Can Thyroid Issues Be Treated With Medical Marijuana?
Table of Contents
- What is the thyroid and what does it do?
- What are common issues with the thyroid?
- What are the symptoms of thyroid issues?
- Can You Use Medical Marijuana for Thyroid Problems?
- Medical Marijuana and Thyroid Medication.
Approximately 20 million people in the United States are diagnosed with thyroid disease, with women being eight times more likely to be diagnosed than men.
With diagnoses being so prevalent, it may be worthwhile to look at the relationship between medical marijuana and thyroid disease.
What is the thyroid and what does it do?
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in front of the trachea, and is responsible for regulating several bodily functions. It accomplishes this by releasing the three thyroid hormones into the body as needed. These three hormones are:
- Triiodothyronine
- Tetraiodothyronine
- Calcitonin
The thyroid is responsible for regulating the metabolism and does so with the production of these hormones. Two of these hormones contain iodine, which is not naturally produced in the body. We acquire iodine needed for the thyroid to produce these hormones through our diets.
Furthermore, another gland plays a crucial role in this process. The pituitary gland (sometimes known as the control center of the endocrine system) has the important function of “overseeing” the thyroid gland.
It accomplishes this through the use of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When the thyroid is underactive, the pituitary gland secretes TSH which “wakes up” the thyroid and causes it to secrete more thyroid hormones or whatever is required to return the body’s hormones to a balanced state.
Before we can tackle how medical marijuana can be useful for thyroid problems, lets get into the issues you or your loved ones may experience.
What are common issues with the thyroid?
There is a good chance you’ve heard of someone having an overactive or underactive thyroid, as they are relatively common issues.
Hyperthyroidism is the disease commonly known as an overactive thyroid, and hypothyroidism is the disease referred to as an underactive thyroid. When someone has hyperthyroidism, the thyroid creates too many hormones, and it creates too few hormones when they have hypothyroidism. Both conditions have several causes and both can lead to a number of symptoms.
Some causes of thyroid disease include: thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid), excessive or insufficient iodine levels, Graves Disease, and the nodules of the thyroid being overactive. Cancerous growths on the thyroid can also be responsible for hyperthyroidism, but they are relatively uncommon.
What are the symptoms of thyroid issues?
The symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Dry or coarse hair
- Sensitivity to cold temperatures
- Experiencing heavy and frequent menstrual periods
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
Can You Use Medical Marijuana for Thyroid Problems?
A study published by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) determined that while there’s no evidence to suggest medical marijuana is going to cure thyroid disease, it can have some positive effects on its symptoms.
What we learned from the study was that marijuana use is commonly associated with lower levels of the hormone we talked about earlier, TSH or thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Because hyperthyroidism causes increased levels of TSH, it can then be concluded that medical marijuana could aid in balancing the hormone to a more optimal state.
Some other symptoms of thyroid disease that medical marijuana is proven to help are:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Inflammation
- Pain
Medical Marijuana and Thyroid Medication.
If your thyroid isn’t producing enough TSH, doctors will usually prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone in the form of a pill. Unfortunately, this treatment comes with side effects including:
- Fever
- Hot flashes
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Intolerance to warm temperatures
- Headaches
The good news is that medical marijuana is actually proven to help with several of these symptoms. Headaches, nausea, and irritability have all been scientifically established as symptoms medical marijuana can treat.
If you have thyroid disease and experience some of the symptoms we talked about today, consult with your doctor to determine if medical marijuana is a suitable option for you especially if you are using thyroid medication.
If you would like to book a medical card appointment with a qualified physician to get your medical marijuana card, you can do so through our website.
