Cannabis use may spike risk of diabetes by four-fold: Study

People using cannabis may be four times more at risk of developing diabetes according to a large study of over four million adults on MondayCannabis use is increasing globally with an estimated 219 million users 43 per cent of the global adult population in 2021 but its longterm metabolic effects remain unknownWhile some studies have suggested potential antiinflammatory or weight management properties others have raised concerns regarding glucose metabolism and insulin resistance and the magnitude of the risk of developing diabetes hasnt been clearThe research showed that new cases of diabetes were significantly higher in the cannabis group 22 per cent compared to the healthy group 06 per cent with statistical analysis showing cannabis users at nearly four times the risk of developing diabetes compared to nonusersAs cannabis becomes more widely available and socially accepted and legalised in various jurisdictions it is essential to understand its potential health risks said lead author Dr Ibrahim Kamel from the Boston Medical Center USFor the study the researchers analysed electronic health records from 54 health care organisations across the US and Europe to identify 96795 outpatients aged between 18 and 50 years 525 per cent female with cannabisrelated diagnoses ranging from occasional use to dependence including cases of intoxication and withdrawal between 2010 and 2018They were matched with 4160998 healthy individuals with no record of substance use or major chronic conditions based on age sex and underlying illnesses at the start of the study and followed for five yearsThe new sights from reliable realworld evidence highlight the importance of integrating diabetes risk awareness into substance use disorder treatment and counselling as well as the need for health care professionals to routinely talk to patients about cannabis use so that they can understand their overall diabetes risk and potential need for metabolic monitoring Kamel saidThe studys results have immediate implications for metabolic monitoring practices and public health messagingThe team stressed the need for more research on the longterm endocrine effects of cannabis use and whether diabetes risks are limited to inhaled products or other forms of cannabis such as ediblesThe findings will be presented at the ongoing Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes EASD held in Vienna AustriaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever