Amount of Evidence: Reasonable Potential Benefits: Reasonable Safety: Very High
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is CBD?
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the two main cannabinoids in marijuana (the second one is THC). Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive effects and won’t get you high. Instead, it is often used to reduce stress, pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders. In this article, we will look at the main benefits and drawbacks of CBD, as well as how to use it the right way.
Potential benefits
It is important to note that all of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. In general, the higher the dose you take, the more pronounced the effects will be. However, they do reach a plateau at a certain point. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Reduced frequency of seizures – If you suffer from epilepsy, CBD is certainly worth the consideration. It has been shown to have a significant effect on reducing the risk of having a seizure. This applies to all forms of epilepsy, including Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).
Lowered anxiety – This effect has only been studied on some types of anxiety so far (anxiety related to public speaking being the most common one). Improvements are significant and have been noted in around 80% of the participants in CBD studies.
Minor benefits
Reduced pain – While this effect is not as significant as the reduction in anxiety, CBD has been shown to reduce chronic pain to at least some degree.
Reduced symptoms of schizophrenia – We do not know yet whether or not CBD slows down the onset and development of schizophrenia. What we do know is that CBD can decrease the symptoms of schizophrenia. This claim is still somewhat controversial because marijuana has been shown to increase your risk of developing schizophrenia if you are genetically predisposed to it. It is important to realize that cannabidiol is not the cannabinoid responsible for the onset of schizophrenia. It is primarily the THC in weed that increases the risk of schizophrenia (but again, this only applies to people who are genetically predisposed to the condition). Unfortunately, the reduction of the symptoms of schizophrenia caused by CBD only applies to extremely high doses, around 2000 mg/day. Lower doses, such as 6000 mg a day, do not share the same effect.
Reduced stress – Because of the calming effect of cannabidiol, it has been shown to have a notable impact on both chronic and acute stress.
Reduced symptoms of PTSD – There is only one small study on this but it shows improvement in 10 out of 11 participants who suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Reduced symptoms of ALS – A very high dose of CBD (2×300 mg per day) was able to reduce dysphagia caused by ALS. Cannabidiol also reduces some other symptoms of ALS (such as limb weakness and atrophy) but it doesn’t seem to affect all of them.
Improved autism – Around 60% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have noticed improvements in behavior after taking CBD.
Reduced symptoms of Parkinson’s disease – Cannabidiol doesn’t seem to affect symptoms of Parkinson’s disease related to movement. It can, however, improve sleep problems caused by the disease. Specifically, CBD has a notable positive impact on reducing parasomnia with nightmares and loss of muscle atonia during REM sleep.
Reduced marijuana withdrawal – People who stop smoking weed often experience a withdrawal, typically for 1-4 weeks. CBD is able to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal, such as anxiety, irritability, and loss of appetite.
Unproven benefits
(The effect of cannabidiol on these parameters is either not sufficiently researched or the science shows little to no efficacy in these areas.)
Reduced symptoms of depression – Unlike marijuana itself, CBD has never been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. It also doesn’t seem to be particularly effective for increasing overall well-being.
Increased focus and attention – Cannabidiol does not seem to improve your attention span and your ability to focus.
Improved skin – There is some promise that cannabidiol may improve skin elasticity and reduce acne because of its anti-inflammatory effects but no studies prove this effect yet.
Nicotine withdrawal – The evidence on this effect is limited but from what we know so far, cannabidiol does not seem to be a useful tool for when you want to quit smoking. However, it can reduce the pleasantness of cigarette-related cues but only to some degree.
Improved sleep quality – This effect may be relevant to you if you suffer from chronic anxiety and CBD helps you calm down. Otherwise, cannabidiol is unlikely to increase your sleep quality.
Effects on cancer – Only some anecdotal evidence shows potential benefits but scientific studies have not yet found a meaningful connection between CBD and cancer. That doesn’t mean cannabidiol cannot lower the risk of cancer, it just means we do not know for sure yet.
Memory – Cannabidiol doesn’t by itself have a notable impact on memory if any. It might, however, reduce THC-related memory loss.
Heart rate – Studies that have explored the connection between CBD and heart rate find no effect.
Possible side effects
Because of the war on drugs and many anti-drug campaigns, there is still a lot of misinformation surrounding marijuana and its effects.
Unfortunately, CBD is also affected by the stigma, and there are many articles on the internet talking about cannabidiol as a dangerous compound. It is important to keep in mind that the majority of these articles and reports come from individuals that are either highly uneducated in this area or have a personal bias toward stigmatizing the substance.
CBD has never been shown to be toxic and is one of the safest supplements on the market. With that said, there are some potential side effects you want to be aware of. These include:
Sleepiness and fatigue – Higher doses, in particular, can relax you to the point where you might feel sleepy. This is why it may not be the best idea to take CBD at times you want to be alert and productive. The exception to this rule is if you suffer from chronic stress and anxiety, in which case cannabidiol can positively impact your productivity.
Coughing – This effect not only applies to smoking CBD. Cannabidiol can make you cough even if you take it in the form of CBD oil. High-quality cannabidiol oil has a bitter taste. Similarly to extra virgin olive oil, bitter is better because it means there is a higher amount of beneficial compounds.
Diarrhea – This effect is associated with higher doses but is not very common.
Vomiting – This almost never happens to individuals taking CBD oil but can happen if you smoke CBD.
THC in some products – Specifically, full-spectrum CBD oils and powders contain trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%). This amount is not going to affect you in any notable way but it can show up on a drug test. This is especially of concern if you are an athlete getting tested for THC. In that case, you want to stay away from the full-spectrum form.
Fever – Cannabidiol can temporarily increase your body temperature and cause a mild form of fever. However, this effect is not dangerous.
Reduced appetite – This effect can be considered both a benefit and a negative. The supplement only seems to reduce the stress-related increase in appetite for food. However, the evidence for this is only anecdotal. What we do know from studies done on cannabidiol is that it can actually increase appetite in those going through a cannabis withdrawal.
False labeling – Beware that many of the oils on the market labeled as CBD oils are actually hemp oils that do not contain any cannabidiol at all.
Who should not take CBD?
You should probably avoid taking cannabidiol if you:
don’t experience seizures or chronic anxiety (because these are the main things affected by cannabidiol and if you do not experience them, you will not derive much benefit from the supplement)
are on a budget (since CBD can be relatively expensive and there are many more cost-effective supplements)
Who will benefit the most?
You should consider taking cannabidiol if you:
experience chronic anxiety on a regular basis
suffer from seizures
smoke marijuana high in THC and low in CBD (to balance these cannabinoids out and lower the potential side effects of cannabis)
are going through a marijuana withdrawal
have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia
suffer from Parkinson’s disease
Forms of CBD supplements
Since low-THC marijuana is becoming legal in countries all around the world, that is where many people get CBD from.
You can also take cannabidiol orally, either as a powder, a tincture (where the carrier is alcohol), or an oil. All of these forms are generally much cheaper than smoking high-CBD marijuana.
CBD oils are the most popular form people use.
When it comes to CBD oils and powders, the 3 main forms are:
CBD isolate – This type only contains cannabidiol and no other cannabinoids. It is usually sold as a powder.
Full-spectrum CBD – This form contains all the cannabinoids (such as CBC and CBG) and other plant compounds. This form also contains trace amounts of THC (under 0.3%).
Broad-spectrum CBD – Broad-spectrum is basically the same as full-spectrum but it does not contain any THC. Beware that some oils may be mislabeled as broad-spectrum even if they do contain THC (although this is relatively rare).
If you are looking for the cheapest type, CBD isolate usually costs less than the other forms. However, you might miss out on the potential benefits of all the other cannabinoids.
Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD share similar properties so the form you chose doesn’t matter much as long as you do not get tested for THC. If you are afraid of getting your blood tested for THC, broad-spectrum supplements are the best choice for you.
Whichever form you choose, beware that many of the oils on the market labeled as CBD oils are actually hemp oils that do not contain any cannabidiol at all.
Also, since CBD products are not regulated, brands may be using more or less cannabidiol than is shown on the label. Because of this, it is important to choose the brand you buy the supplement from wisely.
How much CBD should you take?
The scientific studies we took into consideration use a broad range of doses, anywhere from 10 mg to 2000 mg.
Even the higher end of the range (2000 mg) appears to be safe for the vast majority of people but you do not need to take nearly as much to derive most benefits.
For the anxiety-lowering effect (which is the main benefit most people will get from CBD), as little as 20 mg is generally enough to notice a difference. However, a higher dose (30+ mg) will probably be more effective in this regard. CBD dosing depends heavily on an individual and varies greatly from person to person. To know the optimal dose you should take, you will need to experiment a bit. So start with 20 mg and if you notice no benefit, increase your dose gradually until you do. If you don’t feel any change in how you feel and respond to situations even at 100 mg or more, CBD may not be for you.
It is important to note that the effects of cannabidiol are cumulative. Therefore, you need to take it regularly to notice long-term benefits.
You do not need to take a tolerance break from CBD. Some researchers even suggest that cannabidiol creates “reverse tolerance,” meaning that patients need to take less and less over time.
Best time to take CBD
The best time to take CBD is when you want to relax. Therefore, you may want to take it before sleep or when you are stressed and anxious.
Interactions with other supplements
Cannabis Most cannabis strains have been cultivated to have stronger psychoactive effects. Therefore, marijuana today is, in most cases, much higher in THC and lower in CBD than it used to be before. If you smoke weed, taking CBD helps you get the THC:CBD ratio to a more natural state. This also applies to cannabinoids other than cannabidiol, such as CBG.
Antiepileptic medication Cannabidiol significantly increases serum levels of many anti-epileptic medications (such as rufinamide, topiramate, zonisamide, and eslicarbazepine) when taken with them. This does not apply to clobazam though, the effect of cannabidiol taken along with it is a decrease in serum levels.
Warfarin and Diclofenac Cannabidiol may inhibit the CYP2C9 enzyme, which would reduce the metabolization of warfarin and diclofenac. We do not know how significant this effect is though and taking cannabidiol along with these two has not yet been proven unsafe.
Rifampicin This antibiotic, when taken with CBD, leads to a decrease in serum cannabidiol levels.
Where to buy CBD
Whichever form you choose to buy, beware that many of the oils on the market labeled as CBD oils are actually hemp oils that do not contain any cannabidiol at all.
Also, since CBD products are not regulated, brands may be using more or less cannabidiol than is shown on the label. Because of this, it is important to choose the brand you buy the supplement from wisely.
An example of a trusted brand is Wonderfeel. They sell very high-quality full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils.
FAQ
You do not need to take a tolerance break from CBD. Some researchers even suggest that cannabidiol creates “reverse tolerance,” meaning that patients need to take less and less over time.
Keep the supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place and it should remain just as potent for a few months or even years.
In the short term, this cannabinoid starts working around 15 minutes after you ingest it. In the long term, you can expect to start noticing benefits after as little as 2 weeks of taking it.
The half-life of cannabidiol can be anywhere from 1 hour to 5 days, depending on many factors. Therefore, it can take anywhere from a few hours up to a month to fully leave your system.
The scientific studies we took into consideration use a broad range of doses, anywhere from 10 mg to 2000 mg.
Even the higher end of the range (2000 mg) appears to be safe for the vast majority of people but you do not need to take nearly as much to derive most benefits.
No, it doesn’t. CBD does not interfere with fasting in any notable way. If anything, it can even increase the benefits of fasting by calming you down.
References
Most of the information provided in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
Anecdotal evidence (from reports on Reddit, YouTube, and other sources) is also taken into account unless it contradicts scientific research.
