The effect cannabis has on a persons’ appetite is pretty well-known. If you’ve ever been around someone who enjoys partaking in marijuana, I’m sure you’ve seen or heard them talk about the famished, sometimes ravenous hunger they get after consuming certain strains. While I used to be one of those people who thought all weed made you hungry, I’ve learned this is not the case. 

While all evidence is strictly anecdotal, certain terpenes have been linked to an increase or decrease in appetite. Whether this is due to the flavorful smells of certain terpenes relative to others, or an actual chemical reaction is still unknown. Maybe its multifactorial, but either way more research needs to be done.

Terpenes For An Increase in Appetite

• Pinene – Pine scent
• Myrcene – Hoppy scent
• Limonene – Lemon scent

Terpenes For A Decrease in Appetite

• B-Caryophyllene – Hoppy scent
• Humulene – Hoppy scent

Interesting Fact: Humulene is also known as caryophyllene. They are just isomers of one another which basically means it’s the same compound, but the atoms are arranged differently which can affect the affinity to receptors. This might be the reason they have similar effects.

References

-Salehi B, et al. Therapeutic Potential of α- and β-Pinene: A Miracle Gift of Nature. Biomolecules. 2019 Nov 14;9(11):738. doi: 10.3390/biom9110738. PMID: 31739596; PMCID: PMC6920849.

–https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/humulene