How Medical Cannabis Can Benefit Men's Overall Health
It’s a great time to talk about how cannabis affects men and women differently. There has been very little research into the differences in cannabis use habits and effects between men and women. But there's a lot of interesting stuff out there!
What the Research Says
A 2016 study attempted to begin learning how cannabis might affect men and women differently. The researchers sampled 2374 cannabis users (1370 male, 1004 female). Seventy percent of these users identified as recreational users, 59.7percent as medical users, and 32.2 percent as both recreational and medical users.
Some interesting observations came from the study, published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research:
- Men reported using cannabis more frequently and in higher quantities than did women.
- Men were more likely to report using joints/blunts, vaporizers, and concentrates, while women were more likely to report using pipes and oral administration.
- Men were more likely than women to report increased appetite, improved memory, enthusiasm, altered time perception, and increased musicality when high, while women were more likely than men to report loss of appetite and desire to clean when high.
- Men were more likely than women to report insomnia and vivid dreams during periods of withdrawal, while women were more likely than men to report nausea or anxiety.
- Men reported experiencing greater headache/migraine relief from medical cannabis than women.
Cannabis and Male Fertility
Both human and animal research show a decrease in sperm count and concentration. A study of 20 chronic marijuana users found that males who smoked marijuana at least 4 times per week for 6 months and 10 or more times per week had considerably lower average sperm counts than those who smoked 5 to 9 marijuana cigarettes per week.
Guys who smoked marijuana more than once a week had a 28% lower sperm concentration and a 29% lower sperm count than men who had never smoked marijuana. The sperm count and concentration decline after 5 to 6 weeks of high-dose marijuana use.
SEXUAL FUNCTION
Cannabis has been used as an aphrodisiac since ancient times and has been described to enhance sexual performance and enjoyment. Recent studies have confirmed that its short-term use does increase sexual desire. However, chronic use of marijuana is associated with erectile dysfunction.
TALK TO YOU YOUR DOCTOR
Many people are in the position of wanting to learn more about medicinal marijuana but are hesitant to discuss it with their doctor. This is partly due to the medical community's general dismissive attitude toward the problem. Doctors are now playing catch-up, attempting to stay ahead of their patients' understanding of the situation. Others are already using medical marijuana but are unsure how to notify their doctors because they are afraid of being chastised or condemned.
Be entirely open and honest with your physicians and to have high expectations of them. Tell them that you consider this to be part of your care and that you expect them to be educated about it, and to be able to at least point you in the direction of the information you need.
