Does cannabis help with eating disorders?
In people with anorexia, the problem isn't just a lack of appetite, but the way the brain perceives the body, food, and the fear of gaining weight. This is where medical cannabis—especially CBD—can offer a promising therapeutic tool.
Cannabis may improve mood, reduce food anxiety, and promote a better relationship with food, according to recent studies.
Our body has a system that regulates appetite, mood, and body perception: the endocannabinoid system. In people with eating disorders, this system is often dysregulated. The therapeutic use of cannabis can help rebalance it. According to the Cannabis Clinic in New Zealand, patients with anorexia treated with CBD report less obsession with weight, less anxiety after eating, and greater emotional stability.
Is THC or CBD for better appetite?
THC stimulates appetite (the famous munchies), but CBD seems to have a more subtle and profound effect. While THC can help restore the desire to eat, CBD targets anticipatory anxiety, insomnia, and negative self-image—common symptoms in people with eating disorders (EDs). A balanced therapeutic approach may include microdoses or specific combinations of cannabinoids, always under medical supervision.
Although cannabis is not a cure for anorexia, it can be a powerful resource within a multidisciplinary treatment. Psychotherapy, nutrition, and cannabinoids can work together to restore physical and emotional balance. And best of all: without the side effects of many conventional psychotropic drugs.
Although science is just beginning to understand how cannabis affects eating disorders, more and more people are reporting that with CBD they were able to do something they never thought possible: eat without guilt.
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Liz Filmer
