Top 7 Potential CBD Oil Side Effects Every First-Time User Should Know
CBD oil has become a popular alternative for people suffering hard-to-treat medical conditions such as chronic pain. Many patients are given harsh painkillers for these conditions, which often cause serious side effects. No wonder CBD and other alternative treatments are becoming more and more recognized.
Although CBD provides many health benefits, like any other treatments, it can elicit side effects too. But understand that the side effects that you may notice when using CBD vary from person to person, depending on the dosage, the person’s body chemistry or distinct reaction. With this, the severity of side effects, the specific side effect and the number of side effects that you may experience will be unique and distinctive. That said, here is a list of the most commonly reported CBD side effects: Reduced Appetite Though it’s commonly known that the psychoactive cannabinoid THC can stimulate appetite, most people won’t become frequently hungry when using CBD. Human and animal studies have been found that CBD can suppress or reduce appetite. For this, you may notice feeling not hungry as usual, which might lead to weight loss as a result of taking less calories than usual. A study (1) has shown that CBD use weakens the appetitive effect of THC in humans that smoke street cannabis. Because of this, researchers concluded that CBD can modulate the appetite by influencing the desire for food. Such effect might be because CBD affects CB1 receptors, where it works as a negative allosteric modulator. Sedation
It is extremely known that CBD is an effective remedy option for sleep-related disorders such as insomnia. However, if you don’t have issues with sleeping, then sleepiness may be a problem when taking CBD. One of the common CBD side effects that first-time users may experience is feeling sleepy or drowsy. Some users choose to use CBD oil for its sedative qualities, however, always remember that excessive sedation may denote that your CBD dose is too high for you. If you are feeling sleepy while using CBD oil, you can lower your dose or simply wait it out until your body get used to the presence of CBD in your system. When your tolerance build, you’ll start to feel less sleepy and more alert. Brain Fog When using CBD, you may notice as if you lack focus and mental clarity, or you feel confused and forgetful, which is often referred to as ‘brain fog’. It is believed that brain fog occurs as CBD is associated with the upregulation of parasympathetic nervous system or downregulation of sympathetic nervous system. Most often, the higher the CBD dose, the more likely you’ll experience some brain fog, including sedation or drowsiness. Production of neurotransmitters, stimulatory hormones and brain waves may be also be reduced, which explains the brain fog that happens while taking CBD. With that said, not everyone experiences foggy head as a side effect of CBD. Dry Mouth Dry mouth is a common side effect of smoking street cannabis. When it comes to CBD oil, dry mouth can also be an issue. Why? The dry sensation of your mouth is due to the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in inhibiting saliva secretion. This effect was found during a study (2), which discovered that CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are situated in the submandibular glands, which are responsible for saliva production. Once the CB1 and CB2 receptors are stimulated using cannabidiol, saliva production becomes affected, which causes your mouth to feel dry. If you are experiencing dry mouth after consuming CBD oil, simply simply increase your fluid intake to hydrate your mouth and your body. In addition, pay attention to your dental health as chronic dry mouth can cause periodontal disease. Lightheadedness
Though not common, another reported CBD oil side effect is lightheadedness. This feeling is commonly experienced when taking high dosage of CBD, which results from a drop in blood pressure. While this side effect is only short-lived, it can be a frightening experience for first time users of CBD. If you noticed lightheadedness after taking CBD oil, don’t freak out. Here’s what you should do. In case lightheadedness kicks in, stop what you’re doing and take a sit and stay calm. To reduce this side effect, a cup of tea may give some alleviating assistance. Similar to sedation, this side effect tends to subside as your body get used to CBD. Inhibition of Hepatic Drug Metabolism This effect can be viewed as a very minor side effect. Why? A study (3) mentioned some possible side effects for CBD such as inhibiting hepatic drug metabolism and reducing the activity of p-glycoprotein. CBD may interact with a number of drugs as it blocks the activity of Cytochrome P450, a form of liver enzyme that is responsible for breaking down pharmaceutical drugs used for human treatment. Taking CBD can momentarily neutralize P450 enzyme activity, hence, it changes the way drugs are metabolized in the body. But this CBD action isn’t always viewed as a negative quality since the deactivation of this enzyme is among the mechanisms through why CBD modulates THC too. If you’re taking medications and want to take CBD, better talk to your doctor regarding the effect of reduced P450 enzyme. |
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Changes in Body Temperature
CBD stimulates TRP channels, which is the same channel that capsaicin influences. Capsaicin is a compound that gives hotness to chili peppers, which causes increase in body temperature. THC can decrease body temperature, but CBD works the opposite and raise internal body temperature.
Final Thoughts
Truth is, the potential side effects that may be experienced by CBD users are far less dangerous and harmful than the effects of painkillers and other prescription drugs. In addition, these side effects vary from one person to another. Cannabidiol is known to be completely safe and non-toxic, with no fatal overdose levels ever reported.
The benefits of CBD oil greatly outweigh the side effects of CBD. But it is still very important to pay attention in case any of these CBD effects may occur.
CBD stimulates TRP channels, which is the same channel that capsaicin influences. Capsaicin is a compound that gives hotness to chili peppers, which causes increase in body temperature. THC can decrease body temperature, but CBD works the opposite and raise internal body temperature.
Final Thoughts
Truth is, the potential side effects that may be experienced by CBD users are far less dangerous and harmful than the effects of painkillers and other prescription drugs. In addition, these side effects vary from one person to another. Cannabidiol is known to be completely safe and non-toxic, with no fatal overdose levels ever reported.
The benefits of CBD oil greatly outweigh the side effects of CBD. But it is still very important to pay attention in case any of these CBD effects may occur.
References:
(1)Morgan CJ, et.al. Cannabidiol attenuates the appetitive effects of Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans smoking their chosen cannabis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20428110
(2)Prestifilippo JP et.al. Inhibition of salivary secretion by activation of cannabinoid receptors.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16946411
(3) Narimatsu S et.al. Inhibition of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 by cannabidiol in adult male rats.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2393963
(1)Morgan CJ, et.al. Cannabidiol attenuates the appetitive effects of Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans smoking their chosen cannabis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20428110
(2)Prestifilippo JP et.al. Inhibition of salivary secretion by activation of cannabinoid receptors.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16946411
(3) Narimatsu S et.al. Inhibition of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 by cannabidiol in adult male rats.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2393963
