Cannabis oil has not been proven to treat severe childhood epilepsy but could cause puberty before age 9
- A 2-year-old showed signs of puberty after taking cannabis oil to treat his epilepsy.
- Cannabis oil reduced his number of epileptic seizures from 20 to 5 per day.
- No human scientific experiment has yet shown that cannabis can cure severe epilepsy.
A little boy of only two years old had signs of puberty… It was about the increase in the size of his penis and his testicles, as well as the appearance of his pubic hair. These demonstrations had started a month after taking cannabis oil, bought by his mother on the internet to relieve his epileptic seizures. This case was reported by doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports. Thus, they warn: using cannabis oil in children could lead to precocious puberty.
Precocious puberty occurs before age 9
Puberty is the set of changes resulting from the maturation of the sexual organs. In boys, it is the increase in the size of the penis and testicles, the appearance of pubic hair and beard, as well as the change of the voice. This period is also marked by the acceleration of the general growth of the child for two to three years. Generally, it occurs around 11 years for the boy. But it is said to be “early” when it occurs before the age of 9. This phenomenon is attributed to premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. It is a trio of glands with a role in the development and regulation of several bodily systems, such as reproduction.
From 20 to 5 epileptic seizures thanks to cannabis oil
Since birth, this child has suffered from epilepsy, a chronic condition characterized by sudden, brief, spontaneous and repeated seizures. This two-year-old could do more than twenty a day. And, although many treatments were given to him, none worked. It was therefore to relieve her son that his mother wanted to try cannabis oil, which some say could soothe epileptic seizures. The concern is that she ordered the product on the internet, without a prescription. She therefore administered it to her son without medical advice. At first she thought she was right because the cannabis oil had the desired effect: the seizures were reduced to 5 a day. Nevertheless, a month after the start of use, the signs of puberty began. Tests confirmed that the child’s testosterone levels as well as his levels of other reproductive hormones were abnormally high. The doctors prescribed several medications to limit the activity and effects of all these hormones.
Do not use cannabis oil to treat epilepsy
In their article, the authors recall that until now cannabis oil as a treatment for epilepsy has only been scientifically tested in the laboratory. Moreover, the experiments involved animals and not humans. “More research and clinical findings on the effects of cannabis use on human hormone markers are needed and should be conducted as cannabis continues to become legalized in more countries,“say the authors.
So far, no other cases of precocious puberty related to the use of cannabis oil have been reported. But the authors warn about the use of these products, especially since they are easily accessible on the internet. “It is unclear whether the precocious puberty observed in our patient is the direct result of HPG axis activation (by cannabis), they point out. Until a stronger evidence base is established, clinicians should be wary of the hormonal consequences of cannabis-related products, especially since children with brain abnormalities may be more susceptible to these effects.“Previous studies had already shown a link between cannabis consumption and high levels of testosterone. So, as is often the case in health, before trying a treatment like cannabis oil, you should seek the advice of a doctor to avoid harmful side effects.
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