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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
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Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
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Do cannabinoids constitute a therapeutic alternative for anorexia nervosa?
Tania Contreras1, Gonzalo A Bravo-Soto2, Gabriel Rada3
1Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Proyecto Epistemonikos, Santiago, Chile.
Medwave
|December 2, 2017
Summary
Cannabinoids may not be effective for treating anorexia nervosa. This systematic review found no evidence of weight gain or symptom improvement and suggests frequent adverse effects with cannabinoid use in anorexia nervosa patients.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Clinical pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Cannabinoids are being explored as a potential treatment for anorexia nervosa.
- The clinical effectiveness and safety of cannabinoids for this condition remain uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids in treating anorexia nervosa.
- To synthesize evidence from available systematic reviews and primary studies.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a comprehensive search using Epistemonikos, a large database of systematic reviews.
- Included data from multiple sources like MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane.
- Reanalyzed primary study data and used the GRADE approach for summarizing findings.
Main Results:
- Identified four systematic reviews encompassing two randomized controlled trials.
- Cannabinoids did not demonstrate an increase in weight for patients with anorexia nervosa.
- No significant improvement in anorexia nervosa symptoms was observed with cannabinoid treatment.
Conclusions:
- Cannabinoids are unlikely to be effective for improving weight or symptoms in anorexia nervosa.
- The use of cannabinoids in anorexia nervosa is associated with a higher incidence of adverse effects.
- Further research may be needed to clarify the role, if any, of cannabinoids in eating disorder treatment.
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