For decades, researchers have observed that some cannabis users tend to have lower body weight and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Now, scientists at the University of California, Riverside think they know why.
In the study, obese adult mice on a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet received either pure THC or a whole-plant cannabis extract. Both groups lost weight and had lower body fat compared to untreated mice-despite similar food intake. But only the whole-plant extract group showed significant metabolic improvements, including better glucose tolerance.
“This suggests that THC alone is not responsible for the metabolic benefits,” said biomedical scientist Nicholas DiPatrizio, director of the UCR Center for Cannabinoid Research. “Other compounds in the plant appear to play a critical role.”
The findings point to a potential role for cannabinoids like CBG in regulating blood sugar and fat storage, though researchers caution against using cannabis for weight loss without clinical evidence. The study was published in the Journal of Physiology.