36 - Nobody Told Us Cannabis Would Feel Different in Perimenopause with Kyla de Clifford.

Women, Hormones & Cannabis: Why Your Body Changes How the Plant Feels.

In this episode, we explore why so many women notice that cannabis feels different depending on where they are in their cycle, throughout perimenopause, or during periods of stress and hormonal change.

We unpack what’s actually happening in the body, why this experience is common (and normal), and how women can work with their changing physiology instead of blaming themselves or assuming something has gone wrong.

This episode builds on last week’s conversation about the endocannabinoid system and brings the focus specifically to women, hormones, and lived experience.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why cannabis can work beautifully one month and feel overwhelming the next
• How the endocannabinoid system interacts with estrogen and progesterone
• Why midlife women notice these changes more clearly
• The difference between microdosing as restriction versus microdosing as body literacy
• Why timing and nervous system state matter more than strain names
• Practical ways women can adjust their approach during hormonally sensitive times

Key ideas discussed

• The endocannabinoid system plays a central role in regulating mood, pain, sleep, inflammation, and stress
• Estrogen has been shown to influence cannabinoid receptor sensitivity, particularly CB1 receptors
• Hormonal fluctuation, rather than hormone loss, is a major factor in why experiences change during perimenopause
• Women often experience stronger subjective effects from THC at lower doses compared to men
• Cannabis tends to amplify the existing state of the nervous system rather than override it
• Learning to work with context, timing, and subtle dosing can make cannabis feel more supportive and less destabilising

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Research and further reading

Cannabis, estrogen, and the endocannabinoid system

The Endocannabinoid System and Sex Steroid Hormone Signalling
A comprehensive review exploring how estrogen and progesterone interact with endocannabinoid signalling pathways.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3863507/

Sex Differences and the Endocannabinoid System
A review outlining biological sex differences in cannabinoid metabolism, receptor expression, and subjective effects.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8216879/

Estradiol Regulati

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Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

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Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.