Why Am I So Thirsty? Thirst & Other Marijuana Side Effects

 

If you smoke marijuana one of the side effects you might have noticed is that it makes you feel thirsty or gives you a dry mouth. Increased thirst might seem like an odd side effect and you may be curious to discover the reasons you’re always thirsty when you consume cannabis.

Why Cannabis Makes You Thirsty

You may assume that the extreme thirst you feel after smoking is due to inhaling the hot smoke but the cause of thirst comes from the fact that there are cannabinoid receptors on the part of your brain that regulates saliva production.

You should always make sure you drink enough water and drinking a glass of water will help to relieve the symptoms but it is actually a lack of saliva that is the cause of dry mouth rather than dehydration causing excessive thirst. Chewing gum or sucking a lozenge or hard candy are also good ways to stimulate saliva production.

Tobacco is also known to make the problem worse so if you are prone to dry mouth avoid smoking tobacco.

Other Possible Causes of Excessive Thirst

If you feel thirsty all the time, even when you drink water and not just after consuming marijuana, then it could be that there are other health conditions that need attention such as diabetes.

Diabetes is a medical condition that makes it difficult for your body to control your blood sugar level or blood glucose. Thirst or having a dry mouth is a common symptom of diabetes mellitus as you kidneys are having to work overtime to get rid of the excess blood sugar.

Other diabetes symptoms include frequent urination, sudden unexplained weight loss, blurred vision and excessive tiredness. If you suspect you may have diabetes you should visit your doctor for advice, diagnosis or treatment as this is a lifelong condition that needs careful management.

Another condition that can cause dry mouth is diabetes insipidus which is not actually related to diabetes but causes similar symptoms such as excess urination and thirst and is related to the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin. Mental health conditions can also cause you to feel thirsty as can kidney diseases. These are relatively rare conditions but if you are worried you should consult a doctor for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

There may also be another simple reason you may feel more thirsty than usual such as eating salty or spicy foods, drinking alcohol, fluid loss due to heat or exercise or not drinking enough water throughout the day.

Other Marijuana Side Effects

Generally people consume marijuana either for its medicinal benefits or for the feelings of euphoria produced when THC attaches to the brain's cannabinoid receptors.

If you smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes you can apply for a medical marijuana card today that will allow you to buy at medical dispensaries.

Unfortunately not all the side effects are positive for all people and everyone reacts in a slightly different way. Some side effects can be beneficial, some can be an irritation and some can be enough to put people off smoking.

Other side effects include:

• Memory problems
• Disturbed balance and coordination
• Increased appetite - The munchies
• Hallucinations
• Anxiety and depression
• Bloodshot eyes

Memory Problems

Because THC affects the hippocampus amygdala, and cerebral cortex it can cause short term problems with thinking and memory function.

Memory is a complex function and there have been limited studies to really understand how cannabis use affects memory in the short and long term, however it does appear that acute cannabis use can affect memory and make you more susceptible to forming false memories.

Disturbed Balance and Coordination

THC affects the areas of your brain that are responsible for balance and coordination as well as reaction time. This can impact users ability to drive and operate machinery as well as simpler tasks such as walking and talking.

Increased Appetite - The Munchies

Increased appetite can be a positive effect for some and cannabis is often used to help those who are experiencing a loss of appetite due to a variety of illnesses. Of course, for others, this can be seen as a more negative side effect.

Cannabis increases appetite as well as increasing the enjoyment of food and heightening the sensory experience of eating. It is thought that smoking cannabis triggers the release of the same hormone your body produces when your stomach is empty so marijuana can make you hungry even if you’ve already eaten.

Hallucinations

One possible side effect of marijuana is either audio or visual hallucinations. Hallucinations are not a very common side effect however and tend to only happen when THC does are high.

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety or paranoia is one of the more common side effects of cannabis. However many people also use cannabis to help them deal with anxiety due to its relaxing effects and the fact that for many people it promotes sleep.

Cannabis has also been linked to depression although there is little conclusive evidence to support that smoking causes depression.

If you are using cannabis and your mental health appears to be suffering for unexpected reasons you some research suggests you may be better off with medicinal strains that have a lower THC content. You can apply for a doctors recommendation online today.

Bloodshot Eyes

Bloodshot eyes or red eye are another common side effect of smoking or consuming marijuana caused by changing blood pressure making the blood vessels in your eyes dilate. Again this is not always seen as a negative side effect and is one of the reasons cannabis may be useful in treating glaucoma.

Bloodshot eyes are not generally anything to be worried about and although they are a tell tale sign you have been smoking it doesn’t appear to do any long term damage.