A new study conducted sheds light on one of the most popular after-effects of cannabis:

‘The munchies’

So why do people feel so hungry after smoking cannabis?

Historical sources reveal that people from 300 BCE were aware of the fact that cannabis can stimulate appetite.

But why?

The researchers from The Yale School of Medicine dug into this prying question and uncovered a scientific explanation behind this well-known fact.

The main compound of cannabinoid known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC in short, is responsible for stimulating your appetite. THC activates the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in different body tissues and increases appetite by the following mechanism:

- It reduces the levels of peptide tyrosine (PYY), thus increasing the levels of ghrelin. Ghrelin is also known as the hunger hormone, so the more ghrelin; the more hungry you feel!

- It turns on the mTOR pathways, augmenting the levels of ghrelin again.

- THC activates a subset of neurons known as proopiomelanocortin neurons or POMCs which are located in the hypothalamus. These neurons control appetite stimulation along with a few other basic instincts.

So, activating POMCs increases appetite.

For a long time, scientists have assumed the relation between the stimulation of CB1 receptors and a boost in appetite. This Yale study has confirmed the correlation.

Tamas Horvath, the lead researcher of the team, compared the chemical effect to shifting your foot from the car brakes to the accelerator.

He said that “We were surprised to find that the neurons we thought were responsible for appetite loss, were suddenly being activated and instead promoting hunger, even when you are full. It fools the brain’s central feeding system.”

So if you are high, be prepared to feel hungry even after having a 3-course meal.

In addition to explaining cannabis munchies, Horvath added that this new discovery could offer many other benefits, such as nourishing cancer or HIV patients who lose their appetite in course of their treatment. It can benefit anyone who suffers from appetite loss, such as depression patients and patients with weight issues. Even bodybuilders and athletes gaining mass can benefit from this!

So now you know why you feel that relentless hunger after smoking marijuana. It’s okay to feel more hungry and patients with appetite loss can actually benefit a lot from this.

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