, a stimulated appetite only means indulging after a smoking session. However, for patients suffering from cancer or HIV/AIDS who may not be eating adequately, appetite stimulation can help prevent malnutrition.

Reducing Nausea and Vomiting

Patients suffering from nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or digestive disorders have reported a reduction in their symptoms after consuming cannabis.

The Consumption Method Matters

The way you consume cannabis will influence your body’s response. If you eat or drink cannabis-based products, the compounds will pass through your digestive system and liver before entering the bloodstream. Therefore, ingesting cannabis would logically have more of an effect on your digestive system than smoking or vaping. 

However, personalizing your dosage with pre-dosed products like capsules may prove challenging because you can’t split them in half like you can with tablets or edibles. Tinctures and edibles are generally better choices for micro-dosing and customizing your intake.

Heavy Cannabis Use Can Lead to Nausea and Vomiting

While moderate cannabis consumption can help with some digestive issues, long-term, heavy use can lead to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which is characterized by recurring nausea and vomiting. The best way to prevent this syndrome from developing is to keep your consumption moderate and take periodic tolerance breaks. 

Recommended Cannabis Products for Digestive Support

Diet and stress are known aggravating factors for digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive illnesses. Addressing these two lifestyle factors can help sufferers get their IBS symptoms under control. However, flare-ups can still hit at any time.

Doctors often prescribe medications that target specific symptoms of IBS. Some of these medications have unpleasant side effects. That's why many people turn to alternative treatments when suffering from a flare-up.

Different cannabis products may be more or less effective depending on the GI symptoms you have. It's important to report your symptoms to your physician and get a proper diagnosis (if you don’t have one already) so you have a clearer idea of what you're dealing with.

Cannabis Products for IBS

IBS can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, spasms, and other GI symptoms. Research shows that targeting the endocannabinoid system (ECS) can be an effective way of managing gut motility, intestinal inflammation, and gut-brain axis alteration which may bring on IBS symptoms.

• Wong et al. (2011) noted that dronabinol increases colonic compliance and improves diarrhea in IBS patients.

• Halford et al. (2018) reported that CBD is beneficial for IBS symptoms and has a good safety profile. The authors also noted that THC or its synthetic counterparts could be effective in improving abdominal spasms, cramps, and visceral pain in IBS patients.

How to Take Cannabis for IBS

Currently, there's no conclusive research on which type of cannabis product could be best for IBS or other disorders of the GI tract. However, consuming THC and CBD together may be more effective than choosing one alone, due to the entourage effect. It may be worth trying full-spectrum products to see if they have an effect before trying CBD isolate.

Ingested products like edibles or oils may be a good place to start when experimenting with weed for IBS. Smoking (especially cigarettes) is generally considered to worsen IBS, so look for alternative delivery methods.

Cannabis Products for Nausea and Vomiting

Anecdotal evidence suggests that cannabis provides fast-acting relief for nausea, which is one of the symptoms of IBS. Additionally:

• High-THC products could be more effective than their CBD-rich counterparts for reducing nausea. This is because THC influences the dorsal vagus nerve, which controls nausea and vomiting. THC products are particularly effective when smoked or vaped. However, due to the negative effects of smoking on some digestive disorders, smoking THC may be counterproductive for some people.

• Sativa strains for nausea seem to be more effective than indica strains.

• Consuming cannabis orally offers an alternative to smoking but takes longer to have an effect.

If you are currently going through chemotherapy, be sure to consult your doctor about how cannabis could help or hinder your current treatment plan.

Other Ways to Improve Digestive Symptoms

Focusing on your diet is the number one way to take back control over IBS and IBD symptoms and improve your gut health. There are various dietary approaches to improving inflammatory bowel disease. These are a few tips from health sources on the web:

• Try implementing a low-FODMAP diet. This involves temporarily restricting certain hard-to-digest carbohydrates such as those found in beans, onions, garlic, and fruit.

• Try to incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet. This includes foods like oily fish that are rich in Omega-3.

• Keep track of what you eat and when you suffer flare-ups. This could help you identify problematic foods to avoid.

• Eat more frequent but smaller meals rather than three large meals per day.

• Avoid foods that increase stool output if you suffer from diarrhea. This could include prunes, caffeinated drinks, and large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Though restricting some problematic foods may help you control your symptoms, it's important not to overly restrict your diet. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet has many health benefits that extend beyond managing your digestive disorder.

Avoid Aggravating Factors

Apart from diet, certain lifestyle changes could help limit the impact of digestive issues on your life. If you suffer from digestive problems:

• Avoid cigarettes: Smoking tobacco raises the likelihood of relapses in people with Crohn's disease as well as raising the chances of the need for medications and repeat surgeries.

• Reduce stress: Though easier said than done, reducing stress can reduce the chances of a flare-up. When facing high-stress situations, try exercising or relaxation and breathing exercises.

Try Oral Cannabis Products If You Have Digestive Issues

From edibles to oil and capsules, there is a wide range of orally ingested cannabis products on the market. People suffering from all types of digestive issues may find relief from full-spectrum products that help to alleviate diarrhea, pain, or spasms caused by problems in the GI tract.

Though full-spectrum products may be a good place to start, it could also be worth experimenting with CBD isolate. If your symptoms persist after trying full-spectrum cannabis oil and CBD isolate and making adjustments to your lifestyle and diet, seek medical advice.