Marijuana users are 65 percent more likely to develop prediabetes than those who had never consumed pot, though this does not necessarily mean that diabetes would later develop, according to a new study.
Prediabetes is a condition of high blood sugar which is not extreme enough to meet the criteria for full-blown diabetes. Healthline reports that more than a third of American adults are diagnosed with prediabetes, which can later affect one’s cardiovascular and circulatory systems.
The study which is now in its 30th year has been considered by many experts as questionable, since other marijuana studies have found a link between weed use and reduced risks of obesity and diabetes.
About 2,500 subjects were sampled, and the research concluded that young adult marijuana users were 40 percent more likely to develop prediabetes in their middle-age years than non-users. Said lead author of the study Michael Bancks in a Live Science report, “We felt we could address the potential limitations of previous research and add new information to our understanding of the relationship between marijuana use and subsequent metabolic health.” The study was therefore conducted over a three-decade period to ascertain more detailed information about marijuana’s long-term effects on the human body.
We felt we could address the potential limitations of previous research and add new information to our understanding of the relationship between marijuana use and subsequent metabolic health.
There are nearly 19 million active cannabis consumers above the age of 12 in the United States, an increase from the reported numbers in 2002. Marijuana is said to be both the most nationally consumed and globally consumed illegal drug. Little formal research has been carried out to understand its impact on metabolic health.
The study, which was published in the European Association for the Study of Diabetes’ journal Diabetologia, took into account many factors, including sex, race, age, educational attainment, use of medications, other drug use, and diets and exercise habits. The majority of those participating in the study later developed prediabetes, yet the authors of the study could not directly link marijuana consumption with the later development of type 2 diabetes.
According to Bancks, more research is still needed to clarify the relationship between marijuana use and long-term health. Legalization trends in the country may also have an effect on user habits.
