Cannabis consumers had less severe cases of Covid-19 whilst in hospital than non-consumers, a recent small study has found.
Published in the Journal Of Cannabis Research, authors wrote the positive effects of cannabis could be due to the compound’s anti-inflammatory properties.
The anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis have been shown to at least partially be caused by fat loss and reductions in BMI, which are also associated with a reduction in Covid severity.
Previous studies have found that cannabinoids CBDa and CBGa may prevent and treat Covid.
In this recent study, it was noted that regular cannabis consumers had better outcomes, which included fewer ICU admissions and a decreased need for mechanical ventilation.
Authors said: “The link between cannabis usage and better Covid outcomes is sensible.”
Study details
Researchers observed 1,831 Covid patients in two hospitals in Los Angeles, California.
69 people (4%) of the total number of patients reported they were active cannabis consumers.
Research methods consisted of a retrospective analysis of patient data.
This included a comparison in NIH Covid-19 Severity Scores, the need for supplemental oxygen, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, length of hospitalisation, and in-hospital death for cannabis consumers vs non-consumers.
The study also didn’t make a distinction between different methods of consumption, with authors quoting that:
“Pooling all cannabis users, regardless of administration method, gives our study more power in analysis while minimizing the risk of overfitted data.”
‘Significantly better’ outcomes
Compared to non-consumers, researchers found that regular cannabis consumers scored better in:
- Lower NIH scores (5.1 vs 6.0)
- Shorter hospitalisations (4 days vs 6 days)
- Lower ICU admission rates (12% vs 31%)
- Less need for mechanical ventilation (6% vs 17%)
Authors of the study wrote:
“Cannabis users were more likely to have lower inflammatory markers levels on admission compared to non-users.
“This effect was sustained during their hospital course, with cannabis users continuing to have lower inflammatory markers compared to non-users.”
However, researchers have said that their study was very limited.
This means that there is still a need for larger observational studies to solidify their conclusions.
Read: CBDa and CBGa Protect Against Covid
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