Cannabis to treat menopause symptoms?

Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, bloating, irritability, depression and anxiety are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. For people in or approaching middle age, this natural phase of aging is inevitable, and the results of menopause can significantly impact our quality of life. Although menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) stays the gold standard for treating vasomotor symptoms, its use has declined by roughly 80 percent over the past twenty years (Martin and Barbieri, 2022) because of its association with unwanted side effects comparable to fatigue and mood swings. as a possible increased risk of breast cancer.

According to a study by Dahlgren et al. (2022) women can turn to cannabis to alleviate the bothersome symptoms of menopause. 258 people were included within the evaluation, 131 within the perimenopausal period and 127 within the postmenopausal period. The highlights of this cross-sectional observational study are as follows:

• Most participants admitted to having used cannabis not less than once of their lives.
  • 83.5% reported a history of standard cannabis use (not less than once a month).
  • 86.1% reported current cannabis use.
  • 51.5% of current cannabis users reported mixed medical and recreational use.
  • 30.8% reported recreational use only.
  • 17.7% reported purely medical use.
• For women who reported using cannabis not less than once of their lives, 78.7% said they’d used cannabis not less than once to treat menopause-related symptoms, comparable to:
  • Sleep disorders 67.4%
  • Mood/anxiety 46.1%
  • Libido 30.4%
• Various types of cannabis were used, with probably the most common being smoking (84.3%), edibles (78.3%), and vaping oils (52.6%).
• The study was limited when it comes to demographics. Participants were primarily white, non-Hispanic, educated, middle-aged, middle-class or upper-class women who were employed not less than part-time.

Can cannabis affect menopause symptoms?

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) consists of CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the body that reply to cannabinoid (CB) molecules, whether natural (derived from cannabis) or synthetic (laboratory-developed). The ECS also produces endogenous cannabinoids when needed and influences physiological responses comparable to body temperature, anxiety, depression, hunger, and sleep (Dahlgren, 2022; Klein and Clark, 2022). CB1 receptors are distributed throughout the central nervous system and influence cognition, emotion, pain regulation, memory, and motor control (Dume and Lammers, 2020). CB2 receptors are present in the immune system and moderate inflammation and immune response to infections.

There are over 100 varieties of CB, of which delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the 2 mostly used for medicinal purposes (Dume and Lammers, 2020). THC is an agonist of the CB1 and CB2 sites and has a high binding affinity to CB1 receptors within the brain and central nervous system, causing euphoria and psychoactive effects. CBD accommodates no psychotropic component, has low binding affinity to CB1 and CB2, and is especially used for its therapeutic properties. The medical use of cannabis varies by state, but is mostly prescribed for the treatment of pain, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, seizure disorders, and nausea/vomiting (Klein and Clark, 2022). Regarding menopause, the administration of cannabinoids may cause vasorelaxation and help alleviate vasomotor symptoms comparable to hot flashes and night sweats, nevertheless, additional clinical trials are required to prove effectiveness as survey responses didn’t show improvement in these symptoms (Dahlgren et al. , 2022). Research can be needed to evaluate the risks and advantages of treating menopause-related symptoms with cannabis.

Legal consequences

At the time of writing this blog, twenty-three states, together with the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, and thirty-eight allow the medicinal use of cannabis products (Reuters, 2023a). With the rise of legalization, many cannabis-based products have been developed. Consumers must do not forget that these products are usually not subject to federal regulation, so contents and dosages may vary between products, leading to various effectiveness, response, and unwanted side effects (Dahlgren et al., 2022). Additionally, THC is currently classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which implies it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, and subsequently stays illegal on the federal level. Last August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) beneficial reclassifying marijuana as marijuana with moderate to low potential for dependence and abuse (Reuters, 2023b). This change could give researchers more flexibility to conduct randomized controlled trials to thoroughly test effectiveness and enable wider acceptance of those therapies.

If you’re employed in women’s health or primary care, understanding the nuances of this emerging trend will allow you to prepare for questions that can arise regarding using cannabis to treat menopausal symptoms.

Dahlgren, M. K., El-Abboud, C., Lambros, A. M., Sagar, K. A., Smith, R. T., and Gruber, S. A. (2022). A study on medical marijuana use in perimenopause and postmenopause. (9), 1028–1036. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002018

Dume, R. and Lammers, E. (2020). Demystifying cannabis: a review of its pharmacology, use for pain, and safety concerns. , (4), 264–267. https://doi.org/10.1097/NOR.0000000000000679

Klein, T. A., and Clark, C. S. (2022). Therapeutic use of cannabis within the USA. , (12), 16–25. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000884880.81603.c5

Martin, K. A., & Barbieri, R. L. (2022, December 7). Treating menopause symptoms with hormone therapy. . https://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-menopausal-symptoms-with-hormone-therapy

Monaco, K. (2023, October 1). The study shows the growing use of cannabis to treat menopausal symptoms. https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/nams/106576?xid=nl_mpt_morningbreak2023-10-02&eun=g1404334d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_100223&utm_term=NL_Gen_Int_Dail y _News_Update_active

Reuters. (2023a, June 1). US states where recreational marijuana is legal. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-states-where-recreational-marijuana-is-legal-2023-05-31/

Reuters. (2023b, August 30). US health officials wish to move marijuana to a lower-risk drug category. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hhs-official-calls-move-marijuana-lower-risk-drug-category-bloomberg-news-2023-08-30/