Sativa Side Effects: Information with Tips

What is Sativa?

Sativa is a term that refers to a species of cannabis or marijuana. Sativa is considered as one of the three (3) most popular species of cannabis. The other two are ruduralis and indica. In appearance, sativa is a tall plant and has a lighter shade of green color. Because of its growth habits, this type of cannabis is not for indoor growing and is suitable for outdoor growing. Though studies have shown that this could be useful in managing several health problems, it is also important to know the different sativa side effects on our body.

As mentioned earlier, sativa can grow well outdoors because of its growth habit. It can grow to at about eight feet (8 ft.) and its branches can spread longer compared to the other types of marijuana. The cannabis strains are first labeled whether they are a sativa or an indica or another type to be able to know the dominant strain which very important in knowing the right type of medicinal marijuana for the right health condition that the person is experiencing.

What is sativa strains?

Sativa strains effects provide more invigorating feeling and are associated with physical activities such as boosting creativity and uplifting brain activities that are associated with social gatherings. Cannabis sativa is found in hot, dry climates or places like Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia and some western portions of Asia. Sativa strains have lower doses of CBD and higher doses of THC. The three popular sativa strains are Panama Red, Acapulco Gold, and Durban Poison.

Sativa Side Effects

Like many other medicines or even prescription drugs, side effects can happen. They are common from everything, from the simplest medicine for cold or birth control to strongest cancer-fighting medicine for chemotherapy. Pharmacological treatments also have undesired secondary effects. So what are the sativa side effects?

The following side effects are known to be associated with Sativa, treatments made from the Sativa leaf, and medicine made from other parts of the plant.

• Changes in mood – one of the most common side effects of marijuana is the change in mood. It gives a person the feeling of high that makes them happy, relaxed and most of the time detached from reality. But it may also give unpleasant side effects such as giving the person a distorted sense of time, random thinking, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and short term forgetfulness but this only lasts for a few hours.
• Lack of coordination – studies showed that marijuana may change the way the brain region processes the information and communication in such a way that it affects motor control. This process affects the ability to learn new motor skills or the processing, motor skills in general. Sativa or marijuana, in general, may throw off your balance as it influences the part of the brain, the basal ganglia, and cerebellum that helps regulate reaction in time, balance and coordination.
• Difficulty concentrating- persons who use sativa may have difficulty concentrating because of the high feeling that they get.
• Increase in appetite – sativa users tend to overeat when they smoke. A study showed the possibility that effectively flip a circuit in the brain that is responsible for handling the appetite triggering the body to eat instead. The psychoactive ingredient in sativa triggers that component on the brain making the user feel hungry and allows him to eat thus giving him the feeling of being constipated most o the time.
• Dizziness-  a spectrum of effects that includes disequilibrium (the feeling of being about to fall while walking), lightheadedness (feeling like you’re about to faint), and vertigo (the sense of motion where it doesn’t exist). Sativa has been known to generate these feelings. The presence of dizziness is not constant, but it can strike without warning. For this reason, people who are using Sativa should try to avoid driving or operating any heavy machinery, especially if they’ve had episodes of dizziness in the past.
• Red Eyes – the cause of red eyes for cannabis, in general, is not harmful. This happens because the THC lowers the blood pressure which causes blood vessels and capillaries to dilate. As the capillaries dilate, it increases the flow of blood to the eyes thus causes the eyes to turn red.
• Slurred in speech – slurred speech is a sativa side effect that wears off. According to research, cannabinoids which is a major component in all marijuana plants has tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which is known because of its psychoactive properties. It is found out that THC can affect the use of the tongue. This cannabinoid can slow down the mouth muscle movements as it interacts with the nerve cells.
• Slower reaction time –  as mentioned sativa or marijuana affects the parts of the brain that helps regulate balance, posture, coordination and reaction time.
• Fatigue -Fatigue is a general sense of tiredness or exhaustion, often accompanied by a desire to sleep. When appearing as one of the side effects of Sativa, fatigue may last for the duration of treatment. Fatigue can also lead to other problems. Most notably, people suffering from fatigue find it difficult to exercise, which may lead to weight gain and its associated health issues.

What Should I Do If I’m Experiencing a Side Effect?

It is important to consult your doctor before using marijuana for medicinal purposes. There may be no specified dosing or timing for the use of marijuana for medical purposes and doses vary from one person to another. If you are experiencing a side effect that impacts your heart or breathing, seek medical attention immediately.

Marijuana is not as simple as we like it to be. It has its pros and cons. Its diversity is what makes it a remarkable plant and a tool for consumers of all types. Cannabis used in medical purposes is safe alternative treatment option but it is still considered as a drug that can cause problems in a person’s body if abused especially if you don’t know what you are doing. It is important that you have enough knowledge to be able to use it for medicinal purposes or for several conditions and manage its side effects.

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