A large number of studies on the potential of cannabinoids suggest that CBD and THC could be very effective in managing the chronic symptoms of people affected with thyroid dysfunction and other endocrine disorders. In this article, we have decided to investigate the topic further and collect data to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic cannabis or cannabidiol concentrates on these diseases.

Why is the beneficial action of CBD and THC on diseases of the endocrine system considered to be very likely?
The answer is quite simple. The cannabinoids interact inside the body mainly through the endocannabinoid system, a very complex network of receptors which regulate many functions of the human body, including hormones production and the management of inflammatory responses and sleep. All important factors in these types of disorders.

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What are the endocrine disorders?

Endocrine disorders are widespread pathologies that are considered to be an incorrect functioning of the endocrine glands found in the human body. These glands produce hormones, or molecules whose task is to transmit signals for the regulation of many important bodily activities. The glands which are included in this system are: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the pineal gland, the thyroid gland, the parathyroid gland, the adrenal glands, the thymus gland, the pancreas, the ovaries and the testicles.

The most widespread pathologies connected to the endocrine system are those related to the thyroid, such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism; in other words, when the thyroid produces few and too many thyroid hormones respectively. Another particular condition is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a chronic autoimmune condition in which the patient’s immune system attacks his thyroid without an apparent reason and makes it dysfunctional. Diabetes is also the cause of endocrine dysfunction and it occurs when the pancreas does not regularly produce insulin.

What the clinical studies say

The close correlation between the endocannabinoid system and the endocrine system is that cannabinoids can play a key role in the management of these pathologies. It is shown that cannabinoid receptors are present in abundance on the surface of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis that regulates hormones production via the thyroid gland. Therefore, CBD and THC could be of paramount importance in restoring a defective endocrine system.

An article published in 2016 explores the effects of cannabinoids on the endocrine system and in its conclusions it highlights the potential that special cannabis molecules could have in the treatment of various hormonal pathologies. In fact, cannabinoids interacting with the endocrine organs and the immune system participate in many physiological activities such as the regulation of food intake, the body’s homeostasis and hormonal production. Also, the study argues that this type of interactions could be a very important therapeutic target for more in-depth future research on all pathologies associated with endocrine malfunctions (including treatment of infertility, obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease and even prevention of many diseases associated with the cardiovascular system).

In addition, CBD in particular has a number of proven positive effects on sleep regulation as well as an anti-anxiety effect as suggested by a retrospective case study published in 2019. Indeed, like many other recent scientific studies, it attributes intrinsic qualities to cannabidiol that could be very important in the management of the symptoms of many diseases related to endocrine disorders, which very often provoke insomnia and very strong emotional instability.