Article title: Can Medical Marijuana Help Treat Grave’s Disease?
Grave's disease is one of the common autoimmune conditions affecting the thyroid gland. With the numerous disease variations, Grave's disease has common symptoms among most individuals. The National Institutes of Health reports that the condition affects one in 200 individuals in the United States.
Despite the debilitating symptoms of this condition, we've got limited treatment alternatives. The limited treatment alternatives have left many wondering if they can switch to medical marijuana to alleviate their condition. The latest studies that outline the numerous potential health benefits of marijuana have increased the attention and popularity of this weed. Weed has numerous therapeutic benefits, including enhancing a functional immune system and regulating thyroid function. So, does taking medical marijuana alleviate Graves's condition?
This article provides comprehensive guidance on the association between medical marijuana and Grave's disease.
What is Grave's Disease?
Experts derived the 'Grave's' disease name from an Irish physician (Robert James Graves) who discovered the condition in 1835.
This condition is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system produces antibodies. The antibody then overrides normal or healthy thyroid regulation, leading to hyperthyroidism, which is when the body overproduces thyroid hormones.
Ultimately, Grave's disease occurs when the immune system overrides the body's normal thyroid hormone regulation.
Remember, the thyroid gland is vital in the body for producing multiple hormones, including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Besides the thyroid gland, the production of these hormones will also depend on the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The pituitary gland is responsible for secreting this hormone.
These hormones are essential for controlling how the different body systems and organs use energy. Thus, an imbalance in the levels of this hormone (thyroid) affects a wide range of biological systems in the body. The imbalance affects the reproductive, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and other vital body systems.
Symptoms of Grave's Disease
Grave’s disease is a common disease affecting the thyroid gland. With the effects on the thyroid glands, the disease may affect a wide range of body systems and organs, causing various downstream effects or symptoms. Below are the common symptoms of this debilitating disease:
● Irregular or fast heartbeat
● Goiter or swelling in the neck region
● Frequent diarrhea or bowel movement
● Weight loss
● Irritability or restlessness
● Tiredness
● Insomnia
● Muscle weakness
● Heat intolerance
● A tremor in the hand
● Eye problems or Grave's ophthalmopathy
Studies show that individuals with this disease also have an increased risk of developing various disorders like depression, cardiac abnormalities, anxiety, and osteoporosis.
What Causes Graves Disease?
Research shows that the root cause of this disease is an overactive immune system. With this condition, your immune system will create an antibody (the thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin, (TSI)). After the creation, the antibody will attach itself to the thyroid cells, acting like TSH to stimulate thyroid hormone production. Graves disease especially causes a slight increase in the T3 levels while reducing the T4 levels.
Despite an overactive immune system being the root cause of Graves disease, researchers are yet to understand what might trigger the abnormal functioning of the immune system. Nevertheless, most scientists predict that abnormal immune system function results from the combination of various environmental and genetic factors. Experts reveal that some factors might increase the risk of developing this condition. Below are some factors that increase the risk or chances of getting Grave’s disease:
● Being female
● Being between 30-60 years
● Smoking
● History of autoimmune conditions
● Family history of the disease
Most studies show that emotional stress and physical factors may trigger this disease. These factors trigger Grave’s condition in individuals that get direct exposure to these predisposing factors. Surgeries, bereavement, viral infection, and others usually trigger the condition in many people.
What are the Available Grave’s Disease Treatments?
With this condition's debilitating effects and symptoms, patients must seek an effective way to alleviate these symptoms. We’ve got three basic treatment options patients with this condition can consider alleviating the symptoms. These treatment alternatives include radioiodine therapy, medication, and surgery.
Physicians may prescribe various medications, including beta-blockers, to treat the different variations of Grave’s disease. Nevertheless, anti-thyroid medications are the best way to address the underlying causes. You can consider medications like Methimazole, Carbimazole, and Propylthiouracil to address the underlying issue and stop thyroid hormone production. Despite the drugs helping to alleviate the symptoms and underlying causes, they have serious side effects, such as liver problems, joint pain, rashes, etc.
Some individuals consider surgery the best treatment option, as it involves doctors removing the thyroid gland. Removing the gland prevents overproductions of the hormone. Besides the general risks that the surgery causes, removing the thyroid gland to treat the condition has another major setback. Experts reveal that similar to the problems hyperthyroidism causes, a lack of thyroid hormones has a wide range of severe symptoms. Nevertheless, most physicians consider it easier to treat hypothyroidism than find a solution for hyperthyroidism, which is responsible for Grave disease.
Besides medication and surgery, radioiodine has developed into a top and popular therapy for Grave’s disease in the United States. The therapy uses special radioactive iodine medications or techniques to destroy body cells responsible for producing THC. Like surgery, the therapy induces hypothyroidism, which the physicians must address or deal with appropriately.
Can Medical Marijuana Help Grave’s Disease?
With limited effective treatment alternatives, many patients are wondering whether they switch to natural remedies, like medical marijuana, to treat the condition. So, can marijuana help alleviate Grave's disease? It’ll be good to understand how weed interacts and affects the human body to determine if and how it can help to treat this autoimmune condition.
Marijuana has a cannabinoid that works by enhancing profound effects on the mind and body. These compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to produce these effects. Studies show that the ECS is an essential physiological system comprising different cell receptors (cannabinoid receptors) and chemicals (endocannabinoids).
When the endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors bind, it triggers multiple responses in the body. The responses affect various functions and factors in the body, including immunity, movement, moods, appetite regulations, etc. These functions and factors make the ECS vital in regulating a wide range of vital body functions.
Importantly, marijuana plants produce various cannabinoids that interact with this system and its components. THC and CBD are common marijuana cannabinoids that interact with this system to cause a wide range of effects. The interaction of these components makes the users experience various psychological and physical effects.
But will marijuana consumption and interaction with ECS help Grave’s disease patients?
Many body tissues and organs, including thyroid glands, have cannabinoid receptors. The thyroid gland has a high CB1 receptor concentration. Remember, these receptors usually bind with marijuana cannabinoids, especially THC.
Many consider THC the common marijuana compound that produces psychoactive effects like being ‘high.’ THC achieves a high feeling by binding with the brain’s CB1 receptors. Nevertheless, when THC binds with these receptors outside the brain, it causes different results.
In a certain European Journal of Endocrinology study, researchers focused on the relation of CB1 receptor effects in the thyroid gland. The findings showed that stimulating CB1 receptors using a synthetic cannabinoid caused a 30% decrease in the levels of T3 and T4 in the thyroid. The researchers suggested that CB1 receptors are key in making the thyroid modulate the production and release of the hormone.
Additional Research on Marijuana and the Thyroid Function
Researchers in the above study provided interesting insights into the effects of the ECS on thyroid hormone release. Nonetheless, the study provides two vital factors you must consider. These factors make the study not provide a clear reflection on medical marijuana use's effects on humans.
First, the researcher focused the study on rats, not humans. Despite humans and rats having similar ECS, it’s hard to understand how the results and explanations will relate to humans.
In addition, the researchers used synthetic cannabinoid receptors instead of natural marijuana. While studies show that THC may act as a cannabinoid receptor agonist, we can believe these agonists have similar effects. With these issues, there is a need for additional and further research to confirm the effects on humans.
Importantly, some scientists have carried out various studies on the effects of marijuana use on the human thyroid. In a certain 2017 study, the researchers assessed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, which provided positive results on the association. The researchers used information or data from 5280 adults who responded to questions on marijuana. After the responses, the research team proceeded to collect their thyroid parameter results.
During the analysis, the researchers classified the subjects into the following categories:
● Recent marijuana users - those who have used cannabis in the past 30 days
● Past users - participants who had used marijuana more than one month ago
● Non-users
The results revealed that recent marijuana users recorded a decreased frequency of rising TSH levels. The results of recent users showed a low frequency of increased anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb). The TPOAb is a unique antibody that is in abundance in individuals having different autoimmune thyroid conditions.
Despite the results not providing all details or shedding more light on the associations (especially between marijuana use and Grave’s disease), these results are interesting. The results provide hope for Grave’s disease patients seeking to use marijuana to alleviate the condition. It’s clear that marijuana regularly enhances regulatory effects on the thyroid system, including the hormones, the thyroid gland, and associated antibodies.
CBD or THC to Alleviate Grave’s Diseases?
Besides being effective in controlling the thyroid system and hormone release, evidence shows that THC can alleviate come Grave’s disease symptoms. The marijuana cannabinoid has a wide range of potential therapeutic benefits. THC can help you to stimulate your appetite to enhance healthy eating and weight gain, and also it’s the best alternative to help you sleep or relax.
Despite THC, CBD is another marijuana compound that helps Grave’s disease and treats some related symptoms. Many users prefer CBD to THC due to its fewer or no intoxication effect. The marijuana cannabinoid works by inducing a state of calming the body to help alleviate multiple conditions. For instance, you can consider alleviating inflammation, depression, and other chronic conditions.
With fewer or lacking psychoactive effects, you can consider it as your daytime alternative. You can have your routine tasks after taking the drug as it doesn’t result in drowsiness. Besides these therapeutic benefits, you can easily and legally access the drug. Most states currently have access to CBD-infused products for individuals in cannabis-legal states. Thus, you can easily purchase and use the products to alleviate various autoimmune conditions.
Ultimately, research reveals that CBD has a wide range of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties provide promising results and advancements in managing multiple autoimmune conditions. The common autoimmune conditions CBD can help alleviate include lupus, Grave’s disease, myasthenia gravis, type 1 diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
Therefore, CBD and THC may help alleviate Grave’s conditions, offering the benefit in numerous ways. It’ll be good to consult your physician if you want to use marijuana to alleviate the condition. The doctor will guide you before recommending the best marijuana therapy for your needs.
Final Thoughts: Can Medical Marijuana Alleviate Grave’s Disease?
Evidence shows that marijuana may alleviate Grave’s disease in multiple ways. Medical marijuana has THC that interacts with the ECS and the thyroid to regulate hormone release and alleviate the symptoms.
Furthermore, marijuana use alleviates the condition by treating some symptoms. Stimulating weight loss and helping with insomnia are common symptoms that marijuana use can help.
Despite these potential benefits, there is limited research on the direct association between Grave’s disease and marijuana use. With Grave disease being a serious condition, medical marijuana may not be an ideal therapy. Thus, never substitute your prescribed medication for marijuana unless your doctor instructs you. Consulting your physician before switching to medical cannabis for Grave’s disease will be vital.
Getting a medical marijuana card will help you access these products to alleviate various conditions, including Grave’s disease. HappyMD has a wide network of licensed and approved medical marijuana physicians to offer 420 evaluations and seamless medical marijuana card applications online. Apply with us today to receive your MMJ card and access the products to help you alleviate chronic conditions like Graves’s disease.
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