The CBD industry is booming, but how much of it actually works?
From CBD bath bombs to CBD lattes to CBD-infused workout gear, the questionable wellness trend is everywhere. Unlike THC, the molecule in cannabis that induces the "high" feeling weed is known for, CBD is being studied for its impact on sleep, anxiety, and inflammation without THC's psychoactive effects.
Because of interest in its to-be-determined powers, CBD is marketed as a cure-all. Consumer products, like CBD shots added to drinks, claim to guarantee relaxation, improve mood, and relieve pain. CBD has been clinically proven to treat anxiety at very high doses, reduce inflammation, and treat epilepsy, but it's not quite the miracle supplement it's marketed as.
In the first of a three-part series about CBD, here's what you need to know about CBD edibles.
Here's the thing: Orally administered CBD has so far been clinically proven to be effective at very high dosages. A 2015 study by New York University concluded that CBD could be used to treat patients with anxiety disorders, but the dosages ranged from 300 to 600 mg. In another study performed by the University of São Paulo in 2017, subjects were less anxious with public speaking after a 300 mg dose of orally administered CBD, but not after a dose of 100 mg.
Consumer products, on the other hand, typically range from 5 mg to 25 mg.
Basically, you may have to swallow a hand full of CBD capsules to feel less anxious beyond a placebo effect. As a study about insomnia and anxiety published in The Permanente Journal noted, "the current retail cost of CBD would make the use of 600 mg/dose cost prohibitive."
Why does the dosage need to be so high, while THC edibles can couch lock you at just 10 mg? It comes down to bioavailability, the amount of a drug that has an active effect when absorbed by your body. Like any drug, if you want CBD to work, it has to travel through your bloodstream to get to the rest of your body. When you pop a CBD capsule, it's absorbed by your digestive system, and then makes its way to your bloodstream and later impacts your brain. Orally-ingested CBD has a very low bioavailability compared to inhaling it, so you'd need to down a lot of capsules to get the same effect as vaping it.
There's no consensus on the exact oral bioavailability of CBD — a 2009 study published in Chemistry & Biodiversity concluded it's somewhere between 4 and 20 percent. That means that if you consume 100 mg of CBD, you may get less than 20 mg in your bloodstream. Since most consumer products have CBD doses of less than 25 mg, you'd get even less CBD into your bloodstream.
Known as the "first pass effect," the liver breaks down certain compounds so much, it may not have a noticeable effect on the body anymore. When THC goes through the liver, it metabolizes into another more potent psychoactive molecule. CBD, on the other hand, is susceptible to the liver's first pass, but it doesn't get broken down into something stronger like THC does. While 10 mg of THC can couch lock you into bingeing nature documentaries, orally ingested CBD tends to be less effective.
What edible versions of CBD do work, then? Here's a rundown of the products on the market right now.
CBD capsules and gummies
CBD capsules, pills, and gummies are often marketed as daily vitamins or sleep supplements. Dosages can range from as low as 5 mg per serving to 50 mg.
Daniele Piomelli, director of the Institute for the Study of Cannabis at the University of California, Irvine, is skeptical of low-dose CBD products.
"You will need approximately 20 of them to do anything that is of use," Piomelli vehemently explained when asked about low-dose CBD capsules. "And why would you do that? Besides, what else is in those pills?"
He's also concerned about the ingredients added to the edibles that may not be listed on product labels.
Alex Capano, chief science officer at hemp company Ananda Hemp and the first person to earn a Ph.D. in cannabinoid studies, says she recommends consuming more than 5 mg for oral dosages, but notes that not all gummies are produced effectively.
"Some companies spray CBD isolate over the gummy and it doesn't stick at all, so it has to be infused, uniformly," she said. "So they have to have a little more sophisticated manufacturing."
Additionally, some CBD edibles are cut with supplements like melatonin, which regulates sleep cycles, or L-theanine, which can induce relaxation without drowsiness. In those cases, is it the CBD working or the supplements?
It's worth noting that if you're looking for pain relief, CBD alone may not work for you. Even if you don't want to get high, researchers have said that CBD is more effective for pain when taken with a little THC. "Whole plant" or "full spectrum" products that include other cannabinoids and terpenes may also have the benefit of the entourage effect, which is believed to enhance both CBD and THC's therapeutic uses because they're working together.
Verdict:
Unless you're ready to throw down some serious cash to treat your anxiety, skip the CBD capsules, pills, and gummies. There haven't been any conclusive studies about using CBD capsules to treat other issues like pain and inflammation, and most "proof" of its success has been largely anecdotal. You don't have to rule it out entirely, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't work for you.
CBD-infused drinks
You've probably stumbled across CBD-infused water, CBD tea, and oh god, even CBD beer.
Remember that whole thing about bioavailability? It's that all over again. Chugging a bottle of juice infused with 25 mg of CBD may keep you hydrated, but it's unlikely you'll experience effects like reduced inflammation. A single bottle of water infused with 10 to 25 mg of CBD averages about $5.
Consumers should be especially cautious with CBD-infused beer. Piomelli likens mixing alcohol and CBD to "sledding on a very, very dangerous path" because mixing any substances together risks effects that are "nastier than alcohol itself."
"Look, I'm happy to have a glass of wine or maybe even a shot of whiskey every so often, but you know, it's once you start mixing the stuff we do not know what's happening," he said.
"That's not a whole lot of CBD to get any effects when you're consuming it orally," Capano said. Still, she points out that both alcohol and cannabinoids are processed through the liver, so it's like drinking and taking a Tylenol. The side effects may not be severe, but it's still risky.
And while some CBD drinks may leave you relaxed, it might not be from the CBD. As one company told Thrillist, they add adaptogens to enhance the purported effects of CBD. Adaptogens are fungi, roots, and herbs that wellness products claim can reduce stress. Drawing from Eastern medicine, extracts from plants like ginseng and reishi mushrooms are added to many infused drinks to improve mood. It's scientifically questionable, just like drinks with very low doses of CBD.
CBD is also fat soluble, which means that it won't dissolve in water. It's more likely to stick to the plastic bottle versus dissolve in the liquid. CBD is also persnickety when it comes to sun exposure, so clear packaging will hurt its shelf life.
Verdict:
Again, because of the low bioavailability of CBD, it's unlikely that infused drinks will be effective. As long as it's not mixed with alcohol, it probably won't hurt you, but it's probably also just an overly expensive drink.
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