Men, Women, and Cannabis: Different Reactions to the Same Substance

 

The male and female are different from each other in terms of appearance, physical traits, hormonal activities, and reproductive processes. The male and female systems also have different reactions to cannabis compounds such as cannabidiol (CBD) and THC. This article will explain how and why both sexes react to cannabis as well as how they manifest themselves in terms of user behaviors and health benefits.

How Men and Women React to Cannabis
Men and women tend to have varying reactions to cannabis. Men tend to experience high amounts of appetite, for instance; they have a high chance of getting “the munchies” after consuming cannabis. Women tend to become more sensitive to cannabis effects like visual distortion. While women seem to experience powerful withdrawal symptoms when they quit cannabis, at the same time, they can develop a high tolerance to cannabis consumption than their male counterparts. This high level of tolerance can make women develop marijuana dependency more easily than men.

In addition to cannabis, other substances like nicotine also affect men and women in different ways. When males smoke cannabis, it affects a brain structure called the ventral striatum, while in females it affects a brain structure called the dorsal striatum. Both males and females also have different layouts of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates several biochemical reactions — including dopamine production in the brain. Research also shows that males tend to have more CB1 receptors than females, but the female CB1 receptors work more efficiently. On the systemic level, the male body metabolizes cannabis differently from the female body.

How Cannabis Usage Differs Between the Sexes
The differences in cannabis reactions in both sexes may explain the reason for the different usage tendencies between the sexes. Research shows that men like cannabis in the form of joints and vapes while women like cannabis in edible and topical forms. Women are also more likely to use cannabis for medicinal purposes like anxiety relieve or pain relief, while men are more likely to use it for recreational purposes. Men also have a higher probability of using cannabis than women, possibly because of male testosterone levels which prompts them to take risks.

How Sex Hormones Influence the Effects of Cannabis
Sex hormones are influential in how cannabis affects the bodies and brains of both sexes. For instance, the same testosterone that prompts men to take risks also suppresses the reward response in the brain, which provides a better answer to why men can use more cannabis without experiencing unprecedented changes in tolerance levels. On the other hand, a woman’s reaction to cannabis may depend on her current estrogen level, since estrogen can lessen the effects of cannabis to an extent.

Bottom line
Men and women experience cannabis in different ways, but one thing is clear, both sexes will still gain the same relief when using cannabis for medical purposes such as relief from anxiety, nausea, anorexia, stress, muscle spasms, insomnia, and more. No matter your sex, cannabis will still be useful in your everyday life.