Brain expert reveals exactly what smoking weed does to male sex hormones
A brain expert has revealed how smoking weed can impact your body and hormones.
As of 2023, 17 percent of Americans said they smoked marijuana (which is now legal in 24 states, with Ohio and Minnesota being some of the most recent areas to legalize recreational use).
Of course, you have to be 21 years or older to smoke the green stuff in these states, but that doesn't stop teenagers from accessing it, sparking some to question if this can have an impact on young people's brains.
In a study involving 5,162 Danish men who were born between 1949 and 1961 for 44 years, scientists looked at age‐related cognitive decline and marijuana use. Over half of those in the study said they'd smoke cannabis before turning 18.
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Surprisingly, the study concluded that 'the estimated difference in cognitive decline between cannabis users and nonusers was modest and may not hold clinical significance'.
While smoking weed as a teenager doesn't seem to do any real damage to your brain when it comes to cognitive decline, it can have an impact of men's testosterone levels.
According to Dr Daniel Amen, cannabis lowers a man's testosterone levels.
"We have this younger generation who has lower testosterone," the celebrity doctor said on The Tucker Carlson Show podcast. "They've been getting lower and lower, so we have to ask ourselves 'Why's that?'"
He also shared something else that's contributing to lower testosterone levels: obesity.
Dr Amen explained: "Excess weight increases something called inflammatory cytokines. The fat on your belly is not your friend. It decreases blood flow, it increases inflammation. It prematurely ages your brain.
"It takes healthy testosterone and flips it into unhealthy cancer-promoting forms of estrogen, which is why being overweight increases your risk of over 30 different cancers."
While Dr Amen said he could 'conclusively' say that marijuana negatively impacts testosterone levels, the jury is still out elsewhere.
In a 2018 study, it was found that healthy guys who smoked just one to three times a month had the highest testosterone levels in comparison to men who smoked Mary Jane almost every day and those who'd rarely smoked cannabis at all.
Another study published in 2020 concluded that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis was actually associated with small increases in testosterone, Men's Health reported.
However it was noted in the research that 'this increase in [testosterone] appears to decline as THC use increases'.
Long story short, the relationship between cannabis and testosterone levels is complicated.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.
Niamh Shackleton