The science and cannabis communities are buzzing about the release of a new study linking cannabis and coffee in a fascinating way. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago, following 47 Finnish coffee drinkers through a three month period. The amount of coffee consumed was ramped up from four to eight cups throughout the length of the study. The study concluded coffee consumption on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) was the opposite of cannabis consumption.
Endocannabinoid molecules decreased when participants were drinking high quantities of coffee per day. These molecules increase when you consume cannabis. The study raises many more questions than it answers, but no study to date has shown coffee’s metabolic impact to be this deep.
Cannabis and coffee have a close relationship, especially in Seattle. The Starbucks mermaid and a cannabis leaf might be the two most recognizable things from our state, and two of the most popular substances used within it. But if cannabis raises endocannabinoid levels and coffee lowers them, should combining them be reconsidered? There’s anecdotal evidence online that coffee both hinders and helps the psychoactive effects.
The (ECS) is a complex system that helps regulate many systems in the human body. The ECS is made of endocannabinoid molecules, receptors, the enzymes that break down the molecules once they’ve served their purpose. The main thing people know about the ECS is that it’s involved in the function of getting you high after you smoke or ingest cannabis, and that’s true, but it’s far more complex than that. The ECS helps manage blood pressure, cognition, addiction, immunity, appetite, and sleep. The most important function of the ECS is helping the body return to homeostasis. Homeostasis is the body’s natural state of equilibrium achieved when all the body’s systems and cells are humming harmoniously along. Cannabis interacting so closely with the ECS might help explain why cannabis is such a diverse medicine for human beings.
Exploring coffee’s relationship with the ECS might help explain why many studies on coffee show positive results on human health. Amsterdam put coffee and cannabis lounges on the map, and Colorado and San Franciso are trying to follow suit. A business called The Coffee Joint in Colorado will let customers vape, dab and consume cannabis on site, but no smoking flower. You can even buy cannabis-infused coffee at the connecting dispensary and have it prepared at The Coffee Joint. You still can’t consume cannabis and coffee together legally in Washington, but seeing people passing a joint, Starbucks cups in hand is a common sight on a Seattle city corner.
Regardless of what science shows in the future, coffee and cannabis will continue to share a close space. More research is needed to fully understand how cannabis, coffee, and the ECS truly interact with each other. But we know a healthy and fully functioning ECS is vital for good health, and knowing how coffee and cannabis influence the ECS could have a vital impact on how these substances are combined in the future.
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