Recent research done in the University of San Diego, California has shown that cannabis reduces treatment-resistant neuropathic pain.
Cannabis has already been shown promise in treating insulin resistance and one study showed that pot smokers were less insulin resistant and had smaller waistlines; now it appears cannabis can help treat the pain caused by diabetes, as well as possibly help prevent it.
Diabetic neuropathy is a debilitating and sometimes fatal condition that affects diabetics. High blood sugar due to insulin resistance damages nerve cells in the body.
Sixteen patients with painful diabetic neuropathy inhaled cannabis vapors of different potencies as well as placebo. The higher the THC content, the less pain they felt. Patients also showed “impaired performance” on certain cognitive tests at higher THC doses, meaning they actually got high.
While the research wasn’t definitive the stage has been set for further research for cannabis in the treatment of diabetes. As genetic testing for diseases starts to gain traction, cannabis will also see a future in helping to prevent diabetes in people that are predisposed.
