It seems like a clear "win" and the study doesn't seem to mandate any sort of topical, pot to burrito, connection, just that "We found that marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), and smaller waist circumference."
It is my belief through my own study that something in the "pot" decreases the sugar. And the bodies natural reaction to a drop in glucose is to eat, which is why stoners get the "munchies". After smoking I would also test a few of my non-diabetic friends and their glucose levels were well below 100mg/dl closer to 70 most of the time.
It hasn't lowered my..... oops!
Never mind...
It is my firm belief that each and every drug or method of controlling BGS in diabetics is reason for us to consider it for someone. Maybe there are only 1000 people for which MJ would work as a method of controlling their bg's....if you were one of the 1000 people, you'd be thankful. BUT after reading many of the comments, I am thinking that the mainstream people wouldn't think of using it, because of the "druggie" connotations, If eating something I absolutely HATE such as liver would reduce my bgs, I'd be in line at the meat market for liver. Could we possibly have a little more open mindedness and less smart ■■■ / negative comments about potentially viable solutions for some diabetics?
For me no I don't think I would because of the other effects, I did not like that feeling at all and I feel it distorts my thought process too much. I would never smoke it, it's terrible for your lungs as are cigarettes- unless I needed it for nausea for cancer maybe. If they could take out those effects and keep the pain killing effects I would try it for that. But since, so far, my bg is pretty good and I have too many hypos it wouldn't be for me anyway probably.
sdkate,
ConclusionsWith the recent trends in legalization of marijuana in the United States, it is likely that physicians will increasingly encounter patients who use marijuana and should therefore be aware of the effects it can have on common disease processes, such as diabetes mellitus. We found that current marijuana use is associated with lower levels of fasting insulin, lower HOMA-IR, and smaller waist circumference.
My emphasis
That's the conclusion from the study. It's not, exactly, a resounding scientific breakthrough that says a whole lot about Blood Glucose control for T1 diabetics already on insulin.
I have no problem whatsoever with connotation, especially since it's legal in my state and I can run out and get a medicinal marijuana prescription for any number of ailments.
Would you be willing to give medical MJ a try if they thought it could lower your bgs?
No. I have plenty of tools in my arsenal that don't have the side effects or potential risk to benefit issues associated with daily marijuana use. Not that the tools I use don't have their own issues.
Given that the study doesn't even discuss potential benefits to BG control or deal with issues I currently have to treat, I don't really see the point. If fellow diabetics are benefitting from the use of medicinal marijuana in their daily lives, more power to the, whether that be 1000, 1, or 100,000 diabetics.
The real key in cannabis is the other Cannabinoids.
THC is but one of 480.
Also, our bodies possess an Endocannabinoid system that utilizes them already.
To be honest, the folks who look to it only for the THC are just that... dopes.
To further illustrate the connection between the plant and our bodies - the plant's potential is not fully brought out until cultivated and nurtured. Quite an interesting connection I think.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17714746
From what I understand marajuana contains THC and CBD. They have a ying and yang relationship. THC gets you high and CBD has potential medicinal bennefits. CBD has no high affect and if given equal doses of each, the CBD will neuteralize the THC's high. There are growers that are breeding strains with high CBD levels and they are popular sellers here in Washington State.The Seattle Times ran an article on Dec 25 2013 metioning one particular strain called Sour Tsunami #3. I have an open mind (lab mouse) and will research further.
Indeed. But again they are but 2 of a 480 Cannabinoids that are known to existing within the each plant. The other 478 have yet to be properly explored and could hold the keys to so much...