Can cannabis help with menopause?

Menopause is one of the most challenging transitions women face as they go through dramatic physical, psychological, and vaginal/uterine changes.

The stage is characterised by symptoms such as insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, pain, inflammation, and mood swings.

Although there are various medical alternatives to deal with the unwanted and uncomfortable symptoms, a study conducted in 2021 by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research showed that women experiencing menopause (perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause) in Alberta were significantly using cannabis to relieve symptoms. Sixty five per cent of the participants had ever used cannabis to relieve menopausal symptoms, while 35 per cent of the group were using marijuana during the period the study was conducted. 

Another study presented to the  North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in 2020 had similar conclusions. In a sample of 232 women from Northern California, 27 per cent indicated using cannabis to manage hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia.

Ten per cent of the participants expressed interest in using cannabis, while only 19 per cent utilised hormone therapy to combat menopause symptoms. From the studies, one can conclude that women are shifting from hormonal medication and switching to organic, natural alternatives, specifically cannabis. This piece explores everything about menopause and its symptoms and how cannabis can help alleviate these conditions. 

What is menopause?

Menopause is a period in a woman’s life that can stretch 10 or more years. During this period, their reproductive hormones go through a natural decline. This marks the end of the menstrual cycle and, consequently, their fertility. It is divided into three stages;

Perimenopause: this includes the years leading to menopause. Most women experience this during their early to mid-40s, although others can begin early during their 30s or late 40s. The woman will experience biological disturbances characterized by irregular menstrual cycles and varying hormone levels during this time. 

Menopause: this is when a woman stops having her menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. One will not know when they are experiencing menopause until the 12 months have gone by. Common symptoms during this stage include vaginal dryness, night sweats, hot flashes, and sleep issues. 

Postmenopause: this refers to the period after a woman has stayed 12 consecutive months or more without menstruating – after menopause. Symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats begin to fade or disappear entirely. 

Physical, psychological, and vaginal symptoms of menopause

As mentioned earlier, menopause is a life-changing transition with its fair share of problems. It is attached to a host of symptoms, which can be classified as either physical, psychological, or vaginal.

Physical: symptoms include fatigue, pain and inflammation, heart palpitations, headaches, dizziness, stiffness, insomnia, and chest discomfort.

Psychological: symptoms include anxiety, depression, lowered sex drive, lack of concentration, memory loss, and mood changes.

Vaginal/uterine: symptoms include dryness and pain during sexual intercourse.

The relationship between cannabis, the endocannabinoid system, and cannabis

Does cannabis help with menopause? To answer this question, we must first look into the endocannabinoid system. This is a system comprising endocannabinoids, receptors, and neurotransmitters. This cell-signaling system utilizes these components to support normal body functioning, aka homeostasis. It regulates and controls various immune system, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproduction (including fertility and menopause) functions. 

During menopause, the ECS is disrupted, which causes changes in various related biological systems. Cannabis interacts with the ECS on different molecular levels to support its function of maintaining homeostasis, thus relieving the menopause symptoms.

The research into how cannabis directly relieves menopausal symptoms is currently unavailable. However, cannabis is known to have potent analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, appetite-stimulating, sleep-inducing, antiemetic, and muscle-relaxing properties that can play a significant role in managing symptoms like pain, inflammation, mood swings, depression, anxiety, and sleep issues. Below is a highlight of top menopause symptoms and how cannabis can help combat them. 

Hot flashes and night sweats

These symptoms are the primary reasons why women turn to cannabis. THC, the most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis, is associated with lowered body temperatures. The cannabinoid supports thermoregulation, which is handy for women experiencing hot flashes and night sweats. Ever heard of THC-induced hypothermia? This may happen when THC is taken in high doses. Identifying the right amount of cannabis to consume may help mitigate the disturbing hot flashes and night sweats. 

Mood swings, anxiety, depression, and concentration

Anecdotal and scientific evidence point out the effectiveness of cannabis’ mood-boosting and regulating, antidepressant, and focus-boosting properties. Its anxiolytic capability is dependent on various factors, such as the dose taken and the consumer’s tolerance level. These psychological issues affect most women undergoing menopause due to the numerous changes, discomforts, and uncertainties they go through.

Vaginal dryness and low sex drive

Cannabis can help with vaginal dryness and low sex drive in either of two ways; first, its calming, relaxing, and mood-boosting properties coupled with clear-headedness may support a return of the sex drive. Secondly, CBD lubricants have been known to decrease inflammation in the vaginal area, increase blood flow in the area, and support muscle relaxation. 

Pain and inflammation 

Cannabis is a powerful analgesic and anti-inflammation agent. It is utilised by numerous cannabis consumers to treat pain resulting from conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, MS, sciatica, and headaches. Athletes have been known to incorporate cannabis in their pre- and post-workout regimes to combat muscle aches, pains, and injuries.  

Fatigue and insomnia 

Cannabis is a powerful muscle relaxant that, when consumed, melts all the tightness and tension away. It also promotes full-body relaxation and sleep. It helps restore one’s sleep pattern and promotes a regular sleep cycle. 

Take away

Although not directly, cannabis has been proven to help relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, pain, anxiety, inflammation, depression, sex drive, and insomnia. There is a need for more research to link the two together. This will facilitate the identification of proper cannabis strain genetics and dosage for managing perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause symptoms. 

• Groundbreaking trial to explore cannabis-based products for women’s health
• Growing demand for cannabis as a treatment for menopause symptoms
• More women try cannabis to manage menopause symptoms
• Addressing the double impact of fibromyalgia and menopause
• Menopause: Could CBD offer relief from symptoms?