TY - JOUR
T1 - Metabolic effects of chronic cannabis smoking
AU - Muniyappa, Ranganath
AU - Sable, Sara
AU - Ouwerkerk, Ronald
AU - Mari, Andrea
AU - Gharib, Ahmed M.
AU - Walter, Mary
AU - Courville, Amber
AU - Hall, Gail
AU - Chen, Kong Y.
AU - Volkow, Nora D.
AU - Kunos, George
AU - Huestis, Marilyn A.
AU - Skarulis, Monica C.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - OBJECTIVE-We examined if chronic cannabis smoking is associated with hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, reduced b-cell function, or dyslipidemia in healthy individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-In a cross-sectional, case-control study, we studied cannabis smokers (n = 30; women, 12; men, 18; 27 ± 8 years) and control subjects (n = 30) matched for age, sex, ethnicity, and BMI (27 ± 6). Abdominal fat depots and intrahepatic fat content were quantified by magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. Insulin-sensitivity indices and various aspects of β-cell function were derived from oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). RESULTS-Self-reported cannabis use was: 9.5 (2-38) years; joints/day: 6 (3-30) [median (range)]. Carbohydrate intake and percent calories from carbohydrates, but not total energy intake, were significantly higher in cannabis smokers. There were no group differences in percent total body fat, or hepatic fat, but cannabis smokers had a higher percent abdominal visceral fat (18 ± 9 vs. 12 ± 5%; P = 0.004). Cannabis smokers had lower plasma HDL cholesterol (49 ± 14 vs. 55 ± 13 mg/dL; P = 0.02), but fasting levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids (FFA) were not different. Adipocyte insulin resistance index and percent FFA suppression during an OGTT was lower (P <0.05) in cannabis smokers. However, oral glucose insulin sensitivity index, measures of β-cell function, or incretin concentrations did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS-Chronic cannabis smoking was associated with visceral adiposity and adipose tissue insulin resistance but not with hepatic steatosis, insulin insensitivity, impaired pancreatic β-cell function, or glucose intolerance.
AB - OBJECTIVE-We examined if chronic cannabis smoking is associated with hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, reduced b-cell function, or dyslipidemia in healthy individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-In a cross-sectional, case-control study, we studied cannabis smokers (n = 30; women, 12; men, 18; 27 ± 8 years) and control subjects (n = 30) matched for age, sex, ethnicity, and BMI (27 ± 6). Abdominal fat depots and intrahepatic fat content were quantified by magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. Insulin-sensitivity indices and various aspects of β-cell function were derived from oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). RESULTS-Self-reported cannabis use was: 9.5 (2-38) years; joints/day: 6 (3-30) [median (range)]. Carbohydrate intake and percent calories from carbohydrates, but not total energy intake, were significantly higher in cannabis smokers. There were no group differences in percent total body fat, or hepatic fat, but cannabis smokers had a higher percent abdominal visceral fat (18 ± 9 vs. 12 ± 5%; P = 0.004). Cannabis smokers had lower plasma HDL cholesterol (49 ± 14 vs. 55 ± 13 mg/dL; P = 0.02), but fasting levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids (FFA) were not different. Adipocyte insulin resistance index and percent FFA suppression during an OGTT was lower (P <0.05) in cannabis smokers. However, oral glucose insulin sensitivity index, measures of β-cell function, or incretin concentrations did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS-Chronic cannabis smoking was associated with visceral adiposity and adipose tissue insulin resistance but not with hepatic steatosis, insulin insensitivity, impaired pancreatic β-cell function, or glucose intolerance.
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U2 - 10.2337/dc12-2303
DO - 10.2337/dc12-2303
M3 - Article
C2 - 23530011
AN - SCOPUS:84876920941
SN - 0149-5992
VL - 36
SP - 2415
EP - 2422
JO - Diabetes Care
JF - Diabetes Care
IS - 8
ER -