Can THC affect how quickly food moves through your body? THC can reduce the speed of your stomach's emptying. However, it doesn't mean that all parts of the digestion process are affected.
THC also slows down the muscle contractions in the digestive tract. This causes the food to go through the intestines slower. While some people may experience related side effects, others may not notice any changes. As usual, the noticeable effects depend on the dosage, cannabis format, and your physical condition.
Does THC Slow Digestion?
THC can delay gastric emptying and keep food from moving quickly through your intestines. This ability led to studying THC as part of the treatment for people who suffer from nausea and vomiting (e.g., chemotherapy patients).
A small study performed on 13 people showed that people who took THC experienced slower gastric emptying than those who received a placebo.
Another study demonstrated that cannabis may be useful for people who suffer from gastroparesis. It talked about using THC as an antiemetic (a class of drug that works against nausea and vomiting). However, with long use, the benefits can be reversed and lead to Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
Both of these studies used THC doses designed for the trial. They didn't describe a situation when an otherwise healthy person uses cannabis for recreational purposes. Accordingly, the experienced effect can be different.
How THC Interacts with the Digestive System
THC interacts with the digestive system by affecting the endocannabinoid system. The latter helps regulate different bodily functions, one of which is digestion. Cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, are part of this system. They help regulate gut motility (muscle movements that push food through the digestive tract) and digestive secretion.
Four ways THC interacts with the digestive system are:
1. Delayed Gastric Emptying
THC activates CB1 receptors in your digestive tract and brain. When this happens, food can take longer to move from the stomach into the small intestine.
2. Weaker Gut Motility
Your intestines use rhythmic muscle contractions (peristalsis) to push food through the digestive tract.
THC can interfere with the release of chemical messengers that tell the intestinal muscles to contract. This slows down peristalsis.
3. Reduced Stomach Acid Production
Certain research shows that activating CB1 receptors also reduces gastric acid secretion. However, the exact mechanism is still unclear. It could potentially affect the process of food breakdown.
4. Tolerance
When you use cannabinoids repeatedly, the digestive system can become less responsive to some of their effects.
THC may not slow digestive movement as much after repeated use as it did initially. However, more research needs to be done to understand how THC use patterns lead to tolerance.
What Does This Mean for THC Edibles?
When you consume an edible, THC moves through your stomach and into your small intestine for absorption. The absorbed THC then passes through the liver, which converts some of it into another active compound called 11-hydroxy-THC. This is one reason edibles can feel different from smoking cannabis, both in terms of intensity and duration.
Why THC Edibles Affect Everyone Differently
What you eat before taking an edible can change how your body absorbs THC. In a study of 28 adults, taking THC capsules after a high-fat meal delayed the time it took THC to reach its highest level in the blood. The same meal also increased overall THC exposure.
THC may also be absorbed differently depending on how a gummy, oil, or baked product is made. A review of studies on oral THC found that absorption varied between formulations.
Your plays a big role too. Two people can take the same edible and feel its effects at different times.
Does a Slow Onset Mean Slower Digestion?
No. A slow onset only tells you that you haven't noticed the edible's effects yet. It doesn't tell you how quickly your stomach is emptying.
The New York State Office of Cannabis Management explains that edibles may take two hours or longer to take effect. This delay makes some people take more than necessary. If you don't feel any effects after taking an edible, avoid another serving. The first one may still be taking effect.
You also need to distinguish between when you feel effects and how long THC stays in your system. You may stop feeling the high long before your body has fully eliminated THC and its metabolites.
Does Slower Stomach Emptying Mean Constipation?
Not always. Gastric emptying describes how food moves from your stomach into your small intestine. Constipation mainly involves difficulty passing stool, which happens farther down your digestive tract.
Researchers have found that dronabinol, a prescription form of THC, can affect muscle activity in the colon. However, human studies haven't consistently shown a significant delay in the speed of the material moving through the colon.
Accordingly, current evidence that THC delays gastric emptying is not enough to prove that THC causes constipation.
Bloating and Fullness
When your stomach's emptying slows down, you may feel unusually full after eating. Bloating can also occur together with digestive changes. However, neither symptom is proof that THC is responsible.
Changes in your diet can affect how your stomach feels. So can certain medications or an existing digestive condition. Constipation itself can have several causes, including lack of fluid or fiber intake.
The same caution applies if your bowel habits change after consuming THC. The timing may be worth paying attention to.
What If You Notice Digestive Symptoms After THC?
If you notice digestive discomfort after using THC, pay attention to when it starts. A single episode doesn't necessarily mean THC is at fault. However, repeated symptoms may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
You can keep a simple record of:
- The THC product and amount you used
- When symptoms started
- Symptom duration
- Type and amount of food consumed
- Medication or supplements you usually take
Try to note what's different on days when you do not have symptoms. This may help you and your healthcare professional identify possible explanations.
If constipation, bloating, or nausea keeps coming back, speak with a doctor, especially if you already have a digestive condition. Persistent vomiting or severe abdominal pain requires urgent medical evaluation.
Don't use THC to try to treat unexplained digestive symptoms. First, find out what's causing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does THC slow stomach emptying?
Yes, under certain studied conditions. A small human trial found that THC delayed the movement of solid food out of the stomach compared with a placebo. However, the study used a specific medical dose. Its results don't tell us exactly what will happen after recreational use.
Can THC gummies cause constipation?
They might. However, the research is limited. THC can affect signals involved in gut movement, and some people may notice changes in bowel habits after using gummies. However, studies showing slower stomach emptying don't establish that gummies cause constipation. Other factors may be responsible.
Does smoking THC affect digestion, too?
It may. When you smoke THC, it enters your bloodstream through your lungs. However, THC can still interact with the body's cannabinoid receptors, including those involved in digestion. As of today, research hasn't established whether smoking has the same effects on stomach emptying as oral THC.
Does taking an edible with food change when it kicks in?
It can. Research on THC capsules found that a high-fat meal delayed the time it took THC to reach its highest level in the blood. It also increased overall THC exposure.
How long do THC's effects on digestion last?
The jury is still out. Researchers have measured changes in stomach emptying over several hours in controlled studies. However, this doesn't establish how long the effects last in everyday use.
The Bottom Line
THC can affect the digestive system in several ways. Some studies show that it can delay stomach emptying and slow down the movement of food through the digestive tract. However, it's a bit of a stretch to say that THC slows digestion. More studies need to be done to clarify the way this affects recreational cannabis use.
If you notice recurring digestive symptoms after THC, talk to a healthcare professional. Don't write your digestion problems off as something that "everyone" experiences when taking cannabis. Everybody reacts differently. You don't want to miss an underlying condition.
References
- McCallum, R. W., Soykan, I., Sridhar, K. R., Ricci, D. A., Lange, R. C., & Plankey, M. W. (1999). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol delays the gastric emptying of solid food in humans: A double-blind, randomized study. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 13(1), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.1999.00441.x
- Parkman, H. P., Sharkey, E. P., Nguyen, L. A., Yates, K. P., Abell, T. L., Hasler, W. L., Snape, W., Clarke, J., Schey, R., Koch, K. L., Kuo, B., McCallum, R. W., Sarosiek, I., Grover, M., Farrugia, G., Tonascia, J., & Pasricha, P. J. (2019). Marijuana Use in Patients with Symptoms of Gastroparesis: Prevalence, Patient Characteristics, and Perceived Benefit. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 65(8), 2311–2320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05963-2
- Galli, J. A., Sawaya, R. A., & Friedenberg, F. K. (2011). Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Current Drug Abuse Reviews, 4(4), 241–249. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874473711104040241
- Hornby, P. J., & Prouty, S. M. (2004). Involvement of cannabinoid receptors in gut motility and visceral perception. British Journal of Pharmacology, 141(8), 1335–1345. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjp.0705783
- Lunn, S., Diaz, P., O'Hearn, S., Cahill, S. P., Blake, A., Narine, K., & Dyck, J. R. B. (2019). Human pharmacokinetic parameters of orally administered Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol capsules are altered by fed versus fasted conditions and sex differences. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 4(4), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2019.0037
