People with restless legs syndrome (RLS) could find “significant” long-term relief with cannabis treatment, according to a new study.
Researchers said that while dopamine agonists have traditionally served as the “first-line treatment” of RLS, recent studies have signaled that gabapentinoids are now being recommended. Because cannabinoids, like gabapentinoids, inhibit a certain type of amino acid associated with the disorder, the scientists decided to test their therapeutic efficacy.
The exploratory open-label study, conducted by researchers at Universidad Europea de Madrid and published in the Journal of Neurology, found that a cannabis product containing 2.7mg THC and 2.5mg CBD “was effective in reducing RLS severity” among patients with multiple sclerosis and “associated idiopathic RLS.”
“Improvements were observed after 1 and 3 months of treatment and were maintained after 1 year among patients who continued therapy,” the study of 18 patients with RLS showed. For those that remained on treatment after one year, 67 percent “continued to show sustained improvement.”
The findings might not be especially surprising given that cannabis is well-known to reduce the severity of muscular spasms and related conditions, but its efficacy for RLS is notable considering that no states appear to explicitly list it as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis.
Of course, RLS may be a symptom of other overarching disorders such as multiple sclerosis—and certain states give doctors wider latitude to make medical marijuana recommendations for any condition that they see fit.
In any case, the study out of Spain could build upon emerging research into alternative treatment options that could replace dopamine agonists in the treatment of restless legs syndrome.
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