Can Cannabis Increase Sexual Arousal?

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People who smoke cannabis do experience increases in prolactin and that's especially pronounced in people that smoke cannabis more than twice a week. Prolactin as i referred to earlier is reciprocal or mutually inhibitory with dopamine one way to think about this is in the context of the normal sexual arousal arc whereby dopamine is increased when people are sexually aroused but then after orgasm both in males and females prolactin levels skyrocket. Prolactin also increased in new parents of all species including humans which at least partially explain some of the reported or typical reductions in sexual desire and activity in new parents. The preliminary evidence suggests that it does not get into this in a lot more detail in a future episode all

In this episode, I discuss cannabis (aka marijuana), including the biological mechanisms underlying its effects on the mind and body, its known medical applications, its impact on libido, creativity, hunger, hormones and more. I also cover the known adverse health consequences of chronic and even acute (one-time) use and the factors that determine if cannabis is helpful or harmful. Additionally, I detail how the various strains of cannabis: sativa, indica and hybrid strains, can produce such divergent effects depending on the strain type, THC-to-CBD ratio, total dosage, and frequency of use. I review why cannabis can impact speech patterns and one’s propensity to develop anxiety/depression during and after use and, in some individuals, paranoia. As the legal landscape for cannabis is rapidly evolving, this episode should interest a wide audience, including former/current cannabis users, those in the medical, sports, law enforcement, and educational communities and, of course, children, teenagers, and parents.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Cannabis (Marijuana)

(00:005:02) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:07:03) Tool: Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), Sleep & Anxiety

(00:15:08) Cannabis Strains, Psychoactive Compounds: THC & CBD

(00:19:34) Sativa vs. Indica, Stimulant vs. Relaxation Effects

(00:25:55) Hybrid Cannabis Strains, Type 1, 2 & 3 Strains

(00:31:56) Naturally Occurring Receptors: Nicotinic & Cannabinoid Receptors (CB1)

(00:35:18) Sponsor: AG1

(00:40:35) THC, CBD vs. Endogenous Cannabinoids, Dependence

(00:43:14) Endogenous Cannabinoids, Cannabinoid Receptors & Nervous System Function

(00:53:07) Biological Effects of Cannabis

(00:56:29) Cannabis Sativa & Subjective Effects: Mood, Stress, Alertness, Paranoia

(01:04:58) Cannabis Indica & Subjective Effects, Memory, Dosage

(01:09:41) Brain Areas Affected by THC & CBD, Side Effects

(01:16:08) Creativity: Convergent vs. Divergent Thinking & Dopamine

(01:26:41) Does Cannabis Increase Creativity?

(01:35:08) Chronic Cannabis Use & Changes in Speech Patterns

(01:46:46) Cannabis & Libido, Dopamine & Prolactin

(01:56:55) Cannabis & Hormones: Prolactin, Testosterone, Estrogen & Fertility

(02:06:53) Smoking/Vaping Tobacco or Cannabis & Negative Health Consequences

(02:10:06) Avoiding Cannabis During Pregnancy/Breastfeeding, Fetal Neural Development

(02:18:13) Negative Health Consequences of Cannabis, Anxiety & Depression, Tolerance

(02:25:57) Cannabis Use & Adolescence/Young Adulthood, Predisposition to Psychosis

(02:34:36) Adolescent Cannabis Use: Brain Development & Mental Health Disorders

(02:41:44) Cannabis & Pain Management, Divergent Effects of Cannabis

(02:44:54) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Huberman Lab Premium, Momentous Supplements, Neural Network Newsletter, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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