Does Marijuana Help Control Cholesterol Levels?

Consumers of marijuana are less likely to develop diabetes, a disease often associated with high cholesterol levels. This has led to the belief that marijuana may help regulate cholesterol concentration in the body.

The Effect of Marijuana on Metabolism

In 2019, Chinese scientists published the results of a study on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on the consequences of an unhealthy diet. Researchers induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice by feeding them a diet high in fats and cholesterol. After the mice began taking CBD, their liver inflammation stopped. Cannabinoids suppress the mechanism of the inflammasome (a complex responsible for activating the inflammatory response), making them powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

Researchers at an American medical center conducted a study involving 100 African American participants. The authors compared the health indicators of the volunteers and found that those who smoked marijuana had:

• Lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure
• Less abdominal fat
• Lower cholesterol levels and body mass index (BMI)

These factors suggest that marijuana users have better metabolism, which may explain why they are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. It’s also worth noting that a large abdomen is often a sign of health problems, particularly an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

How Does Marijuana Affect Cholesterol Levels?

In one study, researchers gave CBD and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) to patients with type 2 diabetes. They found that THCV significantly reduced plasma glucose levels; however, cannabinoids did not affect HDL cholesterol concentration (the so-called “good cholesterol” that reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease). Similar conclusions were reached in another study involving 62 participants who took CBD and THCV for 13 weeks. The patients’ glucose levels decreased, but the substances did not change cholesterol concentrations.

Thus, scientists have not found a direct link between marijuana use and cholesterol levels. Nevertheless, marijuana has a positive effect on metabolism and reduces the risk of developing diabetes. The plant helps protect against the negative effects of a diet high in fats and cholesterol, so cannabinoids may be used as a supplementary treatment for diabetes.