Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive life. As hormone levels fluctuate during this transition, women can experience a range of bothersome symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, depressed mood, and anxiety. While hormone therapy is an effective treatment option, not all women can or want to use it. This has led to the search for alternative nonhormone treatments, and medical cannabis may be one such option.
A new study, published in Menopause, has found that medical cannabis use is becoming increasingly popular among women for menopause-related symptoms. The study involved over 250 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who were recruited through advertising targeted to women interested in women’s health and cannabis or cannabinoids. Researchers sought to assess cannabis use, including modes of use, and to compare usage patterns between perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Results of the study showed that many women (86%) currently use cannabis as an adjunct treatment for menopause-related symptoms via a variety of different modes of use, with the most common being smoking (84.3%) and edibles (78.3%). The most frequently reported indications for medical cannabis use were menopause-related disturbances of sleep and mood/anxiety. Perimenopausal women, who report significantly worse menopause symptoms (particularly depression), represent the greatest percentage of users.
Compared with postmenopausal participants, perimenopausal participants reported significantly worse menopause-related symptomatology, including more anxiety and hot flashes. Perimenopausal women were also more likely to report a higher incidence of depression and anxiety, as well as increased use of medical cannabis to treat these symptoms.
While several observational studies have previously demonstrated that medical cannabis use is associated with various clinical benefits, including improvements in anxiety, mood, sleep, pain, and cognitive function, this study is the first to examine the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis to alleviate menopause-related symptoms.
Dr. Stephanie Faubion, North American Menopause Society medical director, emphasizes that “Given the lack of clinical trial data on the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis for management of menopause symptoms, more research is needed before this treatment can be recommended in clinical practice. Healthcare professionals should query their patients about the use of medical cannabis for menopause symptoms and provide evidence-based recommendations for symptom management.”
M. Kathryn Dahlgren et al, A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause, Menopause (2022). DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002018
Journal information: Menopause
