Does Cannabis Relieve Menopause Symptoms?
A Harvard University-led survey seems to indicate that cannabis relieves menopause symptoms in most women. The results of the survey of 131 women were recently published in the journal Menopause. Symptoms such as hot flashes and sleep or mood changes may occur during perimenopause and menopause – and can be disruptive for the women experiencing them.
Most of the women who agreed to the survey (86 per cent) were current cannabis users, citing recreational use, medical use, or both. About 79 per cent said that cannabis relieves menopause symptoms.
However, not everyone is convinced by the findings. Dr. Heather Hirsch, head of the Menopause and Midlife Clinic at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said that there are still questions about cannabis safety.
“More and more patients tell me every year that they’ve tried cannabis or CBD, particularly for sleep or anxiety,” Dr. Hirsch said. “Adding to its appeal is that cannabis is now legal in so many places (in the US)… You don’t need a doctor’s prescription. But why is there a movement toward saying okay to something that has unknown long-term effects, more than something that’s been studied and proven safe?”
However, she said, it makes sense that many women would report improved mood, anxiety, and sleep using cannabis.
“It’s that feeling of, ‘I can’t turn my brain off.’ It’s really disturbing because they get in bed and can’t fall asleep, so they’re more tired, moody, and cranky the next day,” Dr. Hirsch said.
There are other problematic issues with the study including the sample size (only 131 respondents) and makeup. Almost all survey participants were white and middle class, recruited through social media.
Survey Results May Still Point to Cannabis Relieves Menopause Symptoms – LPC
Four out of five women reporting that cannabis relieves menopause symptoms is promising, regardless of the possible survey problems. Of course, there is also the ongoing problem of cannabis research in general, and in the US in particular. Researchers in the US have to actually get clearance from their Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) – and as you might expect, they tend to drag their feet on those sorts of things. Many see cannabis research restrictions like this as a threat to public health.
In other words, small research studies like this that rely on self-reporting and other non-quantitative data sources might be flawed, but it’s often better than no research at all.
The reality is that we need more cannabis research – and more far-reaching research – to fill in the blanks that Dr. Hirsch and others are worried about. Hopefully, as legalization continues to slowly chug along in the US, attitudes will change in the near future.
Read the Harvard Health Article Here
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