Obesity, more than an aesthetic factor taken into account by this society, increasingly obsessed with beauty standards, is a 21st-century health problem whose figures have tripled since 1975. There are millions of slimming diets and tips sold to us as miraculous ways to lose weight, but in reality, you know and are perfectly aware that there is no secret: you have to eat a balanced diet and exercise.
We are all familiar with this theory, but that doesn’t negate the fact that some people have more difficulty losing weight than others, either because they have a slower metabolism or due to their genetics. This is where CBD, or cannabidiol, comes in—a natural and safe ally that seems to be able to help you solve your weight problem.
How can CBD help you lose weight?
Preliminary research on CBD suggests that this non-psychoactive cannabinoid may affect body weight loss in two different ways:
- Helps reduce appetite
- Accelerates fat metabolism
You will better understand these two modes of operation of CBD related to weight loss.
CBD influences appetite
Some cancer or HIV patients treated with medical cannabis gain weight. The reason? Their appetite is stimulated by the cannabis plant’s most well-known cannabinoid, THC. This cannabinoid causes the stomach to secrete more ghrelin, the hunger hormone responsible for stimulating food intake and thus promoting weight gain. However, unlike THC, CBD seems to have the opposite effect on the body. It’s not CBD that suppresses hunger, but rather it increases the feeling of fullness. Thanks to its appetite-suppressing action, it reduces calorie intake and therefore helps with weight loss.
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These results are still anecdotal but very promising and should be given greater prominence in clinical research. At the current pace of scientific progress, these findings will soon be confirmed.
CBD accelerates fat metabolism
Adipose tissue, that is, body fat, is composed of two types of fat: white and brown.
White fat functions to store and provide energy, as well as to insulate and protect organs. People suffering from obesity, by accumulating excess white fat, have an increased risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
As for brown fat, it is responsible for thermoregulation, meaning that it generates energy by burning calories in order to maintain body temperature.
CBD is believed to accelerate the metabolic process by which white fat is converted into brown fat, thus aiding its breakdown by generating heat (thermogenesis) and facilitating weight loss. Altering this fat-burning process in the body stimulates its elimination.
Brown cells are the most active form of fat; they burn more energy and therefore more calories, and burning calories is vital for weight loss.
Remember that no weight loss supplement is an obesity treatment. They can be helpful, but they are not a substitute for a healthy diet and regular exercise.
