Israeli Study Associates Cannabis with Improved Sleep in Adult PTSD Patients

July 11, 2023 84

A swelling body of evidence has further solidified claims that cannabis could ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The latest research to emerge from the medical cannabis hub of Israel indicates that cannabis consumption before bedtime improves sleep quality among PTSD-diagnosed patients.

Approximately six out of every 100 people will endure the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lifetime. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 12 million adults in the U.S. experience PTSD during a given year. In Europe, 12-month PTSD prevalence in the general population is estimated to be 1.1%.

Terrifying events can trigger the onset of this mental health condition. Experiencing or witnessing such an event can spur on various symptoms, such as concentration problems, insomnia, and flashbacks that thrust patients into reliving the nightmarish event(s).

About 8 of every 100 women (or 8%) develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared with about 4 of every 100 men (or 4%). The need for tried and tested medicine is surging as a growing health problem.

Fortunately, there's hope for PTSD patients, with one leafy green plant purportedly being a prime medicinal aid for improving sleep and relieving various symptoms. Let's find out more about what the study entailed.

About the Israeli Study Into Cannabis for PTSD

New research from Israel indicates that cannabis use may help to improve sleep among adults with PTSD. The Evelyn Lipper Foundation backed the research effort [Grant number 2027093].

Before the study's commencement, it was given the green light by the institutional review board (IRB) of the Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences, University of Haifa [certificate number 161/20].

Israeli researchers judged the influence of cannabis on sleep in a group of 77 diagnosed PTSD patients. The study subjects filled out a daily morning journal to keep track of sleep measures.

Each study participant provided written informed consent ahead of being recruited. The recruitment process lasted over one year, stretching from April 2020 to April 2021.

Initially, email invitations were sent to contacts featured in the Israel Institute of Technology Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research Laboratory database.

The average age of the study subjects was 40 years, and 56% of the participants were male. Although each participant was reportedly diagnosed with PTSD by a medical professional, only 28% had been approved to receive a medical cannabis license.

Aside from the study subjects who had been granted a medical cannabis license for PTSD, 14% had a license for chronic pain, 2.6% for gastrointestinal diseases, and 1.3% for many other reported conditions.

The mean PTSD severity was 47.57, and 19% of study subjects scored under 33 on the PCL-5 - a 20-element self-report measure that evaluates the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD.

Investigators recognized that cannabis consumption resulted in self-reported improvements in sleep onset and a decrease in nightmare frequency. Participants who used cannabis rich in the non-psychotropic compound CBD (cannabidiol) were likelier to have a restful night's sleep devoid of premature awakenings.

Facts About PTSD

Based on statistics featured on NeuRa, the prevalence of PTSD rests at 3.9% in the general population. Among those who have witnessed or been involved in conflict or war in their home countries, the rate of PTSD tends to skyrocket.

Conversely, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website states that 10% of females and 4% of males develop PTSD. The percentage ranges from 11%-20% for military veterans.

Like other health conditions, the degree of severity varies in cases of PTSD. While some patients may experience mild anxiety, others may suffer from debilitating panic attacks that make it challenging to lead an everyday life.

PTSD is not limited to people who experience stressful and life-threatening events but also people who undergo more minor traumas over time. The condition can impact people of any culture, ethnicity, age, or nationality, and it is possible for caregivers also to develop the symptoms of PTSD, which tend to arise gradually.

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, the Israeli research team concluded that their data proves the therapeutic potential of using medical cannabis to induce a good night's sleep in PTSD patients.

Notably, CBD stands out as an essential tool for preventing early awakenings. The findings, they say, provide a "strong basis for further hypothesis testing, potentially through clinical trials, of the sleep-inducing effects of MC and for testing CBD in particular."

"Given the high comorbidity of PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances and the potential for MC to have effects on both, a greater understanding of how patients experience the effects of MC on overall PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances is warranted," the team said.

The outcome mirrors the findings of a separate study claiming that people with PTSD who consumed cannabis were 2.5 times more likely to recover. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment financially supported that particular study. Researchers at a handful of universities, such as the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, The University of California San Diego, and The University of Colorado, conducted it.

A string of previous research has also painted a fascinating picture of cannabis's ability to improve sleep duration and relieve insomnia. One crossover trial conducted by Zelira Therapeutics confirmed that ZTL-101-a novel cannabinoid extract therapy—is well tolerated among insomnia patients. ZTL-101 was administered sublingually over two weeks to 24 randomized participants.

Sweeping adult-use marijuana legalization across the U.S. has been linked to a slump in the sale of over-the-counter sleep aid medications, thus igniting further interest in cannabis medicine for PTSD patients. With research efforts ramping up across the globe, it's just a matter of time before the medical space fully adopts cannabis plant medicine for PTSD.

A complete text of the Israeli study into cannabis for PTSD, "Post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep, and medical cannabis treatment: A daily diary study," is published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.

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