Does cannabis help with bone health?

The skeletal system is an integral part of the human anatomy. We need our skeletal system to stand upright, walk properly and function optimally. The sad reality is that many people take their bone health for granted and thereby affect the skeletal system.

For some people, poor bone health is caused by the strenuous activities they engage in on a daily basis. For others, it’s bad exercise routines that put stress on the bones.

Cannabis has emerged as a potential cure for poor bone health lately, but how?

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Why is bone health important?

Our bones are essential for us to function properly as humans. Without bones, we are just a pool of tissue unable to perform the most basic of activities. Our muscles and tissues attach themselves to the bones and give shape and shape to our bodies. The functions of our bones can be divided into three main parts.

• protection: We have said a lot about how our bones shape and shape our bodies so that we can carry out our daily functions. Another important function of our bones is to protect the body. Our bones work with muscles to provide necessary protection for the vital organs in our body. With the bones in place, our vital internal organs such as the heart and lungs are protected from blunt violence in the event of an accident. Protecting our organs is an important function of the bones that cannot be emphasized enough.
• Production of blood cells: It may seem incredible because of the hard shape they take, but bones are actually instrumental in the production of blood cells. Both white and red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. White blood cells are important for the body system’s immunity to disease and disease, and red blood is essential for the transport of oxygen around the body. Essentially, bones are essential to good health and the proper functioning of the body system
• Mineral reservoir: The bones are basically a storehouse in the body that acts as a mineral reservoir. Our bones store up to 85% of the phosphorus and 99% of the calcium in the body. All of these features prove that poor bone health affects our quality of life.

Best Practices for Good Bone Health

When it comes to figuring out best practices for good bone health, there are two simple answers: exercise and diet. Food provides your bones with the necessary nutrients and building blocks, while exercise helps the bones to transform themselves optimally to give the body great shape.

RELATED: How Marijuana Does More For Age-Related Osteoporosis Than Calcium

Osteoblasts are the cells responsible for removing old bone tissue and creating new bones. And your body needs good nutrition and exercise in order to use its functionality. Without movement, cells can become less active, leading to a condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis refers to the thinning of the bones to the point where there is a higher risk of fracture.

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Tips for good bone health

• protein: There is a common misconception about the composition of human bones as many people believe that they are solid calcium masses. While bones are made of calcium, they also contain other ingredients. In fact, around 50% of the human skeleton is made up of protein, which is in the form of collagen. Bones need high mineral content to be robust, and protein is crucial to achieve this. Low levels of protein in the body affect bone formation as it decreases calcium absorption.

• Strength training: Exercise goes a long way in promoting good bone health. One of the best forms of exercise for your bones is weight training. This includes lifting weights and other gym tasks. When you do this resistance training, your body gets the signal that it needs to maintain (or increase) bone density in order to handle the tough activities. This way the bone stays strong and healthy. However, it is important to avoid weights that are too heavy for your body.

• calcium: Calcium naturally makes up a large part of our bones, which is why it is important to eat calcium-rich foods. This includes foods like cheese, yogurt, fish, lentils, beans, and seeds.

• Vitamin D: Your bones also need vitamin D to be strong and healthy. This is because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium easily. Vitamin D can be obtained from sun exposure as well as from foods such as fatty fish, mushrooms, fortified plant-based milk and grains, and cheese.

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Cannabis and Bone Health: Everything You Need to Know

The tips listed above are effective in promoting good bone health, however scientists are actively researching another compound in the form of cannabis. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is linked to the possibility that cannabis may be beneficial for bone health. The ECS, which consists of receptors, enzymes and signaling molecules, plays a regulating role in the body.

One of the body functions that regulates this system is bone remodeling. The receptors in the endocannabinoid system that are related to bone health are: cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) and the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). While TRPV1 and CB1 support the breakdown of old tissue, CB2 supports osteoclast activity in building new bones.

Because of the effectiveness of these cannabinoid receptors in the body, THC and CBD are being researched as tools for promoting good bone health. Currently, THC and CBD are being tested in cases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and fractures.

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Using cannabis for bone health still requires some research, and so it is important to consult a doctor before consuming THC or CBD for a bone disease. However, it is predicted that cannabis will play a huge role in bone health in the near future.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and was republished with permission.