Latest news with #Psychedelics
Medscape
4 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Cannabis, Psychedelics Get High Marks for Eating Disorder
TOPLINE: Cannabis and psychedelics were rated as the most effective drugs for symptom relief by survey participants with eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder (BED). On the other hand, patients perceived prescription antidepressants as mainly providing benefits for overall mental health. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed responses to the international online MED-FED survey between 2022 and 2023. The study included more than 6000 adults (mean age, 24.3 years; 94% women; 82% White) who self-reported an ED (62%) or disordered eating (38%) and were predominantly from Australia (30%), the UK (21%), and the US (18%). The highest percentage of ED type was anorexia nervosa (41%), bulimia nervosa (19%), and BED (11%). Additionally, 65% had comorbid depression. The survey included questions on recent (previous 12 months) use of prescription drugs, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, cannabis, psychedelics, prosocial or party drugs such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, stimulants, and opioids. Participants rated their agreement on a 5-point Likert scale regarding each drug's effects on ED symptoms, overall benefits for mental health, and unpleasant side effects. TAKEAWAY: Cannabis was used by 56% of participants, with its daily use being particularly high among those with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (odds ratio, 2.4; P < .001). Psilocybin and cannabis received the highest positive rating for relieving ED symptoms (mean rating, 0.50 for both), followed by lysergic acid diethylamide (mean rating, 0.3). Prescription antidepressants were rated effective for improving overall mental health but not for relieving ED symptoms, with the exceptions of lisdexamfetamine for BED (mean rating, 1.14) and fluoxetine for bulimia nervosa (mean rating, 0.50). Alcohol and amphetamines (mean rating, -0.52 for both) received the poorest ratings for symptom improvement. Unpleasant adverse effects were least likely to be reported with the use of lamotrigine (mean rating, -0.49), illicitly sourced diazepam (mean rating, -0.40), bupropion (mean rating, -0.29), and psilocybin (mean rating, -0.30). IN PRACTICE: 'These findings highlight an important pattern: with traditional medications often falling short in treating eating disorders directly, while many individuals are self-medicating with substances they perceive as helpful,' lead investigator Sarah-Catherine Rodan, the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, said in a press release. The results also suggest that 'more research, including large clinical trials, should be undertaken around the beneficial effects of cannabis and psychedelics for people with eating disorders,' she added. SOURCE: The study was published online on July 22 in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: The study predominantly involved high-income English-speaking countries and participants with internet access, potentially introducing a selection bias. The sample may have also been influenced by novelty-seeking individuals or those with positive experiences with drugs. The reliance on self-diagnosis without formal assessment of EDs or comorbid conditions, along with potential recall bias in self-reporting of drug use and clinical features, limited the generalizability of findings. Some findings involved relatively small numbers of people with specific diagnoses using specific drugs, and the positive public perception of cannabis and psychedelics may have influenced ratings through expectation and placebo effects. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded by the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney. Several investigators reported having financial ties with various sources, and some reported holding share options, patents, and expert-witness roles with pharmaceutical and cannabis-industry entities. Full details are listed in the original article. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Cannabis And Psychedelics Seen As Effective For Eating Disorders, Study Finds
Anorexia Nervosa - Common Medical Marijuana Conditions for Qualifying Patients - use of the whole, ... More unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions. A new study has found that cannabis and psychedelics are perceived to be the most effective drugs that help alleviate eating disorder symptoms. A group of researchers from the University of Sydney has conducted a survey on over 6,000 people suffering from eight eating disorders, such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge-eating disorder, and found that most of them rely on cannabis and psychedelics to help alleviate their symptoms. Published on JAMA Network Open-Psychiatry this week, the study tried to understand which prescription and nonprescription drugs are used by people with eating disorders, and how they are associated with symptoms. To do so, participants, diagnosed with eating disorders and mainly from English-speaking countries, completed an online survey on recent prescribed and nonprescribed drug use, as well as perceived benefits and harms. Initially, 7,648 respondents were recruited; 6,612 completed demographics, and 5,123 finished the survey. The findings of the survey showed that overall, the best-rated drugs for eating disorder symptoms among respondents were psilocybin, cannabis, and lysergic acid diethylamide. For example, for respondents with anorexia, cannabis received the highest rating. When asked to identify their drug of choice for self-medicating eating disorder symptoms, the most popular drug among respondents was cannabis, but when normalized by number of users, fluoxetine, an antidepressant, ranked highest. Among 6,136 respondents, prescription psychotropics were rated highest for mental health. Psilocybin, LSD, and cannabis also received strong ratings. 'A striking outcome was the favorable self-reported ratings of psychedelics and cannabis for alleviating ED symptoms, eclipsing the ratings of commonly prescribed psychotropics,' the study reads. Can Cannabis Help Alleviate Eating Disorder Symptoms? The study also highlighted that daily cannabis users reported perceived benefits for their eating disorder symptoms. Researchers said that 'there is scant research around the use of cannabinoids in individuals with eating disorders apart from small trials supporting the efficacy of dronabinol, which is synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol, in those with anorexia nervosa.' They also added that cannabis may benefit people with restrictive and food-aversive eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, 'by increasing the hedonic value of food.' This is in line with previous studies on the effects of cannabis on appetite. A study published last year showed that mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), a region in the brain that regulates various physiological processes, controls increased appetite following cannabis use. In contrast, cannabis received poor ratings from people with bulimia and binge-eating disorder, likely because its appetite-stimulating effects can trigger or worsen binge-and-purge behaviors, thereby intensifying the symptoms of the eating disorder. Psilocybin and LSD were consistently rated highly across all diagnostic groups for their ability to improve eating disorder symptoms, enhance overall mental health, and be well tolerated. However, the study has several limitations. The survey primarily included participants from high-income, English-speaking countries with internet access. It may have also attracted people with eating disorders who are more inclined toward new ways to treat their eating disorder symptoms or have positive attitudes or prior positive experiences with drugs. Furthermore, diagnoses were based on self-report rather than formal clinical assessment, and comorbid conditions were not evaluated. Additionally, recall bias may have influenced participants' reports of drug use and symptoms. Therefore, because some findings are based on small sample sizes within specific diagnostic related to eating disorders and drug-use groups, the researchers highlighted that this study's results 'should be interpreted as exploratory rather than definitive.'
