The world is witnessing a rise in Parkinson’s disease which means we need an alternative cure for the disease. There is a need for more research on different treatment options for PD. One treatment option that is slowly gaining popularity is cannabis.
However, due to a lack of research, we can acknowledge cannabis as the best treatment for Parkinson’s Disease. Several reports from patients suggest that cannabis may effectively manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, especially in later stages.
Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects the brain section known as the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra generates dopamine in the brain, which coincidentally transmits signals to other bodily parts.
Parkinson’s Disease sufferers are unable to recognize symptoms especially during the early stages of the disease. However, when the brain cells in the substantia nigra begin to diminish, symptoms increase intensity. Parkinson’s Disease comes with a lack of muscle tone, difficult movements, tremors, stability issues, bladder control issues, stress, and depression.
Medical cannabis for Parkinson’s disease
The main cannabis compounds responsible for treating Parkinson’s symptoms include CBD and THC. These cannabinoids are known to offer therapeutic capabilities for Parkinson’s Disease patients. However, after several pre-clinical trials on cannabis and Parkinson’s, further investigation is warranted. There is a need for further research to shed light on the right dosing of THC and CBD. This can be essential in patients getting relief from Parkinson’s Disease. There are multiple stages of Parkinson’s Disease. Each stage comes with its issues and more research is needed to best examine the medicinal dosing of cannabis.
There also exist several subjective reports of how regular medical marijuana use can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Medical cannabis can reduce tremors, decrease muscle spasticity and improve balance in patients.
The endocannabinoid system is essential in regulating the lifespan of cells responsible for Parkinson’s disease. The ECS also interacts with the central nervous system (CNS) to regulate symptoms of the disease.
Let’s examine a study in the Journal of Neurochemistry. This study was based on the neuroprotectant effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in patients with Alzheimer’s patients. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s share similar characteristics since they are both neurodegenerative diseases. Cannabis is neuroprotective and may reduce the diminishing of brain cells.
Using cannabis frequently may also stop cell death in the substantia nigra and may reduce the severe symptoms that come during the later stages of Parkinson’s Disease.
According to the European Journal of Internal Medicine, consuming cannabis gives analgesic effects to the body. During the study, 18% of patients who consumed cannabis for six months daily cannabis consumption reported having reduced their opioid intake. 94% of the patients also experienced an improvement in their condition.
Bottom line
Cannabis may be an effective treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It can be a great alternative to opioid treatments. However further studies are needed to further clarify cannabis as a treatment. For now, if you want to use cannabis for Parkinson’s, ensure to contact your local physician.