Latest news with #MatthewSpringer
Health Line
a day ago
- Health
- Health Line
Chronic Cannabis Use, Including Edibles, Linked to Endothelial Dysfunction
Chronic cannabis use is bad for your heart, whether you smoke it or consume edibles, according to a new study. Researchers found evidence of endothelial dysfunction, an upstream risk factor for cardiovascular disease, in cannabis users regardless of how they used the substance. The research adds to a growing body of research suggesting that cannabis is not benign. New research has linked tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in many cannabis products, to impaired vascular function, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A growing body of evidence suggests that smoking THC-containing cannabis likely harms heart health. But far less is known about other forms of cannabis use, such as vaping and edibles. The use of THC-containing cannabis edibles has surged in popularity as legalization has spread across the United States. But a new study published on May 28 in JAMA Cardiology suggests that both modes of cannabis consumption — smoking and ingesting — are associated with endothelial dysfunction, comparable to tobacco smoke in healthy adults. Endothelial dysfunction is a form of heart disease that impairs blood vessels from dilating. Endothelial cells are a thin membrane that lines the inner surface of blood vessels and helps regulate blood flow. 'The bottom line is that smoking marijuana does not appear to avoid the harmful vascular effects of smoking tobacco, and neither does frequent use of THC edibles,' Matthew L. Springer, PhD, professor of medicine at UCSF, and senior author of the research, told Healthline. Other experts agreed, but with some caveats. 'While this study does have limitations, including an inability to prove a direct causal role, it adds to the growing sense that marijuana is not benign, and may be associated with risk for heart disease,' said Nicholas Leeper, MD, professor of vascular surgery and cardiovascular medicine at Stanford Medicine. Leeper was not involved in the study. 'Most prior research has focused on smoking rather than ingesting THC, so this study adds new evidence that edibles may also negatively impact vascular health,' he told Healthline. Effects of cannabis use on vascular function The study, led by researchers at UC San Francisco, examined several measures of vascular health in three distinct groups: chronic cannabis smokers, chronic users of THC edibles, and non-users. The study included 55 participants — males and females with an average age of 31 — who were healthy and had no regular exposure to tobacco through smoking, vaping, or secondhand smoke. Chronic cannabis use was defined as: smoking three or more times per week for at least one year consuming three or more edibles per week for at least one year Cannabis smokers in the study had an average of 10 years of chronic use, while those who took edibles averaged five years. Researchers then studied three distinct measures of vascular function in these groups: Flow-mediated dilation (FMD): How well the blood vessels can relax and widen in response to blood flow — a key function of healthy arteries. Pulse wave velocity (PWV): a widely used measure of arterial stiffness. Nitric oxide (NO) production: NO is essential to heart health and vasodilation. Both cannabis-using groups showed similar declines in FMD — about half as much as non-users — indicating reduced vascular function. Additionally, FMD levels in cannabis users were similar to those reported in tobacco smokers in previous studies. 'Endothelial dysfunction is one of the hallmarks of potential cardiovascular disease later in life,' said Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, FACC, the Gerald S. Berenson Chair in Preventative Cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine. Ferdinand wasn't involved in the study. 'Although this is not the same as having a heart attack, stroke, hypertension, or other cardiovascular disease, it suggests that in the future, in otherwise healthy persons who use cannabis, there may be an increased risk of vascular disease later,' he continued. Endothelial dysfunction, as measured by FMD, also worsened with heavier use — a pattern known as a dose response: the more participants smoked or consumed, the worse their vascular function became. Researchers also found that when endothelial cells were exposed in vitro to blood serum from cannabis users, NO production dropped significantly, but only in the smoking group, suggesting molecular evidence of dysfunction. This, the authors write, suggests there may be different mechanisms of action depending on the method of cannabis use. 'This discrepancy suggests combustion byproducts (versus THC alone) may drive part of the endothelial injury in smokers,' said Leeper. In contrast to some previous studies, the final measure, PWV, didn't indicate any meaningful difference between cannabis users and non-users. Cannabis and heart health: What are the risks? The study adds to growing evidence that cannabis may harm heart health — regardless of how it's consumed. 'Neither is superior, but there may be an additional harm with smoking beyond that seen with the THC edibles,' said Ferdinand. The study does have limitations. It cannot prove that cannabis use causes endothelial dysfunction — only that the two are linked. Still, it raises the possibility that something inherent in THC may harm heart health, apart from the usual risks of smoking — whether tobacco or cannabis. Especially in a small study like this, firm conclusions about harm can't be drawn, Ferdinand notes. The study focused only on chronic cannabis use, rather than on occasional use. Still, Springer said that based on the dose-response observed, 'if they use relatively little, there's less chance of this adverse effect on the blood vessels.' The clear message to patients and consumers: cannabis is not a benign alternative to tobacco; and though edibles do not share all the same risks as smoking, they aren't harmless either. 'I would caution patients that phrases like 'natural' or 'safer than tobacco' do not mean 'harmless.' Chronic cannabis use — particularly smoking — shows measurable vascular harms. Emphasizing moderation, or ideally cessation, may help reduce their cardiovascular risk,' said Leeper.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Huge heart attack risk linked to dirty habit that thousands of Australians are doing daily
A new study suggests that regularly smoking cannabis or consuming edibles may increase the risk of heart attack. The team from the University of California San Francisco who made the find warns it is 'more evidence cannabis use is not benign.' In the new study, researchers found people who smoked marijuana or took edibles at least three times a week had damage to their blood vessels, which are vital for delivering oxygen and nutrients from the heart to every organ and tissue. Their blood vessels worked half as well compared to those who never used cannabis. This causes blood vessels to constrict, raising the risk of blood clots, which can lead to coronary artery disease, heart attacks and stroke. While recent studies have linked cannabis smoking to heart disease, the new report is one of the first to show heart damage from edibles containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. Matthew Springer, study co-author and professor of medicine at UCSF, told CNN: 'We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease.' The warning comes as the number of Australians using cannabis continues to rise. Daily cannabis use in Australia increased from 14 per cent in 2019 to 18 per cent in 2022–2023, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Among Australians who used cannabis in the past 12 months, the largest proportion - 32 per cent - used it only once or twice a year, while approximately one in seven - or 14 per cent - used it every day. Cannabis continues to be the most widely used illicit drug in Australia, with 11.5% of people reporting recent use in 2022–2023. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes one in every four deaths in Australia. In 2021, it was the underlying cause of 42,700 deaths, representing 25 per cent of all deaths that year, according tho the heart foundation. On average, one Australian dies from CVD every 12 minutes, which amounts to 118 deaths each day.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Huge heart attack risk linked to dirty habit that MILLIONS of Americans are doing daily
Regularly smoking weed or consuming edibles may raise the risk of suffering a heart attack, a study suggests. The team from the University of California San Francisco who made the find warns it is 'more evidence cannabis use is not benign.' It also comes amid an alarming rise in unexplained heart attacks in young Americans, which experts are still trying to unpack. In the new study, researchers found people who smoked marijuana or took edibles at least three times a week had up to 52 percent reduced blood vessel function compared to those who never used cannabis. And endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels, were less able to regulate blood flow and deliver crucial oxygen throughout the body. This causes blood vessels to constrict, raising the risk of blood clots, which can lead to coronary artery disease, heart attacks and stroke. While recent studies have linked cannabis smoking to heart disease, the new report is one of the first to show heart damage from edibles containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. Matthew Springer, study co-author and professor of medicine at UCSF, told CNN: 'We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease.' About 18million Americans use marijuana daily or nearly every day. Cannabis use is also on the rise, largely due to recent decriminalization across the US. From 1992 to 2022, for example, daily and near-daily use has seen a 15-fold rise. The study, published this week in JAMA Cardiology, recruited 55 healthy adults ages 18 to 50 who neither smoked tobacco nor vaped. They also were not regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. They were then sorted into three groups based on chronic cannabis use: using marijuana three times per week for at least a year, consuming at least three THC edibles a week for a year or not using cannabis at all. Cannabis users were 30 years old on average while nonusers were 28. None of the participants had pre-existing heart conditions. They found people who smoked marijuana or used edibles at least three times a week performed worse on tests measuring blood vessel function. Marijuana smokers had a 42 percent reduction in vascular function than controls, while THC edible users had a 52 percent reduction compared to those who never used cannabis. This was determined through heart scans. Endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels and regulate blood flow, released less nitric oxide in people who regularly smoked marijuana or took edibles. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels dilate and deliver vital oxygen throughout the body. This impaired function causes blood vessels to constrict, increasing the risk of inflammation and blood clots, which can lead to heart disease and increase the risk of a heart attack. Nearly 1million Americans every year die of cardiovascular disease, a group of conditions including coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. It's America's leading cause of death, with cancer and accidental injuries following closest behind. Because the average participant in the new study was 30 years old, the study could help explain why young Americans are increasingly suffering heart attacks. Previous research has suggested the use of drugs like marijuana, as well as conditions like Covid and type 2 diabetes, may be to blame. However, the researchers cautioned the study only shows an association between cannabis and heart function and can't prove direct causation. There were several limitations, including the study's small sample size and the lack of comparison between different strains of cannabis.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Smoking weed and consuming THC-laced edibles linked to early heart disease, study finds
Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. Healthy people who regularly smoked marijuana or consumed THC-laced edibles showed signs of early cardiovascular disease similar to tobacco smokers, a new small study found. 'To my knowledge, it's the first study looking at THC's impact on vascular function in humans,' said senior study author Matthew Springer, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. 'We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease,' Springer said. 'It appears the act of smoking and the THC itself both contribute to those changes in different ways.' Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the component of marijuana that provides a high. Prior research on mice found damage to blood vessels that supply oxygen to vital organs after exposure to marijuana smoke, Springer said. Whether marijuana smoke would impact the human vascular system, however, was unknown. 'We found that vascular function was reduced by 42% in marijuana smokers and by 56% in THC-edible users compared to nonusers,' lead study author Dr. Leila Mohammadi, an assistant researcher in cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco, said in an email. The research only shows an association, Springer said. 'We can only state that the cannabis users have poor vascular function, not that cannabis use causes poor vascular function,' he said via email. The findings on THC-laced edibles was surprising, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. 'Could it be that other forms of marijuana — teas, tinctures, edibles — are perhaps not as benign as we once thought?' said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. 'We need larger studies to make a better conclusion about this finding.' A single layer of endothelial cells lines all of the body's blood vessels. When functioning properly, these specialized cells release chemicals such as nitric oxide that control the relaxing and contracting of the canal, thus regulating blood flow. Healthy endothelium cells also play a role in local cell growth and help prevent blood clotting. When endothelial cells are inflamed, plaque buildup can increase in arteries over time, potentially causing heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Damage to small blood vessels can also cause kidney and lung disease, comas, delirium, and dementia. The study, however, did not measure plaque, so the findings do not mean that blood vessels were currently blocked, Springer said. 'The vessels just don't grow in diameter in real time when they need to pass more blood, indicating an unhealthy vessel wall that presages later cardiovascular disease,' he said. Prior studies have found strong links between marijuana use and later cardiovascular disease. A February 2024 study found smoking, vaping or eating marijuana led to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even if a person had no existing heart conditions and did not smoke or vape tobacco. Stroke risk rose 42% and the risk of heart attack rose 25% if cannabis was used daily, and risk climbed as the number of days of use of marijuana rose, the study found. Using marijuana every day can raise a person's risk of coronary artery disease by one-third compared with those who never partake, a February 2023 study found. The American Heart Association advises people to refrain from smoking or vaping any substance, including cannabis products, because of the potential harm to the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Guidance released in 2020 pointed to studies that found heart rhythm abnormalities, such as tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, could occur within an hour after weed containing THC was smoked. The 55 participants in the study were divided into three groups: people who smoked (not vaped) marijuana three or more times a week for at least a year, people who consumed THC edibles at least three times a week for at least a year, and nonusers. None of the 18- to 50-year-old people in the study were tobacco smokers or vapers, and all had little exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Researchers performed an ultrasound on the major artery in the upper right arm in each person, then applied an extremely tight blood pressure cuff for five minutes. After the cuff was removed, the artery was rescanned to see how well it had dilated, or widened, to handle the increased flow of blood, a process that needs the release of nitric oxide to occur. Damage to the endothelial cells that regulate dilation was related to the dose, according to the study. Study participants who used more marijuana had a greater risk of damage to blood vessels that carry oxygen to the body's organs. 'Higher cannabis use — whether smoked or ingested — is associated with poorer vascular function, highlighting the cardiovascular risks that increase with higher potency and frequency of use,' Mohammadi said. Additional tests of the neck and thigh checked the stiffness of each person's blood pressure walls. Compared with people who never used marijuana, cannabis users didn't appear to have additional stiffness of the walls of blood vessels, the study found. A separate analysis added blood serum from cannabis smokers and edible users to commercially purchased cultures of endothelial cell in the laboratory. Blood from people who used edibles laced with THC didn't appear to harm the cells — they continued to produce adequate nitric oxide. However, the endothelial cells incubated in serum from marijuana smokers released 27% less nitric oxide than those treated with blood from nonsmokers. That evidence is similar to what is found in tobacco, Springer said, pointing to a prior study by his team showing endothelial cells incubated in serum from tobacco smokers released 39% less nitric oxide than nonsmokers. 'The observations that marijuana smokers and THC users each have poor vascular function might make people conclude that the THC is responsible for all of this and the smoke is irrelevant,' Springer said. That would be an ill-advised conclusion, according to Springer, as there are reasons to believe that marijuana smoke itself is as responsible as THC for the damage to blood vessels. 'Rats exposed to marijuana smoke with no cannabinoids at all also had vascular and cardiac impairment, plus tobacco smoke is known to cause heart disease and it has no THC,' Springer said. 'So you do yourself no favors by switching from smoking tobacco to marijuana. Smoking marijuana just gives you a double hit — the smoke and the THC,' he said. As for marijuana edibles, teas, tinctures and the like? 'In people, there's like a Goldilocks zone for everything — too much doesn't do right, too little doesn't do right, but just right does fine,' Freeman said. 'We need further investigations to see if there is a Goldilocks zone to be found.'
CNN
3 days ago
- Health
- CNN
Marijuana edibles and joints may cause early heart damage, study finds
Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. Healthy people who regularly smoked marijuana or consumed THC-laced edibles showed signs of early cardiovascular disease similar to tobacco smokers, a new small study found. 'To my knowledge, it's the first study looking at THC's impact on vascular function in humans,' said senior study author Matthew Springer, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. 'We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease,' Springer said. 'It appears the act of smoking and the THC itself both contribute to those changes in different ways.' Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the component of marijuana that provides a high. Prior research on mice found damage to blood vessels that supply oxygen to vital organs after exposure to marijuana smoke, Springer said. Whether marijuana smoke would impact the human vascular system, however, was unknown. 'We found that vascular function was reduced by 42% in marijuana smokers and by 56% in THC-edible users compared to nonusers,' lead study author Dr. Leila Mohammadi, an assistant researcher in cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco, said in an email. The research only shows an association, Springer said. 'We can only state that the cannabis users have poor vascular function, not that cannabis use causes poor vascular function,' he said via email. The findings on THC-laced edibles was surprising, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. 'Could it be that other forms of marijuana — teas, tinctures, edibles — are perhaps not as benign as we once thought?' said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. 'We need larger studies to make a better conclusion about this finding.' A single layer of endothelial cells lines all of the body's blood vessels. When functioning properly, these specialized cells release chemicals such as nitric oxide that control the relaxing and contracting of the canal, thus regulating blood flow. Healthy endothelium cells also play a role in local cell growth and help prevent blood clotting. When endothelial cells are inflamed, plaque buildup can increase in arteries over time, potentially causing heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Damage to small blood vessels can also cause kidney and lung disease, comas, delirium, and dementia. The study, however, did not measure plaque, so the findings do not mean that blood vessels were currently blocked, Springer said. 'The vessels just don't grow in diameter in real time when they need to pass more blood, indicating an unhealthy vessel wall that presages later cardiovascular disease,' he said. Prior studies have found strong links between marijuana use and later cardiovascular disease. A February 2024 study found smoking, vaping or eating marijuana led to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even if a person had no existing heart conditions and did not smoke or vape tobacco. Stroke risk rose 42% and the risk of heart attack rose 25% if cannabis was used daily, and risk climbed as the number of days of use of marijuana rose, the study found. Using marijuana every day can raise a person's risk of coronary artery disease by one-third compared with those who never partake, a February 2023 study found. The American Heart Association advises people to refrain from smoking or vaping any substance, including cannabis products, because of the potential harm to the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Guidance released in 2020 pointed to studies that found heart rhythm abnormalities, such as tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, could occur within an hour after weed containing THC was smoked. The 55 participants in the study were divided into three groups: people who smoked (not vaped) marijuana three or more times a week for at least a year, people who consumed THC edibles at least three times a week for at least a year, and nonusers. None of the 18- to 50-year-old people in the study were tobacco smokers or vapers, and all had little exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Researchers performed an ultrasound on the major artery in the upper right arm in each person, then applied an extremely tight blood pressure cuff for five minutes. After the cuff was removed, the artery was rescanned to see how well it had dilated, or widened, to handle the increased flow of blood, a process that needs the release of nitric oxide to occur. Damage to the endothelial cells that regulate dilation was related to the dose, according to the study. Study participants who used more marijuana had a greater risk of damage to blood vessels that carry oxygen to the body's organs. 'Higher cannabis use — whether smoked or ingested — is associated with poorer vascular function, highlighting the cardiovascular risks that increase with higher potency and frequency of use,' Mohammadi said. Additional tests of the neck and thigh checked the stiffness of each person's blood pressure walls. Compared with people who never used marijuana, cannabis users didn't appear to have additional stiffness of the walls of blood vessels, the study found. A separate analysis added blood serum from cannabis smokers and edible users to commercially purchased cultures of endothelial cell in the laboratory. Blood from people who used edibles laced with THC didn't appear to harm the cells — they continued to produce adequate nitric oxide. However, the endothelial cells incubated in serum from marijuana smokers released 27% less nitric oxide than those treated with blood from nonsmokers. That evidence is similar to what is found in tobacco, Springer said, pointing to a prior study by his team showing endothelial cells incubated in serum from tobacco smokers released 39% less nitric oxide than nonsmokers. 'The observations that marijuana smokers and THC users each have poor vascular function might make people conclude that the THC is responsible for all of this and the smoke is irrelevant,' Springer said. That would be an ill-advised conclusion, according to Springer, as there are reasons to believe that marijuana smoke itself is as responsible as THC for the damage to blood vessels. 'Rats exposed to marijuana smoke with no cannabinoids at all also had vascular and cardiac impairment, plus tobacco smoke is known to cause heart disease and it has no THC,' Springer said. 'So you do yourself no favors by switching from smoking tobacco to marijuana. Smoking marijuana just gives you a double hit — the smoke and the THC,' he said. As for marijuana edibles, teas, tinctures and the like? 'In people, there's like a Goldilocks zone for everything — too much doesn't do right, too little doesn't do right, but just right does fine,' Freeman said. 'We need further investigations to see if there is a Goldilocks zone to be found.'
