Why cannabis is your best friend for a dry January

New study shows pot may help reduce liver damage caused by excessive alcohol

The holidays are a time of getting together and celebrating with loved ones.

It often involves alcohol. Drinking alcohol for several days is common in many families and groups during the last weeks of December, along with enjoying delicious food. It’s just ingrained in our culture to celebrate the holidays this way. Unfortunately, many of us feel exhausted, sick and dehydrated.

Over the long term, excessive alcohol consumption and binge drinking can lead to serious health problems, especially when they affect the liver. Because the liver is the organ responsible for breaking down alcohol and removing it from the body, drinking too much alcohol can cause liver disease.

The ethanol or ethyl alcohol content in alcohol is extremely dangerous for humans, especially in large quantities. In fact, ethanol is found in chemical solvents, gasoline, nail polish remover, and varnish. The same compound is responsible for getting you drunk and even leading to blackouts. Also, it is the same compound that damages the liver.

To get a break from all the holiday drinking and give the liver a break, many attend Dry January, a month of sobriety; It’s also the perfect time to make resolutions and break old habits. If you’re worried about drinking too much alcohol this holiday season, Dry January could be the answer.

And cannabis can be a great companion for that.

A new study has just been published showing that cannabis use may be beneficial in reducing liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The cannabinoids in marijuana have been shown to be beneficial in mitigating liver toxicity due to ethanol, the active chemical compound in alcohol. The researchers used animal models for the study; The mice were divided into seven and then treated with different concentrations of cannabinoids and ethanol.

They found that the animals given more cannabinoids showed a greater reduction in inflammation than those given ethanol alone. Specifically, they found that inflammatory markers showed a “remarkable decrease” in those given cannabinoids. “Our results suggest that CB [cannabinoids] is a potential candidate for the treatment of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity,” they concluded.

Older studies reflect the same results.

Another study from China found that CBD is beneficial for protecting the liver from damage caused by alcohol. The study, published in the medical journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, was initiated to help researchers understand whether cannabidiol plays a role in protecting the liver from alcohol-induced obesity, a condition known as alcohol-induced steatosis.

“Cannabidiol protects the mouse liver from acute alcohol-induced steatosis through multiple mechanisms, including attenuating alcohol-mediated oxidative stress…and increasing autophagy (breakdown of dysfunctional cells),” the authors wrote.

In 2018, a study of 320,000 people with alcohol use disorder was conducted to see if cannabis use was affecting their health. From the cohort, 26,000 were classified as non-addicted, while 4,300 were classified as addicted cannabis users. The researchers found that whether the person was a regular or an infrequent cannabis user was not affected by the fact that marijuana use helped protect against the four stages of liver disease. They also found that the heaviest cannabis was protected from alcoholic liver disease.

Analyzing the results, they found that cannabis use resulted in a 75 percent reduction in hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer, a 55 percent reduction in cirrhosis, a 40 percent reduction in alcoholic hepatitis, and a 45 percent reduction in alcoholic steatosis .

The researchers concluded that cannabis can protect the liver because it can prevent cirrhosis, which is a different approach than stopping the cancer directly. This is still relevant, however, as the majority of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma arise from cirrhosis, so the ability of cannabinoids to prevent this demonstrates their therapeutic potential in preventing a life-threatening condition.

Conclusion

There is significant research showing that cannabis use is associated with a reduced risk of alcohol-related liver problems. However, remember that cannabis is not a panacea: binge drinking is still dangerous, no matter how you put it.

The occasional glass of red wine actually has positive effects on the body. But not liquor. A glass or two of red wine can relax you, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But when you’re craving that third, fourth, fifth glass of wine, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your health.

You should even consider replacing alcohol with weed entirely. There is a fantastic range of cannabis infused beverages available making it a fantastic substitute that you can drink without the harmful effects. Alternatively, you can consume in a variety of ways, such as: E.g. edibles, oils and vapes.

Dry January is a cultural tradition that can be made more bearable – and healthier – through the use of cannabis. It’s the ideal alcohol substitute, making those days when you feel like you have to reach for a drink that much more tolerable. You can enjoy and switch off without hangovers and dangerous long-term effects. The holidays are a time of overconsumption, not only of alcohol but also of junk food and unhealthy meals. Without a proper detox, these toxins can build up in the body and wreak havoc, so why not try dry January with cannabis instead?

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