Does the use of CBD oil have side effects? CBD is a natural substance, a cannabinoid from the cannabis/hemp plant, whose positive properties on the human organism are not only attributed by scientists and physicians but by people all over the world who have experienced its healing and therapeutic abilities. Even though it is a natural substance and because of the fact that we have our own cannabinoid system (endocannabinoid system), it looks as if it has been created for us, nevertheless the question arises whether CBD has side effects. And if so, which one? Under which circumstances? And at what dose?
A few years ago it was still believed that CBD has no side effects. Well, at least no negative ones, because CBD works in many ways and the side effects that it had were always good ones. In the sense of, “I use CBD for something specific and as a side effect it also helps with something else. But over the years of studies (though there are still too few of them) and experience, a few side effects have been identified. But do not worry, these are not life-threatening side effects. Now let’s look at the toxicity of CBD, the possible side effects, and the safety of CBD.
No toxicity at higher doses of CBD
In a 2006 study on the treatment of psychosis and schizophrenia with CBD, CBD was found to be non-toxic even at high doses. CBD was previously tested on animal models in order to find a toxic CBD dosage or from which amount of administered CBD it becomes toxic to the organism.
Based on the studies on mice, which has shown the very low toxic potential, the study was subsequently performed on humans too. The acute oral, inhalatory, or intravenous administration of CBD did not show any toxic effect in humans. This confirmed the previous studies on animals.
In addition, chronic administration of 10-400 mg CBD per day over a period of 30 days, to healthy volunteers showed no significant change in neurological, psychiatric, or clinical investigations.
Further, a patient suffering from Huntington’s disease was given a daily dose of 700 mg of CBD over a period of 6 weeks. Again, there was no toxic effect. The clinical data confirm that CBD can be safely administered over a wide dose range.
Warning and caution with:
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding: We would like to point out that there is no clear information as to whether it is safe to use CBD oil during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Although the use of CBD seems to be very safe, there are simply no studies that confirm this for use in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, if in doubt, you should not use CBD at this time.
- Parkinson’s disease: One study found that a high CBD dose in Parkinson’s patients worsened symptoms such as tremor. At a lower dose, it may in turn improve the symptoms. In this article, we will discuss in more detail the side effect of CBD in Parkinson’s.
CBD can have side effects, albeit not threatening ones
Even though CBD is very well tolerated and there is no toxicity even at high doses, there are a few side effects that can occur in rare cases. The quality of the CBD product is also crucial for the emergence of certain side effects.
In other words, if you consume high-quality CBD oil that comes from reliable sources and you are careful about its origin, as well as the quantity you consume daily, CBD oil will cause no troubles as it is safe for human use.
Another aspect that needs to be mentioned is that these side-effects tend to manifest in the case of people that have severe health problems, such as muscle tremors and other types of uncontrollable movements, as shown by studies in the domain.
But, because each of us is unique and even rare cases may occur, it is worth knowing a bit more about the kind of side-effects that can appear when consuming CBD oil products.
CBD Oil Side Effects: Dry mouth
Some studies show that CBD oil can cause the so-called “cotton mouth” sensation or dry mouth, as it was discovered that cannabinoid receptors can also be found in the submandibular glands, which have the job of producing saliva.
Thus, when CBD oil affects these receptors then the production of saliva is affected, leaving your mouth dry. But, apart from the fact that this side-effect will make you feel thirsty, there are no dangers to your health.
CBD Oil Side Effects: Parkinson’s Patients
As mentioned before, the use of CBD oil can make patients that suffer from tremors and uncontrollable muscle movements to experience a worsening of their symptoms at higher CBD doses.
Still, it was also shown that CBD can help patients suffering from Parkinson’s, so reducing the dosage to one that is more appropriate for their organism should make the unwanted side-effects disappear.
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CBD Oil Side Effects: Pharmaceuticals
It was discovered that a high dose of CBD can stop the activity of some enzymes found in the liver, the P450 enzymes, which are responsible for metabolizing most of the drugs used by people.
So yes, CBD can interact with some drugs by affecting the way our organism processes these drugs. But, at the same time, the deactivation of the P450 enzymes is also the method by which CBD neutralizes the effects caused by THC.
Plus eating a grapefruit will produce the same effects as well, so it’s not just CBD that stops those enzymes from reacting.
Therefore, if you are already taking any drugs and would like to use CBD, you should discuss with your doctor about this to see if there are any unwanted interactions.
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CBD Oil Side Effects: Lightheadedness
This is a side-effect that may be experienced due to the fact that blood pressure levels are dropping as a result of taking a higher dose of CBD. This can be easily managed by having a cup of tea or coffee.
CBD Oil Side Effects: Low blood pressure
As mentioned earlier, if you take a dose of CBD that is slightly higher, your blood pressure may decrease. This happens within minutes after taking CBD and will, in most cases, produce a feeling of lightheadedness.
But don’t worry as this side-effect is temporary. Still, if you are taking drugs for blood pressure, you should talk with your doctor before starting to use CBD oil.
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CBD Oil Side Effects: Drowsiness
There are cases in which CBD can cause drowsiness, more precisely in the cases where the dosage was high. If you do find yourself in such a state, you should avoid using any kind of machinery or driving.
Still, in most cases, if the dosage is appropriate, CBD will work as an agent that induces a state of being awake and full of energy. In higher doses, it generally induces sleep.
CBD Oil Side Effects: More CBD Effects
Besides all of these side-effects, on rare occasions, CBD can affect your heart rate, body temperature, pH levels, glucose levels, red cell volume in the blood, as well as the potassium and sodium levels.
Again, these are temporary effects and will disappear once you adjust your dosage to a lower level, which may be more appropriate in your case.
This is why it is not recommended to start your treatment with CBD oil at high doses right from the start.
You should start with small doses and gradually increase them while monitoring yourself until you obtain the desired results.
Also, it is worth mentioning that there are no severe risks for health if one takes a high dose of CBD and that any side-effects that may appear can be easily managed by simply adjusting the dose.
In general, CBD is very well tolerated and is considered safe even in high doses. However, some people may experience these adverse reactions:
- Anxiety and depression
- Psychosis
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sleepiness
- Changes in appetite
There are some studies that show that CBD actually has a positive effect on the symptoms of this rare side effects. For example, CBD is said to have a number of positive attributes with regard to anxiety and psychosis. However, in rare cases, the exact opposite can occur.
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Importance of the CBD Oil Quality
Also, you need to keep in mind that the quality, purity, and source of your CBD oil also counts a lot when we are talking about unwanted side-effects. So, low-quality CBD oil, which is usually cheap as well, can worsen the symptoms you are trying to solve by taking CBD oil.
Thus, you need to do thorough research when it comes to buying CBD oil products because everything counts, from the product’s purity to its origin, as the plants can absorb heavy metals from the soil where they were cultivated.
To avoid paying money for an unreliable brand and product, always pay close attention to what the product’s label has to say. Request a third-party lab test before purchasing CBD oil products. Don’t hesitate to seek the opinion and help of a specialist.
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Is CBD safe to use?
The use of CBD is safe, with a few non-serious potential side effects. This is shown by the studies and that is what doctors and scientists say. Most CBD users do not experience any of these side effects. Even in very high doses of CBD there is no toxicity. However, everyone is unique and the body chemistry of each individual is slightly different.
The potential side effects are limited to those mentioned; dry mouth, drowsiness, low blood pressure and in the case of Parkinson’s it can lead to a worsening of the symptoms at high doses.
One of the most important criteria is the purity and quality of the product. Contamination of the product may cause headache, upset stomach or other minor adverse reactions. When buying CBD oil, pay close attention to the quality.
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