Why More Women Are Using Cannabis for Menopause Relief

While it pays to embrace the menopause as a natural and beautiful life change, there’s no denying that it’s a bumpy ride. For years, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has felt like the only possible solution but, with side effects including headaches, weight gain, and mood swings that are worse than those already caused by the menopause, it’s a treatment many women are reluctant to face. Luckily, recent years have seen a rise in an alternative solution that might mean they don’t have to.

According to recent studies, almost 80% of women in midlife are now turning to cannabis to relieve their menopause symptoms. And, as medical cannabis and general legalization become more widely spread, there’s every chance those numbers will continue to grow. The question is, what exactly can cannabis do to help manage menopause symptoms? Keep reading to find out.

# 1 – How THC Helps With Hot Flushes

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive component in cannabis. It’s also responsible for many of the drug’s benefits, especially when it comes to menopause symptoms like hot flushes. Of course, THC is also the stuff that gets you high, but women are finding that consuming carefully controlled amounts of this component through products like THC seltzers and edibles can prove beneficial.

Ongoing research suggests that this is because THC binds to the endocannabinoid receptors in the hypothalamus (the part of the brain responsible for temperature control). THC also acts as a vasoconstrictor, which basically means that it narrows the blood vessels. This may help to counteract the intense dilation that’s responsible for the most severe hot flush symptoms.

# 2 – Managing Mood Swings

Mood swings are one of the most notable symptoms when it comes to navigating menopause, and there’s evidence that cannabis could help here, too. That’s hardly surprising considering the famously calming nature of this drug, but the science goes a little deeper than simply smoking your stresses away.

Menopausal women are finding that non-psychoactive CBD products are particularly effective for improving everyday mood swings thanks to their anxiety-reducing, mood-regulating benefits. More broadly, CBD also interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) and serotonin receptors, which is ultimately why it has a calming effect that’s a little like that of antidepressants.

# 3 – A Question of Sex Drive

Be honest, ladies; losing your libido is another major struggle through the menopause. Surprisingly, though, there’s some evidence that the right amounts of cannabis can also help with this. Carefully monitored doses of medical marijuana have vasodilatory properties, which means they may increase blood flow to the sexual organs and boost sexual desire as a consequence.

Conclusion

While it’s always worth speaking with your doctor first, early evidence certainly suggests that cannabis could prove beneficial for managing certain menopause symptoms. It also comes without many of the side effects that are inevitable with HRT. Of course, research is ongoing, but it’s worth bearing all of these benefits in mind if you’re looking for a way out of the menopause malaise right now.