Study: THC Appears to be Protective Against Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Study: THC Appears to be Protective Against Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Regular THC use appears to be protective against lower urinary tract symptoms, according to a new study being published in the the Journal of Urology, and epublished online by the U.S. National Institute of Health.

According to its abstract, the objective of the study was “To further define the relationship between tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), specifically how THC use associates with the frequency of LUTS in young community-dwelling men in the United States.”

For the study the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database was queried over a four-year periood. Men ages 20-59 who completed the urinary and substance abuse questionnaires were included. The presence of LUTS was defined as having at least two of the following: “nocturia, hesitancy, incomplete emptying, or incontinence.” THC use was self-reported, and participants were considered regular smokers if they endorsed smoking at least once per month. “Multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between THC and LUTS.”

Among 3,037 men who met inclusion criteria, “14.4% (n=477) of subjects reported THC use.” In multivariable analyses, adjusting for clinical variables, “regular THC users remained significantly less likely to report LUTS compared to non-users.”

The study concludes by stating that “THC use.. appears to be protective from LUTS in young community-dwelling men.”