A researcher explains how your body processes the THC from cannabis, resulting in “the munchies.”
One of the best-known side effects of smoking cannabis is “the munchies,” or an intense increase in appetite. One minute someone might feel full, and the next they appear ravenous.
This effect, known scientifically as cannabis-induced hyperphagia, is powerful enough that for regular marijuana users, it can even cause weight gain, a seven-year analysis found.
So what’s really going on? Why can cannabis make people want to eat even when they’re already full?
The short answer is that tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, affects the body’s endocannabinoid system. This network, found in both the brain and body, is made of naturally produced signaling molecules, called endocannabinoids, and their corresponding receptors. It helps regulate mood, stress, pain, memory, immune responses, and even appetite.
Read the full article at Live Science
