Study Pinpoints Growing Use Of Cannabis To Manage Menopause Symptoms

— Greater than 10% of midlife girls reported use to take care of stress, persistent ache, temper disturbances

by Kristen Monaco, Senior Workers Author, MedPage Right now October 1, 2023

PHILADELPHIA — One in 10 midlife girls mentioned they used hashish prior to now month, a few of which was to handle menopausal signs, a researcher reported right here.

In a nationally consultant pattern of U.S. girls, ages 45 to 64, 42% mentioned they’d ever used hashish both recreationally or for medical functions of their lifetime, in response to Carolyn Gibson, PhD, MPH, of the San Francisco VA Well being Care System at The Menopause Society annual assembly.

When used medicinally, midlife girls mentioned the most typical motives behind reaching for hashish included persistent ache (28%), nervousness (24%), sleep (22%) and stress (22%).

Round 6% of ladies mentioned they particularly used hashish in an effort to handle signs associated to menopause, and principally to handle menopause-related temper disturbances and sleep points.

“I suspected that cannabis use was pretty common among women in midlife and we do not know much about it,” Gibson instructed MedPage Right now, citing the intersection of accelerating legalization (now authorized in 38 states and D.C.) and normalization of hashish use and widespread use of hashish to handle signs and circumstances which can be frequent within the menopause transition (nervousness, ache, and insomnia), in addition to focused advertising of hashish merchandise for menopause signs.

“I am particularly interested in the clinical implications of self-medicating with cannabis, which is linked to more frequent use,” she added. “It is important to recognize and discuss cannabis use in the healthcare setting, clarify what we do and do not know about the benefits of use, provide psychoeducation about potential risks like dependence, and talk about any ways that regular use may affect other treatments.”

“This discussion can also be an opportunity to point patients toward evidence-based approaches for symptom management,” Gibson mentioned. She suggested clinicians to maintain that in thoughts when talking with midlife girls.

“These findings highlight the need for recognizing and discussing cannabis use in the healthcare setting” commented Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Middle for Girls’s well being in Jacksonville, Florida, and Rochester, Minnesota. Faubion, who’s medical director of The Menopause Society, wasn’t concerned within the examine, however mentioned in a press release that “Additional research is needed to evaluate the potential harms and/or benefits of use.”

Of midlife girls within the examine who mentioned they have been present customers, greater than half mentioned they smoked (56%) and/or used edibles (52%). Round 40% mentioned they used a couple of type of hashish. Additionally, greater than 30% mentioned they smoked hashish daily, whereas round 20% mentioned they took edibles on a regular basis.

“Based on anecdotal evidence, I assumed edibles would be the most commonly reported form of current use,” Gibson added. “The data did support prevalent edible use, but I was a little surprised that smoking — particularly daily smoking — remains so common.”

Much less generally used types of hashish included vaping (round 25%), topical kinds (round 19%), and dab (round 5%).

About half of ladies mentioned they did not know the THC efficiency — the psychoactive part of hashish — of what they have been smoking or vaping. Of the ladies who did know, THC efficiency was widespread throughout the board, the most typical of which was 21% to 40% (over 15% is taken into account “high” THC efficiency). Fewer girls have been unaware of the THC efficiency of their edibles, with the bulk consuming 10 mg or much less (10+ mg thought-about “high” THC efficiency).

The cross-sectional survey included responses from 5,174 girls with a median age 55. Most have been white (63%), 16% have been Hispanic girls, and 13% have been Black. Most have been postmenopausal experiencing menopause signs.

“We need research that will help us understand the potential benefits and harms of cannabis use — in the forms, frequency, and THC potency that individuals are actually using it,” Gibson added. “As women are using cannabis to manage things like anxiety, sleep, stress, and menopause symptoms, we need research that clarifies whether it is actually helping or hurting for those purposes.”