Cannabis: smoking it regularly increases the risk of early heart attack

A team of researchers from Stanford University (United States) discovered that smoking a joint triggers a rapid increase in pro-inflammatory compounds capable of damaging blood vessels, within three hours of its consumption. They publish their results in the scientific journal Cell.

early heart attacks

To arrive at these results, the scientists analyzed genetic and medical data from around 500,000 people aged 40 to 69 from the UK Biobank. In addition, they collected information from 34,878 participants, who said they had smoked cannabis. Among them, 11,914 of them smoked it more than once a month.

The researchers discovered that for the latter, the risk of having a heart attack before the age of 50 was increased by 16%.

An increase in cytokines

In light of these results, the researchers understood that it was the increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines that generated this situation. Inflammation of blood vessels is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, which is the thickening of the walls of the arteries due to the deposition of fatty plaques.

A higher risk of heart complications too

One of the study’s authors, Mark Chandy, expects “that as more and more states legalize the use of marijuana, we would begin to see an increase in heart attacks and strokes in the years to come”adding that “exposure to THC triggers a damaging molecular cascade in blood vessels”.

In addition, having a heart attack at a young age increases the risk of recurrence later, but also of cardiac complications such as heart failure or arrhythmia.

Effects countered by genistein

Thanks to their work, the scientists also discovered a molecule capable of countering these negative effects. This is genistein, a molecule naturally present in beans or soybeans. The other benefit of genistein is that it does not block the positive effects of marijuana when used medicinally. Joseph Wu, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Radiology and Director of Stanford Cardiovascular Institute explain that “more states are legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, but users should be aware that it may have cardiovascular side effects“.

“However, genistein works well enough to attenuate marijuana-induced damage to endothelial vessels without blocking marijuana’s effects on the central nervous system, and this could be a way for medical marijuana users to protect themselves from a cardiovascular point of view“concludes the author.