What happens when you mix CBD and alcohol?
Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently taken the world of health and wellness by storm, appearing among the many products sold in dietary supplement stores and natural product stores. CBD oils, body creams, lip balms and other cosmetics, protein bars and more are available. In some states, beer and other alcoholic beverages containing CBD are even available. However, many people question the safety of combining alcohol and CBD. That is why this article looks at the effects and possible interactions of CBD and alcohol.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural compound that occurs naturally in the cannabis plant. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties or cause the high that people most often associate with marijuana use.
CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant and then mixed with a carrier oil such as coconut, palm, olive or hemp seed oil.In recent years, CBD has been gaining popularity and is now available on the market in various forms - in addition to CBD drops (oils), these include capsules, sprays, edibles and CBD gummies (candies), tinctures and flowers with a high CBD content.
Promising research suggests that CBD may have a diverse range of health benefits, including promoting pain management, reducing anxiety and improving skin health.
Brief summary
CBD is a compound derived from the cannabis plant. It is used to make dietary supplements in various forms. Research suggests that CBD can, for example, relieve pain, reduce anxiety and promote skin health.
Alcohol and CBD can amplify each other's effects
Alcohol is known for its ability to reduce inhibitions and promote a sense of relaxation. CBD can have similar effects on your body. Research has shown that it can reduce anxiety and calm nerves. For example, one study on 72 people showed that taking 25-75 mg of CBD daily for just one month reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality.
Taking alcohol and CBD together could amplify these effects and potentially cause symptoms such as increased sleepiness and sedation. Some also claim that mixing CBD and alcohol can lead to mood and behavioral changes as a result. In fact, one small study looked at the effects of giving 200 mg of CBD to participants along with 1 gram of alcohol for every 1 kg of body weight.
It observed that combining alcohol with CBD caused significant impairment in motor performance and changes in time perception. When participants took CBD alone, these effects did not occur. However, this study is outdated and used much higher amounts of CBD than most people usually take. Unfortunately, there is very little research on the health effects of taking CBD with alcohol.
CBD may protect against the side effects of alcohol
As we mentioned above, not much is known about the effects of combining CBD and alcohol. However, research to date suggests that CBD may protect against some of the negative effects of alcohol.
Here are a few ways that CBD may affect the effects of alcohol:
1) It can prevent cell damage and related diseases
Excessive alcohol consumption can cause cell damage, which increases the risk of inflammation and chronic diseases such as pancreatitis, liver disease, and some cancers. In several animal studies, it has been observed that CBD can protect against cell damage caused by alcohol consumption. For example, one study in rats showed that applying CBD gel to the skin reduced brain cell damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption by up to 49%.
Another study concluded that injecting CBD into mice helped protect against alcohol-induced fatty liver disease by increasing autophagy, a process that promotes new cell turnover and leads to tissue regeneration. Other research has shown that CBD-rich cannabis extracts can cause liver toxicity in mice. However, some of the mice in this study were given (or forced to eat) extremely large amounts of hemp extract.It is not clear whether CBD has the same effects in humans and whether it can prevent alcohol-induced cell damage. This is also why further research is needed.
2) It may reduce blood alcohol levels
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a measure of the amount of alcohol in the blood. A higher BAC generally correlates with greater loss of motor control and cognitive function. There is little research on the effects of CBD on blood alcohol levels. However, one study of 10 people found that when participants took 200 mg of CBD with alcohol, they had significantly lower blood alcohol levels than when they consumed alcohol with a placebo.
Keep in mind, though, that this study was conducted in the 1970s and the participants in it were given a very high dose of CBD, nearly 5 to 10 times higher than what is recommended for most people. It is not clear whether normal doses of CBD would have this effect. In addition, other studies have reported conflicting results. Several animal studies have reported that CBD does not reduce blood alcohol concentrations when given to animals along with alcohol. Therefore, again, more research is needed to determine how CBD may affect blood alcohol levels in humans.
3) It may be a treatment for alcohol dependence
Some researchers believe that CBD could help treat alcohol use disorders. In fact, some animal studies have shown that CBD can help reduce some of the symptoms of addiction and withdrawal. In fact, one recent study looked at the effects of CBD in alcohol-dependent rats. CBD was found to help reduce alcohol intake, prevent relapse, and reduce the motivation to consume alcohol. Research in humans is limited. However, one study on 24 smokers found that taking a CBD inhaler for one week reduced cigarette consumption by 40%. These results suggest that CBD could help curb addictive behaviors. Unsurprisingly, more high-quality studies are needed to determine whether CBD can help with alcohol dependence in humans.
Summary
Animal studies show that CBD can reduce alcohol-induced liver and brain cell damage. It may also help lower blood alcohol levels and even help treat alcohol use disorders, although more research is needed.
So should you take CBD and alcohol together?
Currently, there is not enough research available to confidently reveal the effects of consuming CBD and alcohol at the same time. Several human and animal studies have found that CBD can reduce some of the side effects of alcohol. However, there is limited research on whether the combined use of CBD and alcohol causes adverse health effects.
In addition, the effects of CBD vary from person to person, making it difficult to determine whether mixing CBD and alcohol would have a similar effect on all people. In addition, most current research focuses on the effects of consuming very large amounts of alcohol with CBD rather than the effects of having a few occasional drinks here and there with CBD. For this reason, it's not recommended to take CBD and alcohol together, especially if you're not sure how either one will affect you. If you choose to combine CBD and alcohol, stick to low amounts of both substances to minimize the risk of unwanted side effects. If you have any concerns, be sure to check with your healthcare provider.
Summary
Because research on the safety of CBD and alcohol is limited, it is not recommended to take the two substances together. If you choose to combine CBD and alcohol, stick to low amounts of both substances to minimize risk.
Conclusion
CBD and alcohol can potentiate each other's effects, and taking both substances together in high doses can have sedative effects, causing drowsiness. However, many human and animal studies show that CBD protects against alcohol-induced cell damage and reduces blood alcohol concentration and symptoms of dependence and withdrawal.
One study in mice showed that CBD may increase the risk of liver toxicity. However, some mice were given high amounts of CBD. Unfortunately, most existing research has focused on animals that received high amounts of both CBD and alcohol. Not enough research has investigated the effects of moderate doses in humans.
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