Cannabis use and epigenetics
Epigenetics explains the influence of environmental factors on cell properties and the activity state of genes, thus describing possible effects on cells and genes. Does regular cannabis consumption also affect genes?
The long-term effects of cannabis consumption on the human body have not yet been sufficiently researched. They couldn't have been, because cannabis research hasn't been conducted for very long. However, there has been and continues to be some research on this topic, especially from the USA. Cannabis has been legal in some states there for a few years.
At the University of Chicago, this very question was investigated: how does cannabis consumption affect genes? In the study, researchers analyzed blood samples taken five years apart from individuals who had previously participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. The current study included data from more than 900 adults.
The scientists asked each participant about recent marijuana use and estimated total consumption and then examined the DNA methylation profiles of their blood samples to uncover epigenetic changes associated with marijuana use. Methylation capacity refers to the body's ability to transfer methyl groups to various molecules. This biochemical process plays a crucial role in numerous metabolic pathways, contributing to DNA synthesis, gene regulation, and epigenetics.
By examining changes in DNA methylation, the scientists were able to establish a link between marijuana use and changes in the human epigenome. However, further studies are needed to replicate and verify these findings. Other research has found similar results. Frequent cannabis use leaves clear molecular traces on DNA, particularly in genes related to energy and immune function. Cannabis can alter biological processes.
Either way, cannabis use has effects on epigenetics. The extent and degree to which users are affected varies from individual to individual. No two organisms function exactly the same.
Whether every person who regularly consumes cannabis is inherently more prone to mental illness or other problems than others needs further research. But just as cannabis can have a variety of positive effects on people, negative effects are also possible for some users, such as damage caused to the lungs from smoking.
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Liz Filmer
