What Is CBD?
CBD is an abbreviation for cannabidiol. It is a natural substance found in cannabis (also known as marijuana) and hemp plants. Today, you can find CBD oil in capsules, oil bases for vaporizers, tinctures, food items, and beauty products such as bath bombs or lotions.
Proponents of CBD oil and other CBD products claim that it can be used to treat conditions such as chronic pain, inflammation, migraines, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, depression, and anxiety.
Research into some of these claims is ongoing, and there is still a lot about CBD that we don't know.
CBD vs. THC
Known as cannabinoids, CBD and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are different chemicals found in cannabis. They affect your body differently.
THC is psychoactive, which means it can change how your brain functions. It gives the feeling of being "high" from marijuana and other cannabis products.
CBD can change how your body experiences pain and reacts to inflammation. It can make you feel relaxed. But CBD is not psychoactive, so it doesn't give a feeling of being "high."
CBD Products
There are many different ways to use CBD. You can find a wide range of CBD products to eat, drink, inhale, or apply to your skin. It's legal for CBD products to have up to 0.3% THC, but the CDC warns that mislabeled CBD products may contain higher doses of THC, which can increase the risk of side effects.
Here are some of the main ways to consume CBD.
CBD flower
CBD usually comes from hemp, a type of cannabis plant that has very little THC. The flowering heads of the hemp plant are known as CBD flower, or hemp flower. These nonpsychoactive flowers can be cultivated and used for smoking but won’t give you a high.
CBD vape pen
CBD vape pens are used for inhaling vaporized CBD. The vape pen heats a liquid containing CBD, usually diluted with palm, coconut, or vitamin E oil.
Vaping CBD may be dangerous to your health. At least 2,800 people have been hospitalized and at least 68 people in the U.S. have died from lung injury linked to vape pens containing vitamin E acetate. One study found vaping CBD more damaging to the lungs and immune system than vaping nicotine.
CBD gummies
CBD gummies are edibles that you chew and swallow. They contain CBD oil. Like gummy bear candies, CBD gummies come in a wide range of fruity flavors. These products often make different health claims, such as helping you sleep, detoxifying your body, or relieving pain, but there isn't any research to support these claims.
CBD oil
CBD oils are products made from CBD extract (a concentrated form of CBD) and an oil, such as coconut oil. These products can be used in different ways. With some CBD oils, you place a few drops under your tongue. CBD oils can also come in capsules that you swallow. You can also add CBD oils to skin lotions and creams. Studies show that applying CBD to your skin may help prevent acne and treat acne scars.
Other CBD products
- Infused food and candy
- Bath products, such as bath bombs, salts, and soaks
- Topicals, such as creams and roll-ons
- Toothpaste
- Infused clothing, such as sportswear and sleeping masks
- Tinctures (concentrated CBD steeped in alcohol or oil)
- Sprays
CBD Effects
CBD acts on your endocannabinoid system, which plays an important role in many different body and brain functions, such as emotional processing, learning and memory, immune response, hunger, and sleep.
Your endocannabinoid system is made up of chemical signals and receptors that process signals. Our brains are filled with "cannabinoid" receptors known as CB1 and CB2 receptors. Signals called endocannabinoids — similar to cannabis plant molecules — activate our CB1 and CB2 receptors. CBD products are thought to work by stimulating your CB1 and CB2 receptors, along with several other systems in your body, to cause different effects.
CBD side effects
CBD can interact with different medications, causing side effects. Antidepressants, pain medications, and blood thinners are some medicines that may interact negatively with CBD.
Using CBD products can also cause side effects. This could happen if the product is impure or contains too much THC. Possible side effects of CBD include:
- Dry mouth
- Reduced appetite
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Coordination issues
CBD Benefits
Researchers are still exploring the full potential of CBD. So far, we know that CBD is a proven treatment when it comes to certain types of epilepsy, and early research is showing promise in the treatment of various anxiety disorders.
Approved to treat epilepsy
In 2018, the first FDA-approved drug containing CBD, cannabidiol (Epidiolex), was released in the market to treat two different kinds of epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
The FDA approved the treatment for patients as young as 2 years old. Studies showed it was effective in comparison to a placebo in reducing the frequency of seizures.
CBD for anxiety
Research is mostly positive on CBD's effectiveness for anxiety. A 2015 review of research found strong evidence that CBD may help treat a range of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
In a 2022 clinical trial, 14 people with anxiety were given high levels of CBD under the tongue, for four weeks, three times per day. They reported less anxiety and better mood, sleep, and quality of life, and showed no serious negative side effects.
A 2021 study found that CBD helped improve anxiety for people with moderate to severe disorders, but it made people with mild anxiety more anxious.
More research is still needed to back up these findings and figure out effective dosing.
CBD for pain
More research is needed on how CBD affects pain. Studies show mixed results for people who used low doses of CBD spray, applied under the tongue, to treat chronic pain. But there have been some promising results. One study showed that people took fewer opioids for pain when they were treated with CBD-rich hemp extract. Another study showed that topical CBD oil may help relieve pain and itching caused by peripheral neuropathy.
CBD for sleep
It’s not clear how CBD affects sleep. About 85% of patients with epilepsy had better sleep after three months of CBD treatments, according to one study. Several other studies on CBD for sleep in healthy people had no clear results. In one study from 2018, healthy people who took a single dose of CBD did not have any effects on their sleep.
CBD for ADHD
There's no solid proof that CBD helps improve attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)symptoms, but research is ongoing.
In a small 2017 study, adults with ADHD who used a cannabis spray saw no difference in cognitive performance but had improvements in hyperactivity and impulsivity. Another small study in 2022 found that adults with ADHD who added oral CBD oil to their other medicines experienced substantial positive effects. Their ability to keep their emotions in check, and to get or excel at a new job improved, along with their mental health.
New York University Grossman School of Medicine is developing a study on the benefits of CBD in children with both autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.
Other potential CBD benefits
There's been some research on the potential benefits of CBD for Parkinson's disease. A few studies have shown improvements in psychosis symptoms, sleep disorders, and quality of life. Other clinical trials showed that CBD improved motor function, sleep, and emotional regulation in people with Parkinson’s disease. More trials are underway to find out how CBD can help improve tremor and motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease
More than 250 clinical trials on CBD benefits have been completed or are recruiting participants. Researchers are studying how CBD might benefit people with cancer, schizophrenia, cognitive impairment, quitting smoking, bipolar depression, and more.
Is CBD Safe?
The World Health Organization (WHO) generally considers CBD safe in its pure form. According to the WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), people are unlikely to abuse pure CBD or be harmed by using it. Research surrounding CBD is ongoing, and there remain many unanswered questions, such as whether or not the means of taking CBD impacts the risks or efficacy.
Here is a list of a few potential risks and side effects that come with CBD. Some of these risks are controllable if you're taking CBD under the guidance of your doctor.
Lack of regulation
The main risk of using CBD is that most CBD products are unregulated. Many products that claim to be CBD also contain other cannabinoids, such as THC. Only one CBD product (Epidiolex, a medication that treats seizures) has been approved by the FDA. The FDA has also approved three cannabis-related drug products.
Buying CBD products from a licensed dispensary can help ensure that a product is safe, as these establishments are regulated in states where cannabis is legal. Their products are tested in labs for contamination and clearly labeled with CBD dosage. You can also ask staff questions about products, how they work, and which ones might work best for you.
Liver injury
Liver injury from using CBD is rare. A small number of people who took higher doses of CBD had elevated liver enzymes, but no symptoms or jaundice. One trial suggested an increased risk of liver injury among people using other epilepsy drugs (valproate and clobazam), but a later study did not. You can manage this risk by only taking CBD under the supervision of your doctor.
CBD interactions
CBD can potentially interact with other medications, such as antiepileptic drugs, antidepressants, and opioid analgesics. If you are taking other medications, CBD can impact their efficacy, and your doctor may need to reevaluate the dose you are taking.
There is limited research on how CBD interacts with prescription drugs and with standard over-the-counter supplements. So, it is best to talk to your doctor before taking CBD if you are taking other medications.
Fertility
Not much research has looked specifically at CBD and fertility, and most studies have been in animals, not people. Some studies have found a negative relationship between cannabis use and sperm count, as well as other measures of male fertility, including sperm viability and motility.
Experts recommend awareness around these potential side effects when prescribing cannabis to patients who are of reproductive age. But they also caution that more research in people is needed to understand how CBD may affect fertility.
Amounts and Dosage
Because the FDA currently does not regulate CBD, there are no specific recommended doses. Doses in most clinical trials have ranged from 100 to 800 milligrams a day.
Before using any CBD product, you should speak to your doctor to come up with a safe dosage plan that works for you. This plan should also take into account your symptoms and any other medications or supplements that you may be taking.
Is CBD Legal?
The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to buy CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC under federal law. But CBD is still illegal in some states.
Does CBD show up on a drug test?
Drug tests detect THC, not CBD. But it's not uncommon for CBD products to be mislabeled, so they could contain more THC than you think. If there's any THC in a CBD product that you use, then you could test positive for THC and fail a drug test.
Takeaways
CBD is a nonpsychoactive chemical found in the cannabis plant. There are many different ways to use CBD, including smoking or vaping, eating CBD-infused gummies and foods, applying topical CBD products, and consuming oral tinctures and capsules. Researchers are studying many possible benefits of CBD, including for pain relief, sleep, anxiety, epilepsy, and cancer. Many CBD products are unregulated, so it's best to buy products from a licensed dispensary or talk to your doctor about how to use them.
CBD FAQs
What type of drug is cannabidiol?
Cannabidiol, also called CBD, is a chemical in the cannabis plant. A form of CBD is used as a drug to treat seizures.
Is CBD better than Viagra?
There’s no evidence that CBD is better than Viagra. Some research suggests that cannabis enhances people’s sexual experience by helping them relax.
What is the medical use of cannabidiol?
There’s only one FDA-approved cannabidiol medication, Epidiolex, which is for treating seizures. Some people use CBD products, as recommended by their doctor, for conditions such as anxiety, pain, and insomnia.
Is it OK to consume CBD every day?
Research seems to suggest it’s safe to consume CBD daily, in doses up to 400 milligrams. However, long-term safety is still being studied, so it’s important to consult with a health care provider before consuming CBD daily, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
Is CBD safe for health?
CBD is generally considered safe for health. Talk to your doctor before using CBD, especially if you’re taking other medications that could interact with CBD. It’s also a good idea to buy CBD from licensed sellers to avoid contaminated or mislabeled products.
