2015-03-27 / Health

Marijuana munchies; cancer biopsy safety

Q: Now that marijuana is legal in some states, can we have a frank discussion about what causes the munchies? -- Timothy L., Nederland, Colorado

A: Nederland, eh? You’re up even higher than Boulder ... but back to the point: Why the munchies? The answer is pretty simple: Marijuana messes with your brain, specifically your hypothalamus.

Where's the story?2 Points Mentioned

Receptors in the hypothalamus are part of the endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate hunger, along with pain sensitivity, emotions and memory. Research shows that your brain naturally produces cannabinoids (cannabis is the genus of marijuana) that fit into those receptors. But when THC -- tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana -- drops in, it’s thought that those receptors get tetrahydro-ed big time. One theory is that the THC may then stimulate the release of ghrelin, the “I’m hungry” hormone. Munchies follow quickly. It’s also thought that marijuana’s THC fits into the brain’s olfactory (smell) receptors and heightens your sense of smell and taste, making you crave food.

Whatever the cause of marijuana munchies, when it comes to recreational pot smoking, there’s no free lunch. Besides impairing your coordination, memory and thinking skills, and making you vulnerable to bronchitis and addiction or dependence, marijuana also triggers bad nutritional choices and makes it difficult to control your hunger.

If you’ve been prescribed marijuana for medical purposes -- to stimulate appetite, control pain or help manage the side effects of some treatment -- that’s one thing. But if that’s not your situation, and you’re one of the 74 percent of Americans who are overweight or obese, Mary Jane is not your friend. If you want a Rocky Mountain high, take a hike in the beautiful countryside you live in and fill your lungs with that good clean mountain air!

Q: I’m scheduled for a breast needle biopsy, and I’m worried that if they find cancer that the biopsy could spread the cancer. Can that happen? -- Loretta K., Oakland, California

A: That’s an important question, because it lets us expose the worry as a modern myth. Experts from the Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute all have stated that for most cancers, there isn’t any evidence that needle biopsies spread cancerous cells. If there is any concern about cancer spreading, steps are taken to make very sure it doesn’t happen. For example, if a doctor suspects testicular cancer, there’s no biopsy done; the testicle is removed. Or if doctors determine that tissue needs to be removed from more than one location, different surgical tools are used for each area.

When it comes to needle breast biopsies, Loretta, there have been hundreds of thousands of cases like yours, and there’s virtually no evidence of cancer spreading due to a breast biopsy of cancerous tissue (in medicine, you can never say never). This is a non-surgical biopsy. A small needle is used to withdraw cells from a breast lump. If the lump is a cyst (fluid-filled sac), removal of the fluid will cause the cyst to collapse. If the lump is solid, cells can be smeared onto slides for examination in the laboratory. What your doctors will get from a biopsy is incredibly valuable knowledge about your condition. Hopefully, you’ll get the “all clear,” but if you do have breast cancer, that biopsy will lead to a specific diagnosis (and maybe receptor and gene typing), which will in turn lead to the most effective treatment.

Why do folks think biopsies are risky? 

A lot of the concern may come from a Food and Drug Administration report about a year ago concerning the removal of fibroids using laparoscopic power morcellation. The FDA announced that procedure posed “a risk of spreading unsuspected cancerous tissue.” The laparoscopic morcellators break down (cut into small pieces) large bits of tissue that is then vacuumed away. That isn’t anything like a needle biopsy. So although getting a biopsy can be worrisome, the amount of information you and your doctors will obtain could save your life. Good luck!

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily(at sign) sharecare.com.

(c) 2014 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.