Frequent cannabis use was associated with higher cortisol levels at wake-up compared with nonuse, according to new research from Oregon State University. The results point to a potential link between regular cannabis consumption and shifts in the body’s normal daily stress rhythm.
The study, led by Oregon State University scientists and published in the journal Cannabis, adds to limited evidence on how habitual use relates to the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, the major neuroendocrine system that coordinates the stress response.
Frequent cannabis use and young adult trends
The findings arrive as use has expanded among young adults in the United States. Twenty-nine percent of adults ages 19 to 30 reported cannabis use in the prior 30 days, nearly double the rate from 15 years ago. More than 10 percent in that age group said they used cannabis at least 20 times in a 30-day period, a share that researchers noted is more than twice what it was 15 years earlier.
Researchers noted that stress is a common reason people cite for using cannabis, and it is also linked to problematic use patterns. While cannabis can provide short-term relief, frequent use over time may interfere with biological systems that regulate stress, they said.
Lead author Anita Cservenka of the OSU College of Liberal Arts cautioned that the analysis does not establish that frequent cannabis use causes higher waking cortisol, nor that elevated morning cortisol drives more frequent use. She said longer-term studies following the same individuals would be needed to determine causality.
Why cortisol matters in frequent cannabis use
Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, acts as a chemical messenger that helps regulate many body processes. Often referred to as the stress hormone, it aids immune function, blood pressure maintenance, and blood sugar and metabolism regulation. Short-term increases help the body respond to acute stress, but persistently high levels have been associated with increased risks of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease.
Measuring the morning cortisol response
Cservenka and OSU colleagues Julia Donner and Alexia Obrochta examined the cortisol awakening response, or CAR. CAR reflects the rise in cortisol that typically occurs after waking, peaking around 30 minutes later. It is calculated by subtracting the immediate post-waking cortisol level from the level measured 30 minutes afterward, offering an indicator of how the body prepares for daily demands.
The study found that the magnitude of the morning increase was similar for users and nonusers. The difference appeared at the baseline. Individuals who frequently used cannabis started the day with more cortisol circulating in their system.
A potential marker of problematic use
Cservenka said the findings suggest that cortisol levels upon awakening could serve as a neurobiological marker of problematic use, a possibility that warrants further investigation. She noted that some earlier studies reported a blunted CAR among frequent users, a result not observed in this analysis, underscoring the complexity of how cannabis use may interact with stress biology. Differences in study samples and analytic methods may account for divergent results across studies.
Even so, the researchers said it is plausible that frequent cannabis users experience disruptions in daily stress rhythms, which could contribute to a feedback loop in which a dysregulated stress system encourages further use.
The research was funded by Oregon State University, the OSU Center for the Humanities, and the OSU College of Liberal Arts. Related work on environmental and health risk factors includes research on how air pollution linked to rheumatoid arthritis flares may influence immune responses.