Summary: A recent study found that frequent cannabis use among women was linked to a lower likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes.
Source: Texas A&M
A study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research reports that women who used cannabis frequently had a lower incidence of diabetes, a chronic disease in which the body either does not produce sufficient insulin (type 1) or cannot use insulin effectively (type 2).
Diabetes affects roughly one in 10 Americans. In 2019, the disease contributed to 87,647 deaths in the United States, ranking it among the leading causes of mortality for that year.
Researchers at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health—graduate students Ayobami Ogunsola, Samuel Smith, Udeh Mercy and Olatunji Eniola—together with a collaborator from Hofstra University, examined data drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) covering 2013–2018. The analytic sample included approximately 15,000 adults. Most participants were female, non-Hispanic white, over 40 years old, and had at least a college-level education.
The team classified cannabis use by frequency: smoking cannabis fewer than four times per month was categorized as “light use,” while smoking four or more times per month was classified as “heavy use.” Diabetes status was determined either by a physician diagnosis or by meeting laboratory criteria for plasma glucose, fasting blood glucose, or hemoglobin A1C consistent with American Diabetes Association guidelines.
The analysis showed that women who reported heavy cannabis use were less likely to have a diabetes diagnosis than women who did not use cannabis. Light cannabis use among women showed no clear association with diabetes. Among men, the researchers did not observe a statistically significant relationship between cannabis use—light or heavy—and diabetes diagnosis.
The authors point to biological mechanisms that may help explain sex-specific differences. The endocannabinoid system—a network of receptors and signaling molecules involved in many physiological processes—may behave differently in men and women. Compounds present in cannabis, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), interact with this system and, in some experimental contexts, are associated with improved glucose handling. The study’s authors suggest such interactions could partly account for the observed association in women, while emphasizing that more work is needed to clarify causation and underlying pathways.
The researchers stress that these findings are associative and do not prove that cannabis use prevents diabetes. They call for further studies to investigate the observed sex-based differences, including research that can explore individual-level and contextual factors, biological mechanisms, and potential confounders that might influence the relationship between cannabis exposure and diabetes risk.
About this diabetes research news
Author: Rae Lynn Mitchell
Source: Texas A&M
Contact: Rae Lynn Mitchell – Texas A&M
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Closed access.
“Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Diabetes Mellitus among U.S. Adults: The National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, 2013-2018” by Ayobami Ogunsola et al. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
Abstract
Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Diabetes Mellitus among U.S. Adults: The National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, 2013-2018
Background: Diabetes mellitus remains a major public health challenge in the United States, contributing to tens of thousands of deaths annually. This study examined whether cannabis use is associated with diabetes and whether that association differs by sex.
Methods: We used NHANES data from 2013–2018. Cannabis exposure was categorized by self-reported use and frequency. Diabetes status was assessed through physician diagnosis or laboratory measures in line with American Diabetes Association criteria. Multivariable survey logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), accounting for relevant covariates.
Results: The analytic sample included 15,062 adults. Most participants were female (n=7,845; 51.1%), older than 40 years (n=8,564; 56.3%), non-Hispanic white (n=4,873; 61.5%), and had at least a college education (n=8,239; 62.5%). Female heavy cannabis users were significantly less likely to have diabetes compared with female nonusers (aOR=0.49; 95% CI: 0.30–0.81; and aOR=0.51; 95% CI: 0.31–0.84 in adjusted models). Female light users showed no significant association (aOR=0.98; 95% CI: 0.55–1.75; and aOR=1.01; 95% CI: 0.57–1.79). Among males, neither heavy nor light cannabis use was significantly associated with diabetes (heavy users: aOR=0.89; 95% CI: 0.56–1.41; light users: aOR=0.53; 95% CI: 0.22–1.29).
Conclusions: In this nationally representative sample, heavy cannabis use was inversely associated with diabetes among women but not men. These sex-specific findings highlight the need for additional research to determine causality, identify the biological and social mechanisms involved, and assess potential clinical or public health implications.