Cachexia is a disorder where the patient suffers extreme weight, fat and muscle loss. Cachexia is usually associated with cancer, chemotherapy treatment, malaria, AIDS/HIV, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis and congestive heart failure (CHF). Those with cachexia are not purposefully attempting to lose weight, i.e. their weight loss is involuntary. Cachexia affects about 1% of the population.
Cannabinoids like THC may be extremely useful in treating lack of appetite or reduced appetite resulting from chemotherapy or antiretroviral treatment. This may help maintain a healthy weight. However, increasing appetite does not necessarily keep cachexia or wasting syndrome from happening, as it is not necessarily always a result of a lack of appetite, but from a condition or treatments that neutralize nutrient intake.
