As extensive research on cannabis is carried out in several countries, a recent study in Poland has uncovered some interesting facts when they found that bees that ate cannabis extract aged slower than those that ate regular food.

For many of us, growing up is an illusion when we are young, but it turns out that after a while, getting older stops being fun and ageing becomes unstoppable. Areas of the body that didn't hurt begin to ache, some places stop growing and physical activity becomes a daunting task.

Nowadays, mankind is working very hard to slow down or even completely reverse the ageing process. In fact, it has also become a huge industry, bigger than ever before. According to research published by Statista, the global anti-ageing market is estimated to be worth around US$58.5 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7% between 2021 and 2026.

Apparently, not every anti-ageing supplement works. However, according to new research, there may be another product that will meet the needs of people looking for an anti-ageing product - cannabis extract.

Experiments on bees and cannabis extracts

Researchers in Poland have recently studied the relationship between honeybees and cannabis extract supplements. The study was carried out jointly by the Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin.

According to the researchers, they assessed the effects of cannabis extracts on the antioxidant system and its overall activity. The study assessed peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and overall antioxidant capacity in the haemolymph of adult honey bees. In that experiment, the bees were divided into three different groups.

  • Control group supplemented with a mixture of water and sugar - glycerine solution.
  • Experimental group supplemented with a mixture of cannabis extract and sugar syrup.
  • Experimental group supplemented with tampons soaked in cannabis extract and pure syrup.

The researchers took haemolymph samples from each sample from the first day of the study and the results of the experiment showed that all antioxidant enzyme activities were lower in the control group compared to the experimental group. The highest level of antioxidant activity was recorded in the group fed cannabis extract using a syringe. The bees in the control group survived for 35 days, while the experimental group supplemented with the mixture and the group with tampons survived for 52 and 49 days respectively.

Due to the antioxidant properties of the cannabis extract, the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes increases, protecting the bees from free radicals. For this reason, the ageing process of the bees is considerably delayed, the researchers concluded.

Does cannabis have anti-ageing benefits?

Cannabinoids (tetrahydrocannabinol, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBN) have been shown to provide a variety of health benefits for humans, especially for the elderly. Cannabinoids help to improve brain function, reduce inflammation and relieve arthritis pain. However, another major health benefit of cannabinoids that has been found for the elderly is strongly related to the ageing process.

We ourselves possess the endocannabinoid system (ECS), meaning that the body naturally produces cannabinoids, which is why it is called Endocannabinoid, i.e. from within. These same cannabinoids are also found in the cannabis and hannabis plants, which are known as phytocannabinoids. Most importantly, these two cannabinoids function similarly and provide parallel health benefits within the human body.

The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostatic balance in the body, which it does effortlessly with the help of cannabinoids. Think of the ECS as the body's control centre, which works around the clock like a fully fuelled engine. It governs our entire physiological system - digestive system, nervous system, hormones, brain, bones and skin, immune system, heart and liver.

As our bodies get older, the ability of the ECS to produce cannabinoids decreases, resulting in an imbalance in the system. For this reason, our bodies become prone to illness.

Therefore, theoretically, supplementing the body with phytocannabinoids will greatly improve the function of the ECS, thus delaying or reversing the anti-ageing process. Some diseases such as illnesses, joint aches and muscle pains would be cured.

Conclusion

It is clear that bees do not necessarily have anatomical structures and physiological processes similar to those of humans, so how Polish research can be applied to humans still needs to be studied in depth. However, the results obtained from the bee studies are quite insightful. It is now a fact that cannabis extracts are beneficial to both humans and bees.

It is also no longer news that the global honeybee population is in steep decline and the disastrous effects it is having on the global ecosystem. So helping bees live longer is always a good idea! From this perspective, the results of this study are incredible and will hopefully be used to help increase the global honey bee population.