What Are the Side Effects of CBD?

Do you need help with joint pain? Have trouble sleeping? Feel anxious? Cannabidiol (CBD) can help. CBD is being promoted as a natural remedy for a wide range of health issues. But, there are still many people skeptical about this marijuana plant extract.

I’ve been using CBD products for several years. I consulted a health professional and checked the research done on CBD’s side effects. Here’s everything you should know about how to take CBD safely.

Quick Summary

Cannabidiol (CBD) comes from cannabis plants.
CBD has a wide range of health benefits, from helping with post-traumatic stress disorder to alleviating cancer treatment symptoms.
CBD side effects are rare and mild in most cases.
There are some medications with which you shouldn’t use CBD products.

What is CBD?

CBD is a cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis plant. This is one of the two main active chemicals found in the cannabis plant (the other is THC). Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have intoxicating properties.

There are three kinds of CBD extracts:

Full-spectrum CBD — Contains all cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, including THC.
Broad-spectrum CBD — Contains all cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, but not THC.
CBD isolate — Only contains CBD.

CBD became legal in the US under the 2018 Farm Bill as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC.

Research on CBD is still in the early stages. Still, current studies show CBD can alleviate cancer symptoms, help with anxiety, lower blood pressure, provide multiple sclerosis pain relief, and have other health benefits.

Is CBD Safe?

Yes, CBD is safe. It can be safely used in the form of dietary supplements.

CBD extracted from the hemp plant has zero THC, so you won’t have a high feeling. CBD extracted from marijuana plants can have THC, which can cause a high feeling. However, marijuana CBD products must have less than 0.3% THC to be legal, which isn’t enough to make you feel high.

CBD side effects are very rare and are mild in most cases. These include nausea, fatigue, and drowsiness.

If you stick to the prescribed dose of oral CBD and other products, you’re extremely unlikely to experience CBD side effects.

What are the Most Common CBD Side Effects?

The most common side effects are:

Drowsiness — This can be considered a benefit if you have sleep issues. Drowsiness usually happens if you take CBD with other sedating medications.
Gastrointestinal issues — Some CBD users can experience diarrhea or liver problems. This usually happens to people with a history of gastrointestinal issues.
Dry mouth — Mouth and eyes can feel dry. This is more common with THC extracted from the cannabis sativa plant.
Nausea — Some people using CBD oil can experience nausea. This depends on how sensitive a person is and the amount of CBD oil used.

CBD products come in various forms — from oral CBD, such as CBD oils and CBD gummies, to creams, lotions, and vapes. Each of these affects a person differently. You should consult a doctor before using CBD products.

How to Take CBD Safely

The best way to take CBD safely is to use the dose recommended by the manufacturer.

You can use CBD by:

Mixing it with a drink
Taking it with a dropper
Swallowing pills
Eating gummies
Spraying under the tongue
Massaging it into the skin

The dose of CBD depends on what you use it for, your body weight, and CBD concentration. It’s always best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Read the label carefully.

Many people need help with cancer treatment symptoms or chronic pain, so they use a higher dose than recommended hoping to get extra help with their condition. However, this can lead to side effects.

Also, ask for professional medical advice. A doctor will know your medical history and body composition, and they can advise on the best dose of CBD for you.

Who Should Not Take CBD?

CBD is generally safe for most people. However, there are certain situations when people shouldn’t take CBD products:

During pregnancy and breastfeeding — Some CBD products can be contaminated with ingredients harmful to the baby or the fetus, so they should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Children — The only CBD product approved by the FDA for children is Epidiolex, which should be used for severe forms of epilepsy (when children suffer from epilepsy attacks). There’s more research needed on CBD to know if it’s safe for children.
Liver disease — People with the liver disease may need to abstain from using CBD or take a lower dose of CBD because it can increase liver enzymes.
Other medications — CBD should be safe to use with other medications, but you should check with your doctor first to be sure.

What Medications Should Not Be Taken With CBD?

Medications that shouldn’t be taken with CBD are:

Anti-arrhythmia drugs
Antifungal drugs
Anticonvulsants
Antibiotics
Atypical antidepressants
Benzodiazepine sedatives
Beta-blockers
HIV Antivirals
Immune-suppressive drugs
Opioids
Prokinetics
Steroids and Corticosteroids

The interaction between medication and CBD is mild in most cases. But, occasionally, you’ll have to change your medications or space out the doses differently if you use CBD.

For example, Benadryl is a common medicine that can cause drowsiness when used with CBD. Always check with your doctor whether you can use CBD with other medication.

Is CBD Legal?

Yes, CBD is legal in the US under the Farm Bill. This bill allowed hemp products to be sold in the US.

However, this doesn’t mean all hemp products are legal. For a CBD product to be legal, it has to be derived from the hemp plant and have less than 0.3% THC.

If a CBD product has more than 0.3% THC, it’s not legal and falls under the definition of marijuana, which is banned in some states (including medical cannabis).

Also, cannabis-derived CBD is still illegal in some states. It’s always best to check state laws, especially if you’re traveling with CBD products.

Will You Have Side Effects if You Use CBD?

You most probably won’t have side effects if you use CBD. Clinical trials on CBD are still at the beginning stages, and more data is needed to know the long-term effects of CBD use. However, the finished studies show promising results.

If you use CBD products as instructed on the label, don’t double the dosage to get more benefits, and buy from reputable manufacturers, you shouldn’t have any side effects.

Try UNO CBD products you think will work best for you and get CBD benefits.

References

Commissioner, O. of the. (2021). 5 Things to Know about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC. FDA. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-delta-8-thc

Farm Bill. (n.d.). Www.usda.gov. Available at: https://www.usda.gov/farmbill

O’Brien K. (2022). Cannabidiol (CBD) in Cancer Management. Cancers, 14(4), 885. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers1404088

Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics: the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 12(4), 825–836. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1

Jadoon, K. A., Tan, G. D., & O’Sullivan, S. E. (2017). A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study. JCI insight, 2(12), e93760. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.93760

Rudroff, T., & Sosnoff, J. (2018). Cannabidiol to Improve Mobility in People with Multiple Sclerosis. Frontiers in neurology, 9, 183. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00183

Oberbarnscheidt, T., & Miller, N. S. (2020). The Impact of Cannabidiol on Psychiatric and Medical Conditions. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 12(7), 393–403. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr.v12i7.4159

Office of the Commissioner. (2018, June 25). FDA approves first drug comprised of an active ingredient derived from marijuana to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-drug-comprised-active-ingredient-derived-marijuana-treat-rare-severe-forms

Daniel, C. (2021, November 10). Overview of ALT and AST Liver Enzymes. Verywell Health. Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/liver-enzymes-1759916