08/25/2026
🎗️ When Illness Takes Away Your Appetite
For people living with cancer, eating enough can sometimes become a challenge. The disease itself, as well as treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, can contribute to loss of appetite, nausea, changes in taste, early fullness, and other symptoms that make eating difficult.
When appetite remains low, it can affect more than meal times. Maintaining adequate nutrition is important for energy, strength, recovery, and overall quality of life.
🌿 Where might medical cannabis fit in?
THC interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, including CB1 receptors involved in regulating appetite and food intake. This is one reason cannabinoids have been investigated for appetite loss associated with cancer and other serious illnesses.
For some patients, medical cannabis may be considered to help support appetite or manage related symptoms such as nausea. However, the evidence is mixed, and cannabis is not appropriate for every patient or every cause of appetite loss.
Importantly, persistent appetite loss or unintended weight loss should always be discussed with your healthcare team.
There may be several contributing factors, and addressing the underlying cause and maintaining adequate nutrition are important parts of cancer care.
At Greenleaf Medical Clinic, our physicians consider each patient’s symptoms, medical history, current medications, cancer care, and treatment goals when determining whether medical cannabis may have an appropriate role in their overall care plan.
🌿 For Patients: Talk to your doctor, specialist, or nurse practitioner about whether a referral to Greenleaf Medical Clinic may be appropriate, or learn more: https://greenleafmc.ca/start-now
🩺 For Healthcare Providers: Refer a patient for a medical cannabis assessment: https://greenleafmc.ca/refer-a-patient
