When you hear “cannabis and metabolism,” what do you think of?
Let us guess: the munchies?
That classic stereotype, of a long-haired hippie in tie-dye pants demolishing a takeaway, is as tired as it is misleading.
Because if you actually look at the science, cannabis and the endocannabinoid system play a far more profound role in human metabolism than simply driving hunger.
In fact, mounting evidence shows that cannabis interacts with the very systems responsible for regulating energy, fat storage, blood sugar, inflammation, and mitochondrial function.
Which is why some of the most common chronic illnesses we face today, like type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, PCOS, and even Alzheimer’s, are rooted in metabolic dysfunction.
So the question isn’t “why does cannabis make you hungry?”
It’s “can cannabis help restore balance to a broken metabolic system?”
Let’s take a closer look.
Metabolic health: the foundation of wellbeing
Metabolism isn’t just about how fast you burn calories.
It’s your body’s entire energy economy. It turns food into fuel, regulates hormones, repairs cells, manages inflammation, and clears waste.
A metabolically healthy person can switch between burning fat and glucose, maintain stable energy levels, recover from stress, and maintain a healthy weight, all without relying on extreme diets, intense exercise routines, or constant restriction.
But today, that kind of metabolic flexibility is rare.
Thanks to ultra-processed foods, chronic stress, poor sleep, environmental toxins, and sedentary lifestyles, metabolic dysfunction has become the silent epidemic behind almost every major health condition.
Just look at the facts:
- In the UK, over 63% of adults are overweight or obese – a key marker of poor metabolic health.[1]
- Type 2 diabetes now affects more than 4.3 million people, and diagnoses have doubled in the last 15 years.[2]
- Rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and PCOS, both driven by insulin resistance, are also rising rapidly.
- And it’s not just physical: neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are increasingly being referred to as “type 3 diabetes” due to their metabolic origins.[3]
We’re not facing a willpower crisis, we’re facing a metabolic one. And without meaningful intervention, this trajectory is only getting worse.
This is where cannabis enters the picture. Not as a quick fix, but as a tool that works with your body’s own regulatory systems.
The endocannabinoid system
The reason cannabis has such wide-ranging effects is because it acts on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex network of receptors found throughout your brain, immune system, gut, fat tissue, and more.
The ECS plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis, which is the body’s ability to keep itself in balance. It helps regulate:
- Appetite and energy metabolism
- Blood sugar control
- Inflammation
- Mitochondrial function
- Stress response
- Sleep and circadian rhythm
In other words: it’s vital for metabolic health.
Your body produces its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, to keep these systems running smoothly.
But when you’re under chronic stress, inflamed, or insulin-resistant, this system can become depleted or dysregulated.
Here’s where cannabis comes in.
How cannabis can support metabolic health
Contrary to the old “stoner = lazy and fat” trope, observational studies show that cannabis users tend to have:
- Lower fasting insulin levels
- Lower rates of obesity
- Higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Smaller waist circumferences
Even when controlling for calorie intake and physical activity.[1]
How is this possible? Let’s take a look at some of the key mechanisms by which cannabis works:
1. Blood sugar & insulin sensitivity
Cannabinoids like THC and CBD can help improve insulin sensitivity, reduce fasting insulin levels, and stabilise blood glucose, crucial for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.[2]
2. Inflammation & oxidative stress
Chronic low-grade inflammation drives most metabolic diseases. Cannabis has well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, helping to protect cells, reduce CRP levels, and support mitochondrial health.[3]
3. Appetite regulation & fat metabolism
Yes, THC can increase appetite. But in a controlled therapeutic context, this can be a benefit (e.g. for people with cachexia, IBD, or eating disorders). CBD, on the other hand, may help regulate appetite and even promote fat browning (a healthier type of fat tissue).[4]
4. Mitochondrial function
Mitochondria are your cellular power plants, and their dysfunction is a core driver of metabolic disease. Research shows that cannabinoids can protect mitochondrial function and reduce oxidative damage.[5]
Beyond cannabis
Here’s the thing. Cannabis isn’t a magic bullet. It’s not going to reverse decades of poor metabolic health on its own.
But it can be very helpful when used alongside foundational lifestyle changes like:
- Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods
- Prioritising sleep and circadian rhythm
- Managing stress
- Moving regularly (especially with strength training)
- Getting sunlight and reducing artificial light at night
- Supporting your gut and detox pathways
- Using functional mushrooms and targeted supplements
This is the metabolic theory of health: the idea that most chronic disease begins when the body can no longer produce or manage energy properly.
And cannabis, through the ECS, can help restore the balance that modern life has disrupted.
Why isn’t this common knowledge?
Because most doctors weren’t trained to understand metabolic health, let alone the endocannabinoid system.
And because cannabis still carries political baggage, outdated stigma, and regulatory red tape (especially here in the UK) that slows down access, research, and education.
That’s why so many people in this country are forced to figure it out on their own, navigating private clinics, trial and error, and an NHS system that largely ignores cannabis medicine altogether.
But things are changing. The science is growing. And more people are realising that you don’t have to wait for the system to give you permission to feel better.
Conclusion
If you’re ready to learn how cannabis and lifestyle changes can help you reclaim your metabolic health and much more…
Then join the High & Polite newsletter.
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SOURCES:
- Penner, E. A., Buettner, H., & Mittleman, M. A. (2013). The Impact of Marijuana Use on Glucose, Insulin, and Insulin Resistance among US Adults. The American Journal of Medicine.
➝ https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(13)00200-3/fulltext - Meiri, E., et al. (2007). Cannabis and Glucose Metabolism: A review of the evidence. Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics.
- Nagarkatti, P., et al. (2009). Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Future Medicinal Chemistry.
➝ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19839936/ - Silvestri, C., & Di Marzo, V. (2013). The endocannabinoid system in energy homeostasis and the etiopathology of metabolic disorders. Cell Metabolism.
➝ https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(13)00337-6 - Wolff, V., et al. (2015). Mitochondrial effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. Stroke.
- NHS Digital (2023). Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2023.
➝ https://digital.nhs.uk - Diabetes UK (2024). Diabetes Prevalence Report.
➝ https://www.diabetes.org.uk/professionals/position-statements-reports/statistics/diabetes-prevalence-2024 - de la Monte, S. M., & Wands, J. R. (2008). Alzheimer’s disease is type 3 diabetes—evidence reviewed. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.
➝ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/
