A brain specialist has shared insights on how marijuana use can influence your body and hormonal balance.
In 2023, a survey revealed that 17 percent of Americans reported using marijuana, which is now legal in 24 states, with Ohio and Minnesota being among the newest to legalize its recreational use.
Although the legal age for cannabis use is set at 21 in these states, teenagers often find ways to access it, leading to concerns about its potential effects on the developing brain.
Researchers conducted a study on 5,162 Danish men born between 1949 and 1961, spanning 44 years, to examine age-related cognitive decline and marijuana consumption. More than half of the participants admitted to using cannabis before the age of 18.
Interestingly, the research indicated that the difference in cognitive decline between cannabis users and nonusers was minor and likely not clinically significant.
While teenage cannabis use may not significantly harm cognitive functions, it can affect testosterone levels in men.
Dr. Daniel Amen, a notable figure in the field, states that cannabis use can lead to reduced testosterone levels in men.
“We have this younger generation who has lower testosterone,” the well-known doctor remarked on The Tucker Carlson Show podcast. “They’ve been getting lower and lower, so we have to ask ourselves ‘Why’s that?'”
Dr. Amen also pointed out that obesity is another factor contributing to decreased testosterone levels.
He elaborated: “Excess weight increases something called inflammatory cytokines. The fat on your belly is not your friend. It decreases blood flow, it increases inflammation. It prematurely ages your brain.
“It takes healthy testosterone and flips it into unhealthy cancer-promoting forms of estrogen, which is why being overweight increases your risk of over 30 different cancers.”
While Dr. Amen expressed confidence that marijuana negatively impacts testosterone levels, other research presents varied findings.
A 2018 study found that healthy men who smoked cannabis once to three times a month had the highest testosterone levels compared to those who used it almost daily or scarcely at all.
Additionally, a study from 2020 reported that the active compound in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), was linked to slight increases in testosterone, according to Men’s Health.
However, the research also noted that ‘this increase in [testosterone] appears to decline as THC use increases’.
The connection between cannabis use and testosterone levels remains complex and multifaceted.
If you seek confidential advice regarding drug use, you can reach out to American Addiction Centers anytime at (313) 209-9137, or visit their website.