Cannabis Use During Adolescence Impacts Reproductive Health in Women

In a recent study, scientists from the University of California, Irvine discovered that early exposure to the drug tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, a component of cannabis), can result in ovarian follicle depletion and approximately 50% mature eggs in maturity.
The research, which is available online in the journal Toxicological Sciences, suggests that a woman’s capacity to conceive may be negatively impacted in the long run by cannabis usage earlier in life. “Given that more and more teenagers and young adults are using cannabis, especially with easier access to the substance, this study’s findings are especially important,” said senior and corresponding author Dr. Ulrike Luderer, professor of environmental and occupational health at the UCI Program in Public Health. “It is imperative to widely broadcast the consequences of early-life exposure to cannabis on reproductive health in adulthood.”

According to a 2019 survey, 4.8 million persons aged 12 and older and around 3.3 million teenagers aged 12 to 17 reported consuming cannabis. Few studies have been done up to this time that show the long-term detrimental effects of cannabis usage on public health, and the effects on women’s reproductive health are even less evident.

To test their claim that THC can have harmful health effects in adults, the research team used a mouse model. They began by giving THC injections to young mice over a period of two weeks, and at various points afterward, they assessed the impact on their models. They discovered that in primordial follicles, the basic reproductive cells, there was a nearly 50% reduction in the number of healthy ovarian follicles.

According to researchers, the abrupt decrease in the number of ovarian follicles was brought on by the faster activation of dormant follicles, which was followed by the death of follicles due to DNA damage at a later stage of development. The endocannabinoid system (ECS), a signaling complex that supports a wide range of biological activities in mammals, is probably responsible for mediating these effects. In agreement with this, the researchers discovered that ovarian follicles contain the ECS component proteins known as cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R), which THC and its active metabolites activate.

“Our findings provide unexpected new insights into the long-term impact of THC on reproductive function and aging,” said co-author Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., distinguished professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the UCI School of Medicine. “Our hope is that our findings will motivate teenage girls to make better, more informed decisions about whether or not to ingest cannabis products.”

Source Link