POT TV – Episode 92 of the Huberman Lab Podcast looked at weed, “The Effects of Cannabis (Marijuana) on the Brain & Body“.
With a narrow focus on “cannabis” as a recreational drug, primarily as it related to the CB1 receptor, Andrew Huberman examined some scientific research on weed, and offered opinion.
After an introduction of currently understood effects of cannabinoids in the system, and an overview of cannabis types (sativa, indica,1,2,3), Huberman examined cannabis in relation to physical health, creativity, and pregnancy.
Andrew concluded on a slightly alarmist note, considering the details of the research. For example, the key citation for the claim of cannabis causing testosterone reduction from “Individual prolactin reactivity modulates response of nucleus accumbens to erotic stimuli during acute cannabis intoxication: an fMRI pilot study”, “Effects of chronic marijuana use on testosterone, luteinizing-hormone, follicle-stimulating-hormone, prolactin and cortisol in men and women”, included a sample in which over 85% of test subjects were consuming alcohol, and cigarette use was not recorded, even though both have reported effect on testosterone. The science is not nearly as definite as Huberman assumed.
Regarding youth and psychosis, a 50 year increase in cannabis use by youth has not led to a corresponding increase in the associated mental health problems attributed to marijuana. That might explain why authors of “Bayesian causal network modeling suggests adolescent cannabis use accelerates prefrontal cortical thinning” were cautious to note ” … it remains possible that these brain changes may not be a consequence of the cannabis exposure but may reflect instead a neurodevelopmental trajectory caused by other factors that is related to a higher likelihood of adolescent cannabis use.”
Cannabis potency testing also continues to be more an industry, and political issue, than solid science.
For more on cannabis science, explore with POT.TV.