CBD Drug Interactions

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is one of the most significant constituents of cannabis. Unlike cannabis, CBD on its own does not cause euphoria or dependence. This lack of psychoactive effects, paired with the fact that it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to shut down pain receptors in the brain, makes it a popular pain management tool.

CBD products are incredibly safe to use—in fact, the World Health Organization itself states that CBD use is generally well-tolerated and does not pose any health risk. However, it’s worth noting that this lack of warning applies to pure CBD and does not apply to CBD products that have additional constituents added to them. These products need to be carefully analyzed before use. The safety of CBD also does not cancel out the adverse side effects that it can have when combined with other drugs.

The best way to protect yourself while using CBD is twofold. Firstly, in order to minimize the risk of using CBD, it is best to use CBD oils that are high in cultivar whole-plant extracts and have little or no impurities. CBD oil extracted from high cultivar strains of the cannabis plant has negligible levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as compared to other strains. THC is the constituent of cannabis that imparts euphoria and may also result in some side effects.

Secondly, it is vital to always keep your doctor in the loop on both your current CBD use as well as your prospective CBD use, in order to avoid potential side effects. It also doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the most common drugs that CBD can interact with—we’ve included a list below.

With everything that we ingest, metabolization starts in the stomach—but the most crucial metabolic phase of 60% of the drugs we ingest takes place in the liver. This means that the liver is responsible for making the active ingredients of any drugs you take available in the bloodstream. Once these metabolized active ingredients are able to travel through our blood, they can then reach numerous organ tissues in an efficacious form.

As the general metabolic center for drugs, the liver also helps in eliminating any unwanted drug byproducts that are produced because of the chemical reactions that take place in the liver. These byproducts are transformed by the liver into a form that makes it easier for the body system to flush out.

The liver has a set of enzymes (CYPs) that help to metabolize various substances. However, some specific substances can engage these enzymes and hamper their ability to metabolize other drugs. This in turn increases the concentration of the non-metabolized drugs in the body, which can lead to unwanted effects. CBD is one of the substances that can potentially interact with CYPs, meaning that it can result in the degradation of the metabolism of certain drugs.

There’s one caveat: some CBD products such as CBD oils are taken sublingually, which means that they enter the bloodstream without encountering the liver and its chemical reactions. CBD oil will not interact with drugs in these cases. However, if you are ingesting CBD oil and medications this may lead to CBD oil drug interactions due to the involvement of the liver. We’re not sure of just how much—most of the research that has been done so far to determine the effects of CBD oil on the liver involves mice that were exposed to much higher doses than what humans would normally consume.

Studies were also conducted on mice to determine the effects of CBD oil on kidneys. No evidence of any adverse effects has been stated. In fact, these studies actually revealed some beneficial effects of CBD on kidneys such as prevention of a particular type of nephrotoxicity.

As stated earlier, CBD is generally well-tolerated and adverse effects that are reported generally stem from its interaction with other drugs including both existing medications as well as substances that are mixed with the CBD you ingest. However, there are some common CBD drug interactions that you should be aware of.

The following is a list of popular medications that can be affected by CBD use. In all of the following CBD drug interactions, the most common concern is that CBD can effectively raise the levels of certain drugs in the body’s system, resulting in toxicity or amplified side effects.

While CBD generally comes with mild or non-existent adverse effects when taken on its own, it has the ability to affect certain medications when ingested in tandem. Also, many CBD products contain additives that come with their own distinct effects—so you should try your best to stick to pure CBD oil. While the grapefruit rule can help you stay clear of adverse interactions, it is always best to consult your doctor before incorporating CBD into your medicinal regimen, or when adopting a new medication as a CBD user.

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