Scientists at the University of California, Riverside, have discovered that cannabis compounds could offer a new approach to treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, despite the plant’s well-known appetite-stimulating effects.
The study, published in The Journal of Physiology, found that while both pure delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and whole-plant cannabis extracts reduced body weight in obese mice, only the full-spectrum extracts from the whole plant successfully normalised glucose metabolism.
Professor Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, who led the research at UC Riverside’s School of Medicine, said the findings could explain a longstanding medical paradox. “We would think that chronic cannabis users would be eating more and weigh more, but it’s just the opposite,” he told SFGATE.
The research team administered either pure THC or cannabis extracts containing equivalent THC levels to mice fed a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet for 60 days. Both treatments led to sustained weight loss and reduced fat mass compared to untreated obese mice.
However, the metabolic outcomes diverged significantly. Mice treated with THC alone continued to show impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance – hallmarks of type 2 diabetes – despite their weight loss. In contrast, those receiving whole-plant extracts saw their glucose clearance normalise to levels comparable with lean, healthy mice.
“This suggests that THC alone is not responsible for the metabolic benefits associated with cannabis use,” Professor DiPatrizio explained. “Other compounds in the plant appear to play a critical role.”
The researchers found that cannabis extracts more effectively restored the function of the adipoinsular axis – the communication pathway between fat tissue and the pancreas that obesity disrupts. This restoration allowed fat cells to properly signal insulin secretion and regulate blood glucose levels.
Analysis of fat tissue revealed that cannabis treatment reversed obesity-related changes in the expression of key metabolic genes and adipokines, including leptin, adiponectin and adipsin. The extracts proved more effective than pure THC in normalising these markers.
The study also examined the direct effects of cannabinoids on cultured fat cells, finding dose-dependent reductions in lipid accumulation and alterations in cellular energy metabolism. Blocking cannabinoid receptors with antagonist drugs produced similar anti-obesity effects to the cannabinoid treatments themselves, suggesting chronic exposure may downregulate the endocannabinoid system.
Professor DiPatrizio emphasised that the findings do not support using recreational cannabis for weight management. “We’re not suggesting people should use cannabis to manage weight or diabetes,” he said. The research exclusively involved male mice, and animal studies often fail to translate to humans.
The team is now working to identify specific non-psychoactive compounds responsible for the metabolic benefits. “We would like to specifically find the chemical involved that doesn’t lead to intoxication,” Professor DiPatrizio said. “That’s what’s exciting about this work. The intoxicating chemical alone doesn’t do it.”
As obesity affects 650 million adults worldwide and type 2 diabetes continues to rise, the identification of new therapeutic solutions remains a global health priority. Cannabis-derived compounds could offer novel treatment options, though extensive clinical trials would be required before any medications reach patients.
“Clinicians, researchers and policymakers should stay tuned and pay attention to this space,” Professor DiPatrizio said. “We need evidence-based approaches to fully understand both the risks and potential benefits of cannabis and its components.”
