Thanks to mood changes, insomnia, weight gain and hot flashes, menopause can be extremely uncomfortable for many. As a result, some women turn to hormone replacement or antidepressants to alleviate symptoms. However, these treatments aren’t always effective and can carry major risks, which may be why more women are turning to supplements and natural remedies, including cannabis. But how effective is marijuana for menopause?

The Link Between Cannabis and Menopause

The endocannabinoid system has many functions, regulating everything from mood, to fertility and pain sensitivity, but its primary function is to maintain perfect balance in the body, which may play a big role in menopause.

During menopause estrogen levels are lowered naturally within the body which leads to a less stimulated endocannabinoid system that results in a weakened ability to elevate mood or to respond to stress triggers. Sinceprevious research has found that estrogen levels are directly related to the endocannabinoid levels in a woman’s body, some believe that consuming cannabis helps to keep the endocannabinoid system functioning at its best, thus reducing many menopausal symptoms.

Marijuana for Menopause Symptoms

One of the major symptoms of menopause is drastic mood swings, which cannabis may alleviate. As the estrogen levels begin to decline during menopause, disruptions in the way that the body handles endocannabinoids can contribute to mood swings. One2012 study found that cannabis is effective at emotional regulation, as well as anxiety associated that may be induced by menopause.

Hot flashes are another all too common side effect of menopause that may benefit from cannabis use. Endocannabinoids are a part of the body’s thermostat, andsome research  suggests that the THC in marijuana replaces endocannabinoids called anandamide, which can result in a lower body temperature and even a cooling effect during those uncomfortable menopausal hot flashes.

Using marijuana for menopause symptoms may also help with the risk of bone loss. During menopause, your body will produce less estrogen, so you will be more susceptible to bone weakness and some diseases like osteoporosis, which cannabis may prevent. In 2009,researchers discovered that cannabinoid treatment helped to prevent bone loss associated with surgically induced menopause (ovariectomy), and concluded that cannabinoid-based drugs may be an effective treatment for osteoporosis in the future.

Using CBD Oil for Menopause Symptoms

Since there isn’t much research on the direct effects of cannabis use to aid menopausal women, dosage guidelines aren’t so black and white. However, a good place to start is determining which menopausal symptoms you are looking to address and whether you want a high from consuming cannabis or prefer non-psychoactive effects.

For menopausal women looking to relax or need help falling asleep, Indica cannabis blends may be the best bet. For the benefits of marijuana for menopause without any psychotropic effects, CBD oil may help boost levels of endocannabinoids and also protect against bone loss and osteoporosis.

For women not looking to smoke cannabis, yet want to tryCBD Oil for menopause symptoms, there are several ways to take CBD oil, including vaporizing the oil, CBD edibles, or even tea containing CBD at night time.

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