Author: Nick Jikomes, PhD

[ad_1] In Part I of this series, we learned how the endocannabinoid system regulates and responds to physical activity. The endocannabinoid system is crucial for generating the motivation to engage in voluntary exercise and exercise itself alters its sensitivity to cannabinoids. In Part II, we saw that endocannabinoid receptors are present in the lungs, heart, and blood vessels–key tissues for exercise performance. Endogenous cannabinoids are made from specific dietary fats and regulate various aspects of metabolism. Plant cannabinoids like THC are fat-soluble molecules and some of the THC you consume accumulates in adipose (fat) tissue. This suggests that the amount of…

[ad_1] Leafly’s own Dr. Nick Jikomes breaks down what we know about how THC influences the body’s ability to exercise.In Part I, we learned about the relationship between physical activity and the endocannabinoid system. In general, physical activity has the effect of increasing levels of endogenous cannabinoids. Engaging in rewarding activities, including voluntary exercise, can enhance the sensitivity of CB1 receptors in the brain, influencing how they subsequently respond to cannabinoids. Cannabinoid receptors in the brain are crucial for the motivation to engage in voluntary exercise and the endocannabinoid system responds to physical activity. It is therefore plausible that plant cannabinoids…

[ad_1] Leafly’s Dr. Nick Jikomes explains your body’s own weed molecule signaling system and what happens when you get your blood pumping.The endocannabinoid system is crucial for maintaining homeostasis (balance). As a result, cannabinoids influence everything from emotion and pain perception to metabolism, prenatal development, and the gut microbiome. The plant cannabinoid THC exerts its psychoactive effects through cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These receptors (CB1 receptors) are widespread in organs and tissues beyond the brain, including the lungs and cardiovascular system. As a result, we would expect that cannabinoids have some kind of relationship to physical activity and therefore…

[ad_1] Make some hot chocolate and settle in over winter break as Leafly’s Nick Jikomes, PhD, unshackles your mind from the chains of both THC and terpene scores. We hereby grant you permission to follow your nose into weed’s wilderness.“What drives the aroma of marijuana, and gives different strains their characteristic smell?” Ask this question to any budtender or most cannabis scientists–the experts–and you’re likely going to get this answer: terpenes.  It’s logical to suppose that cannabis aroma is driven primarily by terpenes: They are the most abundant class of volatile compounds (those you can easily smell) in cannabis. They’re literally…

[ad_1] 2023 saw tons of new research come out related to cannabis. Below is a selection of some of the studies that caught my attention, with brief summaries of each. The first two studies are in the realm of public health. After that, three studies on commercial cannabis followed by two basic research studies on the endocannabinoid system.This year, we saw a nice review of the public health research done over the past few years, finding little evidence that legalization promotes marijuana consumption among teens, together with evidence that does promote lower teen alcohol consumption. There was also interesting research…

[ad_1] You really are what you eat, Leafly reader. We know that after you smoke weed, you will eat more in the moment—but as it turns out, you won’t necessarily gain weight in the long-run. Hey, the neuroscience of hunger and weed is complicated. Just in time for turkey day, Leafly’s Nick Jikomes, PhD, provides dietary tips for mind and body, as well as how cannabis fits in.One of the most famous and well-known effects of cannabis is “the munchies.” THC can cause food to taste better and motivates us to eat highly palatable (tasty), calorie-rich foods. This effect comes…

[ad_1] Leafly’s Nick Jikomes PhD details the bacteria and other organisms living on and inside you, and how cannabis can alter your body’s interaction with this microscopic universe.What is the microbiome?The adult human body is composed of trillions of cells, with hundreds of distinct types each specialized to carry out specific functions. Each cell senses and responds to its external environment, including molecular signals coming from other human cells of the body. These signals influence what each cell does and how it does it. In addition to all of your human cells, which each express different parts of your individual genome,…

[ad_1] Across North America, something called Hop Latent Viroid (HLV) is wreaking havoc. This virus-like infection can make plants sickly and destroy harvests. It’s highly contagious. Studies have estimated that perhaps 40% of cannabis flower sold legally in Canada carries HLV. As much as 90% of cannabis in California might be infected, costing billions of dollars in lost yields. What exactly is Hop Latent Viroid (HLV), how does it work, and what can growers do to protect their precious Cannabis plants?Cannabis plants can catch HLV when they come into physical contact with infected plants.Hop Latent Viroid: What are viroids & How…

[ad_1] Across North America, something called Hop Latent Viroid (HLV) is wreaking havoc. This virus-like infection can make plants sickly and destroy harvests. It’s highly contagious. Studies have estimated that perhaps 40% of cannabis flower sold legally in Canada carries HLV. As much as 90% of cannabis in California might be infected, costing billions of dollars in lost yields. What exactly is Hop Latent Viroid (HLV), how does it work, and what can growers do to protect their precious Cannabis plants?Hop Latent Viroid: What Are Viroids & How Are They Different Than Viruses?Viruses are tiny infectious agents. They can infect animals,…

[ad_1] Mind & Matter is a monthly column by Nick Jikomes, PhD, Leafly’s Director of Science and Innovation.Physics & chemistry of vaping vs. smoking(Courtesy ello/Adobe Stock)Vaping and smoking both involve applying high temperatures to a material in order to cause it to transform from a solid or liquid into an aerosol, allowing it to be inhaled. The difference between vaping and smoking lies in how high the temperature is. At relatively low temperatures, molecules simply vaporize–go from the solid or liquid phase to the aerosol. If things are hot enough, combustion occurs. This causes the same molecules to not only vaporize…

[ad_1] Many individual aroma notes can be detected when smelling marijuana, ranging from floral to fruity or earthy. We all have our preferences, but most cannasseurs would agree on one thing: any weed worth talking about should smell pungent. It should smell strongly and distinctly like weed, no matter what subtler accents are present. Blue Dream, White Widow, and Gelato can be distinguished by smell by an experienced observer, but it’s their common core odor–the smell of weed–that we want to explain. What, exactly, is this pungent “weed smell” common to any strain grown with care? Where does it come from?…