Using Medical Cannabis to Manage Nausea During Chemotherapy
This article begins with a personal example of successfully integrating cannabinoids into the treatment of chemotherapy side effects, specifically severe nausea and vomiting experienced by many cancer patients. The story centers on Lara, a woman who initially refused to try such medication due to her more than 20 years of experience working in addiction therapy and her ideological opposition to cannabis. Given the stereotypes about cannabis and the stress of chemotherapy, many patients feel uncomfortable with the idea of using an intoxicating substance when they are already feeling unwell.
To convince Lara to try cannabinoid oils, I suggested she use isolated CBD extracts, which do not have noticeable psychoactive effects, administered via a specially calibrated electronic vaporizer designed for safe and controlled therapeutic use. The oil chosen for her therapy had a higher concentration of CBD, with a typical medical cannabinoid to THC ratio of 2:1, which is standard for natural medical extracts in many regions of the U.S. and Canada.
Three days after receiving the device and extract, Lara called me after her therapy session. Crying with joy, the former skeptic thanked me for insisting on the use of medical cannabis, noting that just a couple of puffs of the oil helped her get through an entire day of chemotherapy without the usual stomach discomfort. “This oil worked faster and better than any other medication my doctors recommended,” she said.
This article will further explore the phenomenon of using medical cannabis and plant extracts to suppress nausea and vomiting that can accompany chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
Nausea and Its Causes
Nausea and the related vomiting response are protective reactions of the human body to various pathogens that threaten health and normal functioning. That’s why this unpleasant but important reaction occurs in cases of poisoning, whether from spoiled food, excessive alcohol, or other psychoactive substances. Often, these symptoms are simply natural defense mechanisms, similar to inflammation or pain after an injury. However, sometimes nausea can be episodic or chronic, indicating deeper dysfunctions in the body’s systems.
Nausea and vomiting are direct symptoms of the following conditions:
- Migraines
- Severe head/brain injuries
- Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
- Infections or poisoning of the digestive system
- Intestinal tract injuries
- Vestibular disorders
- Appendicitis
- Hepatitis infection
- Pancreatitis
- Side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer
- Side effects of infections and viruses
- Chronic blood disorders (risk of heart attack)
- Physical or emotional/psychological stress overload
The sensation of nausea and its consequences, such as vomiting, involve not only the digestive tract and its autonomic nervous system but also specific areas of the brain that regulate this response. A sudden release of serotonin in body tissues can overload various neuromodulating compounds, triggering the body’s rejection of substances and excess hormones or psychoactive activators, further stressing biological systems.
Currently, scientists can reduce these sensations using certain antiemetic drugs that slow serotonin release and block its interaction with some receptors, easing the body’s regulatory systems. One such drug is Zofran, widely used to treat chemotherapy side effects. However, some studies suggest that cannabinoids may be a more effective alternative, providing longer-lasting and more complete blocking effects on serotonin receptors.
Cannabinoids and Nausea Modulation
CBD not only has noticeable pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects but also tones the body, reducing anxiety and depression associated with the severity of chemotherapy. Cannabinoids are effective blockers of receptors that produce serotonin in response to chemotherapy, as well as modulator receptors that interact with hormone molecules.
Interestingly, the psychoactive cannabinoid THC has similar properties, but due to its higher reactivity with CB and serotonin receptors, even small doses can have the opposite effect, causing nervous tension and sensory overstimulation, increasing the risk of nausea and vomiting. For this reason, patients using THC for nausea do so in very small, carefully measured doses or balance its effects by mixing it with other cannabinoids, especially CBD, and modulating terpenes.
Some doctors also consider cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) as a potentially effective treatment for nausea, but this compound is rare in nature and still in the early stages of research. While animal and volunteer studies show CBDA may be superior to CBD as an antiemetic, its practical use is limited until it can be produced on a larger scale. CBDA breaks down quickly under heat, unlike THC and CBD, which degrade slowly at room temperature. However, new developments in cannabis cultivation and organic synthesis may soon make CBDA more accessible.
In addition to regulating serotonin absorption, these cannabinoids significantly reduce stress experienced by patients before and during cancer therapy, which helps suppress the “nocebo” effect—subconscious expectations and fears of nausea and vomiting. According to Professor Linda Parker, a neurologist at the University of Guelph, Canada, both human and animal studies indicate that the sedative effects of CBD, THC, and CBDA play a major role in the higher effectiveness of cannabinoids in preventing chemotherapy and radiation side effects compared to pharmaceutical drugs that do not directly affect the nervous system.
Practical Use of Medical Cannabis During Chemotherapy
Given the limited research, mostly based on volunteer experiences like Lara’s and a few private projects, and the lack of formal clinical testing programs for cannabinoids as an adjunct to chemotherapy and radiation, there are currently no established medical standards for their use. However, due to their lack of significant toxicity and the ease of use and dosing (especially with oils and extracts rather than plant material or edibles), practical use of cannabinoids poses little health risk.
As with other types of home cannabinoid therapy, it’s best to start with low doses and concentrations, increasing as needed based on the effect. For a smoother and more balanced effect, ensure the extract contains a higher proportion of CBD than THC, and that the THC effect is moderated by other compounds like terpenes, CBDA, and other micro-compounds.
Finally, avoid isolated preparations and extracts, which can have a more direct and intense effect on the body’s receptors without the moderating “entourage effect” of terpenes, and avoid combining CBD and similar compounds with large doses of other psychoactive medications, especially immunomodulators or opioids, to prevent issues with slowed metabolism and elimination of these substances from the body.
Original author: Stacey Kerr