Numerous studies have shown the medical benefits of marijuana. Everything from nausea to migraines to Alzheimer’s can be treated with various forms of cannabis. But new research suggests that marijuana has medical benefits in an area that can affect a whole host of conditions: Inflammation.
Excessive inflammation is a major contributor to a number of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, dementia and depression. Studies have shown that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are produced by fish, eggs and nuts, can combat inflammation. The body converts omega-3 fatty acids into endocannabinoids which trigger an anti-inflammatory response.
Well, now you can add cannabis to that the diet. A new study found that one of the main cannabinoids in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, is also a powerful anti-inflammatory. Researchers found that the human body uses THC the same way it uses the endocannabinoids produced from omega-3 fatty acids.
Aditi Das, a professor of comparative biosciences and biochemistry at the University of Illinois and the lead author of this study, explained how this works.
“Our team discovered an enzymatic pathway that converts omega-3 derived endocannabinoids into more potent anti-inflammatory molecules that predominantly bind to the receptors found in the immune system,” Das told Forbes. “This finding demonstrates how omega-3 fatty acids can produce some of the same medicinal qualities as marijuana.”
Basically that’s a fancy way of saying that eating eggs, fish or nuts and ingesting THC produce similar anti-inflammatory effects that can stave off chronic diseases.
So now you’ll have a reason to perfect that edible weed sushi recipe you’ve been working on.
