Acarbose and Weed
Edited by Hugh Soames
Advertising: We may earn a commission if you buy anything via our advertising or external links
Acarbose and Weed
Most people who consume marijuana do so for its mood-altering and relaxing abilities. Weed gives people a high and allows them to relax. However, heavy consumption of weed can cause unwanted results. It can increase the anxiety and depression a person experiences, and it can interact with certain other drugs including Acarbose. It is important to remember that interactions do occur with all types of drugs, to a great or lesser extent and this article details the interactions of mixing Acarbose and Weed.
Mixing Acarbose and Weed
Acarbose (INN) is an anti-diabetic drug used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2 and, in some countries, prediabetes. It is a generic sold in Europe and China as Glucobay (Bayer AG), in North America as Precose (Bayer Pharmaceuticals), and in Canada as Prandase (Bayer AG). It is cheap and popular in China, but not in the U.S. One physician explains that use in the U.S. is limited because it is not potent enough to justify the side effects of diarrhea and flatulence. However, a large study concluded in 2013 that “acarbose is effective, safe and well tolerated in a large cohort of Asian patients with type 2 diabetes.” A possible explanation for the differing opinions is an observation that acarbose is significantly more effective in patients eating a relatively high carbohydrate Eastern diet.
Acarbose is a starch blocker, and inhibits alpha glucosidase, an intestinal enzyme that releases glucose from larger carbohydrates. It is composed of an acarviosin moiety with a maltose at the reducing terminus. Acarbose is also degraded to maltose and acarviosin by the glucosidase cyclomaltodextrinase from gut bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum.
In nature, acarbose is synthesized by soil bacteria Actinoplanes sp through its precursor valienamine. And acarbose is also degraded by gut bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum and soil bacteria Thermus sp by acarbose degrading glucosidases.
Acarbose inhibits enzymes (glycoside hydrolases) needed to digest carbohydrates, specifically, alpha-glucosidase enzymes in the brush border of the small intestines, and pancreatic alpha-amylase. It locks up the enzymes by mimicking the transition state of the substrate with its amine linkage. However, bacterial alpha-amylases from gut microbiome are able to degrade acarbose.
Pancreatic alpha-amylase hydrolyzes complex starches to oligosaccharides in the lumen of the small intestine, whereas the membrane-bound intestinal alpha-glucosidases hydrolyze oligosaccharides, trisaccharides, and disaccharides to glucose and other monosaccharides in the small intestine. Inhibition of these enzyme systems reduces the rate of digestion of complex carbohydrates. Less glucose is absorbed because the carbohydrates are not broken down into glucose molecules. In diabetic patients, the short-term effect of these drug therapies is to decrease current blood glucose levels; the long-term effect is a reduction in HbA1c level. This reduction averages an absolute decrease of 0.7%, which is a decrease of about 10% in typical HbA1c values in diabetes studies.
A Cochrane systematic review assessed the effect of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in people with impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting blood glucose, elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). It was found that acarbose reduced the incidence of diabetes mellitus type 2 when compared to placebo, however there was no conclusive evidence that acarbose, when compared to diet and exercise, metformin, placebo, or no intervention, improved all-cause mortality, reduced or increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, serious or non-serious adverse events, non-fatal stroke, congestive heart failure, or non-fatal myocardial infarction.
The combination of acarbose with metformin results in greater reductions of HbA1c, fasting blood glucose and post-prandial glucose than either agent alone.
Since acarbose prevents the digestion of complex carbohydrates, the drug should be taken at the start of main meals (taken with first bite of meal). Moreover, the amount of complex carbohydrates in the meal will determine the effectiveness of acarbose in decreasing postprandial hyperglycemia. Adults may take doses of 25 mg 3 times daily, increasing to 100 mg 3 times a day. However the maximum dose per day is 600 mg.[citation needed]
Since acarbose prevents the degradation of complex carbohydrates into glucose, some carbohydrate will remain in the intestine and be delivered to the colon. In the colon, bacteria digest the complex carbohydrates, causing gastrointestinal side-effects such as flatulence (78% of patients) and diarrhea (14% of patients). Since these effects are dose-related, in general it is advised to start with a low dose and gradually increase the dose to the desired amount. One study found that gastrointestinal side effects decreased significantly (from 50% to 15%) over 24 weeks, even on constant dosing.
If a patient using acarbose has a bout of hypoglycemia, the patient must eat something containing monosaccharides, such as glucose tablets or gel (GlucoBurst, Insta-Glucose, Glutose, Level One) and a doctor should be called. Because acarbose blocks the breakdown of table sugar and other complex sugars, fruit juice or starchy foods will not effectively reverse a hypoglycemic episode in a patient taking acarbose.
Hepatitis has been reported with acarbose use. It usually goes away when the medicine is stopped. Therefore, liver enzymes should be checked before and during use of this medicine.
In studies conducted by three independent laboratories by the US National Institute on Aging’s intervention testing programme, acarbose was shown to extend the lifespan of female mice by 5% and of male mice by 22%.
Acarbose degradation is the unique feature of glycoside hydrolases in gut microbiota, acarbose degrading glucosidase, which hydrolyze acarbose into an acarviosine-glucose and glucose. Human enzymes do transform acarbose: the pancreatic alpha-amylase is able to perform a rearrangement reaction, moving the glucose unit in the “tail” maltose to the “head” of the molecule. Analog drugs with the “tail” glucose removed or flipped to an α(1-6) linkage resist this transformation.
It has been reported that the maltogenic alpha-amylase from Thermus sp. IM6501 (ThMA) and a cyclodextrinase (CDase) from Streptococcus pyogenes could hydrolyse acarbose to glucose and acarviosine-glucose, ThMA can further hydrolyze acarviosine-glucose into acarviosin and glucose. A cyclomaltodextrinase (CDase) from gut bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum degraded acarbose via two different modes of action to produce maltose and acarviosin, as well as glucose and acarviosine-glucose, suggest that acarbose resistance is caused by the human microbiome. The microbiome-derived acarbose kinases are also specific to phosphorylate and inactivate acarbose. The molecular modeling showed the interaction between gut bacterial acarbose degrading glucosidase and human α-amylase.
Acarbose is described chemically as a pseudotetrasaccharide, specifically a maltotetraose mimic inhibitor. As an inhibitor that mimics some natural substrates, it is useful for elucidating the structure of sugar-digesting enzymes, by binding into the same pocket.
Research has found that anxiety is one of the leading symptoms created by marijuana in users, and that there is a correlation between Acarbose and Weed and an increase in anxiety.
Anyone mixing Acarbose and weed is likely to experience side effects. This happens with all medications whether weed or Acarbose is mixed with them. Side effects can be harmful when mixing Acarbose and weed. Doctors are likely to refuse a patient a Acarbose prescription if the individual is a weed smoker or user. Of course, this could be due to the lack of studies and research completed on the mixing of Acarbose and Weed.
Heavy, long-term weed use is harmful for people. It alters the brain’s functions and structure, and all pharmaceuticals and drugs including Acarbose are designed to have an impact on the brain. There is a misplaced belief that pharmaceuticals and medication work by treating only the parts of the body affected yet this is obviously not the case in terms of Acarbose. For example, simple painkiller medication does not heal the injury, it simply interrupts the brains functions to receive the pain cause by the injury. To say then that two drugs, Acarbose and Weed, dol not interact is wrong. There will always be an interaction between Acarbose and Weed in the brain11.J. D. Brown and A. G. Winterstein, Potential Adverse Drug Events and Drug–Drug Interactions with Medical and Consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) Use – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678684/.
One of the milder side effects of mixing Acarbose and Weed is Scromiting. This condition, reportedly caused by mixing Acarbose and Weed, describes a marijuana-induced condition where the user experiences episodes of violent vomiting, which are often so severe and painful that they cause the person to scream. The medical term for Scromiting by mixing Acarbose and Weed is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. For these reasons, some people choose to quit smoking weed.
It was first included in scientific reports in 2004. Since then, researchers have determined that Scromiting is the result of ongoing, long-term use of marijuana—particularly when the drug contains high levels of THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient. Some experts believe that the receptors in the gut become overstimulated by THC, thus causing the repeated cycles of vomiting.
In the long run, a person can become even more depressed. There is a belief that marijuana is all-natural and not harmful to a person’s health. This is not true and Acarbose and weed can cause health issues the more a person consumes it.
How does Weed effect the potency of Acarbose?
The way in which the body absorbs and process Acarbose may be affected by weed. Therefore, the potency of the Acarbose may be less effective. Marijuana inhibits the metabolization of Acarbose. Not having the right potency of Acarbose means a person may either have a delay in the relief of their underlying symptoms.
A person seeking Acarbose medication that uses weed should speak to their doctor. It is important the doctor knows about a patient’s weed use, so they can prescribe the right Acarbose medication and strength. Or depending on level of interactions they may opt to prescribe a totally different medication. It is important for the doctor to know about their patient’s marijuana use. Weed is being legalized around the US, so doctors should be open to speaking about a patient’s use of it.
Sideffects of Acarbose and Weed
Many individuals may not realize that there are side effects and consequences to mixing Acarbose and Weed such as:
- Dizziness
- Sluggishness
- Drowsiness
- Shortness of breath
- Itching
- Hives
- Palpitations
- Respiratory Depression
- Cardiac Arrest
- Coma
- Seizures
- Death
Interestingly, it is impossible to tell what effect mixing this substance with Weed will have on an individual due to their own unique genetic make up and tolerance. It is never advisable to mix Acarbose and Weed due to the chances of mild, moderate and severe side effects. If you are having an adverse reaction from mixing Acarbose and Weed it’s imperative that you head to your local emergency room. Even mixing a small amount of Acarbose and Weed is not recommended.
Taking Acarbose and Weed together
People who take Acarbose and Weed together will experience the effects of both substances. Technically, the specific effects and reactions that occur due to frequent use of Acarbose and weed depend on whether you consume more weed in relation to Acarbose or more Acarbose in relation to weed.
The use of significantly more weed and Acarbose will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.
People who take both weed and Acarbose may experience effects such as:
- reduced motor reflexes from Acarbose and Weed
- dizziness from Weed and Acarbose
- nausea and vomiting due to Acarbose and Weed
Some people may also experience more euphoria, depression, irritability or all three. A combination of weed and Acarbose leads to significantly more lethargy which can easily tip over into coma, respiratory depression seizures and death.
Mixing weed and Acarbose
The primary effect of weed is influenced by an increase in the concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which is found in the spinal cord and brain stem, and by a reduction in its effect on neuronal transmitters. When weed is combined with Acarbose this primary effect is exaggerated, increasing the strain on the body with unpredictable results.
Weed and Acarbose affects dopamine levels in the brain, causing the body both mental and physical distress. Larger amounts of Acarbose and weed have a greater adverse effect yet leading medical recommendation is that smaller does of Acarbose can be just as harmful and there is no way of knowing exactly how Acarbose and weed is going to affect an individual before they take it.
Taking Acarbose and weed together
People who take Acarbose and weed together will experience the effects of both substances. The use of significantly more Acarbose with weed will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.
People who take both weed and Acarbose may experience effects such as:
- reduced motor reflexes from Acarbose and weed
- dizziness from weed and Acarbose
- nausea and vomiting of the Acarbose
Some people may also experience more euphoria, depression, irritability or all three. A combination of weed and Acarbose leads to significantly more lethargy which can easily tip over into coma, respiratory depression seizures and death.
Weed Vs Acarbose
Taking Acarbose in sufficient quantities increases the risk of a heart failure. Additionally, people under the influence of Acarbose and weed may have difficulty forming new memories. With weed vs Acarbose in an individual’s system they become confused and do not understand their environment. Due to the synergistic properties of Acarbose when mixed with weed it can lead to confusion, anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. Chronic use of Acarbose and weed can lead to permanent changes in the brain22.G. Lafaye, L. Karila, L. Blecha and A. Benyamina, Cannabis, cannabinoids, and health – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5741114/.
Acarbose Vs Weed
Studies investigating the effects of drugs such as Acarbose and weed have shown that the potential for parasomnia (performing tasks in sleep) is dramatically increased when Acarbose and weed are combined. Severe and dangerous side effects can occur when medications are mixed in the system, and sleep disorders are a common side effect of taking weed and Acarbose together.
When a small to medium amount of weed is combined with Acarbose, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can occur. According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) most ER visits and hospitalizations caused by too much weed were associated with other substances such as Acarbose.
How long after taking Acarbose can I smoke weed or take edibles?
To avoid any residual toxicity it is advisable to wait until the Acarbose has totally cleared your system before taking weed, even in small quantities.
Overdose on Acarbose and weed
In the case of Overdose on Acarbose or if you are worried after mixing Acarbose and weed, call a first responder or proceed to the nearest Emergency Room immediately.
If you are worried about someone who has taken too much Acarbose or mixed weed with Acarbose then call a first responder or take them to get immediate medical help. The best place for you or someone you care about in the case of a medical emergency is under medical supervision. Be sure to tell the medical team that there is a mix of Acarbose and weed in their system.
Excessive Weed intake and result in scromiting, chs, and anxiety disorder. It is advisable to quit vaping weed if you are feeling these symptoms.
Mixing Acarbose and weed and antidepressants
Weed users feeling depressed and anxious may be prescribed antidepressant medication. There are some antidepressant users who also use Acarbose and weed. These individuals may not realize that there are side effects and consequences to consuming both Acarbose, marijuana and a range of antidepressants.
Studies on weed, Acarbose and antidepressants is almost nil. The reason for so little information on the side effects of the two is mostly down to marijuana being illegal in most places – although a number of states in the United States have legalized the drug.
Self-medicating with Weed and Acarbose
A lot of people suffer from depression caused by weed and Acarbose. How many? According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), in any given year, it is estimated that nearly 16 million adults experience depression. Unfortunately, that number is likely to be wrong due to under reporting. Many people do not report suffering from depression because they do not want to be looked at as suffering from a mental illness. The stigmas around mental health continue and people do not want to be labeled as depressed.
Potential side effects from mixing Acarbose and weed
Quitting weed to take Acarbose
Medical professionals say an individual prescribed or taking Acarbose should not stop using weed cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms can be significant. Heavy pot users should especially avoid going cold turkey. The side effects of withdrawal from weed include anxiety, irritability, loss of sleep, change of appetite, and depression by quitting weed cold turkey and starting to take Acarbose.
A person beginning to use Acarbose should cut back on weed slowly. While reducing the amount of weed use, combine it with mindfulness techniques and/or yoga. Experts stress that non-medication can greatly improve a person’s mood.
Weed and Acarbose can affect a person in various ways. Different types of marijuana produce different side effects. Side effects of weed and Acarbose may include:
- loss of motor skills
- poor or lack of coordination
- lowered blood pressure
- short-term memory loss
- increased heart rate
- increased blood pressure
- anxiety
- paranoia
- increased energy
- increased motivation
Mixing Acarbose and weed can also produce hallucinations in users. This makes marijuana a hallucinogenic for some users. Weed creates different side effects in different people, making it a very potent drug. Now, mixing Acarbose or other mental health drugs with weed can cause even more unwanted side effects.
Mixing drugs and weed conclusion
Long-term weed use can make depression and anxiety worse. In addition, using marijuana can prevent Acarbose from working to their full potential33.J. D. Brown and A. G. Winterstein, Potential Adverse Drug Events and Drug–Drug Interactions with Medical and Consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) Use – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678684/. Weed consumption should be reduced gradually to get the most out of prescription medication. Marijuana is a drug and it is harmful to individual’s long-term health. Weed has many side effects and the consequences are different to each person who uses it, especially when mixed with Acarbose.
If you take Acarbose, and also drink Alcohol or MDMA, you can research the effects of Acarbose and Alcohol , Acarbose and Cocaine as well as Acarbose and MDMA here.
To find the effects of other drugs and weed refer to our Weed and Other Drugs Index A to L or our Weed and Other Drugs Index M-Z.
Or you could find what you are looking for in our Alcohol and Interactions with Other Drugs index A to L or Alcohol and Interactions with Other Drugs index M to Z , Cocaine and Interactions with Other Drugs index A to L or Cocaine and Interactions with Other Drugs index M to Z or our MDMA and Interactions with Other Drugs Index A to L or MDMA and Interactions with Other Drugs Index M to Z.
Acarbose and Weed
Counselling for Weed Addiction; Low Cost - Qualified Therapists - Available Now - 20% Off
We may make a commission if you purchase anything via the adverts or links on this page.
Betterhelp is for anyone suffering from mental health issues. Whether you suffer from anxiety, depression, weed addiction, eating disorders, or just need someone to speak to, Betterhelp can pair you with a qualified therapist.
In the wake of the pandemic, an increasing number of people have sought out therapeutic and conseling services to help with weed cessation. Better Help has seen a massive rise in people seeking help over the last two to three years.
If you or someone you care about is smoking or ingesting a level of weed that makes their life become unmanageable, Betterhelp has counselors and therapists on hand to help for less that $90 per week.
Specializations | Burnout, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Anger Management, Dependencies, Grief, Seasonal Depressive Disorder, Life Crisis, Smoking Cessation, Weed Cessation (among others)
Betterhelp Cost | The standard fee for BetterHelp therapy is only $60 to $90 per week or $240 to $360 per month.
Key Takeaways |
- Largest online therapy platform
- Low cost
- Good for stopping weed
- Messaging
- Live video
- Phone calls
- Live chat
- No lock in contracts
- Cancel anytime
- Licensed and accredited therapists
Discounts Available | We have negotiated a generous 20% discount for readers of our website. Press Here to get 20% Off
