Cannabis for Cancer, Low Dose vs High Dose, THC vs CBD only | Dr Allan Frankel & Ryan Sternagel

Full show notes @ https://thesternmethod.com/allan-frankel

Dr. Allan Frankel is one of the world’s leading authorities on dosed cannabis medicine.

He started his career as a traditional doctor, but after an extremely serious health issue was reversed when friends introduced Dr Frankel to medical cannabis, he began researching the plant and its healing properties. In 2007 he sold his practice and became a cannabis doctor.

Now Dr. Frankel applies his knowledge of all aspects of the cannabis plant and its therapeutic value to the treatment of cancer and other serious medical conditions.

***Resources Mentioned***

Greenbridgemed.com

***

In This Episode:

Cannabis has been widely shown to improve a cancer patient’s quality of life. In this episode, Dr Frankel gives me the run down on how he provides dosed, predictable cannabis medicine to his patients to help them manage the side effects of conventional treatment. Plus he shares the specific formula he uses to calculate the right dosage. 

We discuss the anti-cancer properties of cannabis along with Dr Frankel’s own clinical experience of cannabis as an effective cancer treatment. We talk specifically about the benefits of whole plant cannabis vs isolates, and how the cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) can help manage pain, treat nausea and vomiting, and treat the anxiety that goes along with fighting cancer. 

So if you’re considering adding cannabis to your alternative treatment protocol, this episode is a must-see.  

What led you to become a cannabis doctor? Was it your intention to work with cancer patients?

• Got a virus that went to his heart and was given 6 months to live without a heart transplant
• Went to LA and friends introduced him to cannabis plants which immediately improved his mood and reduced anxiety. Within weeks he was running up the stairs
• After this experience, started studying cannabis and its medicinal properties. 

Are you seeing mostly cancer patients?

• About a third are cancer patients
• The dosing for anti-cancer is based on treating side effects of chemo
• Dr Frankel follows low dose protocol used in clinical trials. Total of 130mg daily (30-40mg of CBD, THC, THCA and CBD A) 
• Acid molecules (THCA and CBDA) are gaining more attention due to specific anti-cancer properties

What’s the difference between hemp and cannabis?

• The level of THC. Cannabis contains more than 0.3% THC, hemp is 0.3% or less
• Dr Frankel recommends using the whole plant rather than stripping out a single molecule

Is oil the only option when it comes to therapeutic use of cannabis?

• Salves can be used for pain and neuropathy
• • 30mg or more of whole plant CBD to prevent neuropathy
  • THCV reverses neuropathy
• 30-40mg daily of each of the four cannabinoids is a good all round anti-cancer, anti-pain, anti-nausea treatment 

Can you explain the dosing in more depth?

• The actual THC or CBD in 1 gram of cannabis oil is around 750gm. The other 250mg is made up of other cannabinoids
• DIY Formula to produce a reliable dosing tincture of 20mg per milliliter
• • You have 750mg or 75% CBD oil
  • If you want to take 20mg CBD a day then divide 750 by 20
  • Take this amount of a thin oil like MCT, coconut or olive oil and dissolve your ‘gram’ of CBD oil in it
  • You now have 20 mg of CBD per milliliter of your oil mix
  • Take ½ a milliliter 3 times per day 
• More cost effective to dose this way

If we have an internal cannabinoid system, does this mean we should regularly consume them?

• Endocannabinoid system was developed 1.2 billion years ago, well before the plant-based cannabinoid system (fibrocannabiods) 
• Any species with a spine has an endocannabinoid system 
• The effects of cannabinoids on the endocannabinoid system can be measured
• Anandamide, one of the components of our endocannabinoid system helps monitor and control cancer. 
• Cannabinoids can bump up our endocannabinoid system and this promotes cell apoptosis, autophagy etc of cancer cells
• Most common symptoms of endocannabinoid deficiency is migraines, bowel problems. Fibromyalgia, anxiety, disrupted sleep. More common in females

What type of cancer patients do you see?

• Most patients are on conventional treatment protocols alongside cannabis
• Ballpark of patients who do well on cannabis alone would be 2 out of 3
• Lower dose chemotherapy combined with cannabis to mitigate side effects and toxicity 

Can cannabis prevent long-term chemotherapy side effects?

• THCV can prevent and reverse neuropathy 
• CBD is protective of the brain and kidneys

What is THCV? 

• Only available in California
• Raises your mood - treats depression
• Mix with THC to treat migraines. 
• Shown a reduction in symptoms and ability to stop progression of parkinsons in animal studies
• CBDA - best to treat nausea
• THCA and CBD - bladder problems, repairs mitochondria, treats myasthenia gravis

How much do you take into account strains?

• We don’t know enough about strains
• Strains are defined by the other flavinoids, plant waxes and other molecules

What are your thoughts on high dose RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)? Sometimes people have good initial response with high dose then cancer comes back

• Some people do well on RSO
• Cannabis is a bimodal drug and has opposite effects with high vs low dose
• 1gm dose is a very high dose - potentially toxic levels
• Studies of low does (30mg daily) cannabis show great results

Do you see children in your practice? What considerations do you make when it comes to kids?

• See autistic kids on anti-psychotics, ADHD kids on amphetamines and benzos 
• Cannabis much better options than these drugs

How would you dose a child?

• Doesn’t dose by weight - start lower and see how it goes

Are there any interactions or complications you are aware of?

• Cannabis and pharmaceuticals - depends on the dosing, type of cannabis and how it’s taken
• Oral is biggest issue as both go through the liver
• Whole plant medicine is different from isolate - dosage is lower
• Biggest concern with isolates is that we may see more drug interactions

Any last comments?

• Study showed CBD prevents tumors developing tolerance to chemotherapy 
• Dr Frankel recommends anyone with cancer to use cannabis medicine

Follow Dr Frankel

Greenbridgemed.com - Remote consults are available

If you have a question or comment about this episode let us know below!!