The potential side-effects of marijuana on the kidneys has not been greatly studied, but thanks to new research, we’re starting to understand the extent of the plant’s influence on kidney health.
According to a new study of adults 18-59 in the US, there is no association between current or previous marijuana use and kidney function, as reported in The American Journal of Medicine.
Investigators analyzed a sample of nearly 14,000 healthy adults and did not find any association between marijuana use (past or present) and kidney impairment.
According to the AJM:
There was no statistically significant association between history of marijuana use and the likelihood of developing stage 2 or greater chronic kidney disease. Likewise, they did not observe a statistically significant association between the history of marijuana use and the incidence of microalbuminuria, a moderate increase in the level of urine albumin and a marker of kidney disease.
“Our research provides some reassuring evidence suggesting that there is no determinantal effect of infrequent, relatively light use of marijuana on kidney function among healthy adults under age 60,” said lead investigator Murray A. Mittleman, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a practicing preventive cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “However, our research does not address heavy users, the elderly, or those with preexisting chronic kidney disease.”
He says research is still needed to evaluate the impact of marijuana use in adults 60 and over, and among those with existing or at risk of developing kidney disease.