Adult Use of Cannabis May Have a Negative Impact on Diabetes, Study Concludes

Adult use of Cannabis may not be good for diabetes, according to a review of recent studies that examined the effects of the drug on people living with type 1 or 2 versions of the disease.

The review, commissioned by Diabetes Canada, narrowed its focus to six observational studies in an attempt to better understand the interaction between Cannabis and the disease that prevents people from producing insulin or using insulin properly. The results were not encouraging.

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"Adult use of Cannabis may negatively impact the metabolic factors of diabetes and self-management behaviors in people with DM1," the researchers noted. "In people with DM2, adult Cannabis use may increase the risks of peripheral arterial occlusion, myocardial infarction, and kidney disease," they added.

Five of the studies examined found that Cannabis use led to higher reported glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels with one particular finding that "Cannabis use in the previous 12 months was associated with nearly double the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis compared to non-use of Cannabis." Another study found that students using Cannabis with type 1 diabetes between the ages of 17 and 25 reported poorer glycemic control and elevated glycated hemoglobin.

The concerning findings were not limited to type 1 disease incidents. "The risks of peripheral arterial occlusion and myocardial infarction were found to be higher in people with type 2 diabetes who consumed adult Cannabis, and worse renal parameters were also reported in two separate studies of T1D and T2D."

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As the rapid review was limited to just six studies of "low to reasonable methodological quality," the researchers recommend that "more robust and higher-quality research" is needed to confirm the results.

Elderly individuals diagnosed with diabetes are increasing in the United States. According to the American Diabetes Association, 14.3 million elderly individuals (26.8 percent of the population) have diabetes (diagnosed or undiagnosed). In a 2017 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that over 100 million people in the United States were at risk of developing diabetes.

One in three Canadians currently lives with diabetes or prediabetes, according to Diabetes Canada, which hopes to use the review results to inform recommendations for individuals over 13 years old living with the disease.

Sources: information from The Growth Op website