Does CBD help with anxiety?
You’ve likely come across a lot of discussion and controversy over the past few years about cannabidiol, also known as CBD. The availability and sale of CBD has increased dramatically across the United States since it was legalized and is now legal in many states.
You can find CBD on the shelves of many stores, and various brands advertise benefits ranging from pain relief to sleep. It also comes in many forms, such as CBD gummies, CBD oils, CBD lotions, and even CBD-infused sodas. And one big claim made by CBD proponents is its ability to reduce anxiety, a feeling that many of us have experienced over the past few years, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, not all CBD is created equal, and the truth about the benefits is varied. To get the scoop on whether CBD actually reduces anxiety and what else you should know before trying, we spoke with psychiatrist David Streem, MD.
“CBD is one of the chemicals found in plants that contain cannabis,” explains Dr. Stream. CBD is mainly derived from hemp and in particular contains very small traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient that causes the “high” in marijuana. In fact, the US government limits hemp-based products to no more than 0.3% THC.
In terms of proven health benefits, there has been some evidence that CBD can be used as a treatment for chronic pain, but the data is still mixed. However, Dr. Streem says, “CBD has specific health benefits that have been scientifically proven and is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of certain childhood seizure disorders.”
Specifically, he notes that CBD has shown benefits in children experiencing Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, both of which are rare. “The more commonly used anticonvulsants don’t work very well in these cases. CBD is part of a treatment package that includes other medications and even brain surgery.
Does CBD really help reduce anxiety?
Does CBD relieve anxiety? In short, no, because there is no scientific evidence to support it. CBD probably doesn’t help with anxiety like the ads or the evidence claims. “The science isn’t there yet,” says Dr. Streem adds that while there are scientific studies supporting the use of CBD for the aforementioned seizure conditions, there is no such high-quality data on CBD and anxiety.
And if you’re waiting for those studies to come up with evidence, sit back. As Dr. Streem points out, research that provides the necessary data is difficult for researchers to do for two reasons.
Lack of supervision
The first is government oversight and federal laws that make research on cannabinoids, including marijuana, difficult. While the number of states that have legalized some form of marijuana, both for medical and recreational use, has increased significantly in recent years, THC-containing cannabis remains illegal at the federal level.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also working to regulate it. Many states allow CBD to be sold over the counter as a dietary supplement, although this is technically against FDA regulations. The FDA has warned dozens of companies about this practice, but so far little has been done to change the practice. Dr. Streem says, “The FDA has to have evidence that there is a safety risk in order to intervene.”
This coincides with the second problem with CBD, which is the troubling lack of quality control. You can now buy CBD almost anywhere, from shops that specialize in CBD to your corner convenience store. However, not all CBD is created equal, and neither is labeling.
in 2017 A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) tested 84 CBD products from 31 different companies and found that 26% contained less CBD than stated on their labels and 43% contained more than stated on their labels.
Equally alarming, Dr. Streem points out that some of the products tested contained what he believed to be “relevant levels of THC.” In other words, there is enough THC to give a positive drug test even if the label said their oil was THC-free. And if you take CBD with a certain amount of THC, you can also experience side effects, including delusions and hallucinations. In addition, there is a chance that this effect will not disappear when the effect of the drug wears off.
Risks of using CBD
If you’re thinking about trying CBD without consulting your healthcare provider, Dr. Streem’s answer is simple: you’re better off talking to your doctor. “Trying a CBD product after consulting a doctor is not risky,” advises Dr. Streem, “but you should still be aware of how the product can affect your condition. If this makes you feel strange, stop using this product immediately.
He continues, “If you could confirm that the product does not contain THC and has a percentage of CBD close to what is on the label, there is no concern that it will do any harm regardless of the benefits. But that’s not what we’re dealing with now.”
Conclusion
Does CBD relieve anxiety? While data suggests that there are some benefits to using CBD oil in certain medically approved circumstances, there is simply no scientific evidence that CBD use helps reduce anxiety, concludes Dr. Stream.
