Let’s discuss potential side effects of CBD, what we know and what you need to know.
CBD oil or Cannabidiol is probably a strong, safe yet natural remedy that is frequently being used for many ailments for hundreds of years.
There surely is a reason rooted deep into the chemistry of CBD which makes it an exceptionally magical healer for many ailments including pain, migraine, arthritis, epilepsy, sadness, depression, anxiety, psoriasis, diabetes, heart diseases, eczema, skin infections and whatnot.
Although CBD’s profile is not fully backed by scientific evidences but still it surely has something unique due to which investors, herbalists, consumers and researchers are head over heels for it.
Along with CBD, THC is also high in discussions and studies which more or less have the same properties as CBD but it does interact with psychomotor activities and makes people feel high while CBD doesn’t.
It wouldn’t be any wrong to say that CBD is an exceptionally safe to use a drug that features a lot of miraculous health benefits but doesn’t possess any common side effects. Or, in other words, it’s less likely but still, some ratio of the population can experience side effects of CBD which are discussed below.
Health Benefits of CBD:
Generally, CBD maintains the body’s normal functioning or in other words, maintains homeostasis of the body. This is why it features a lot of health benefits. Mainly and widely it’s being used for following ailments since ages:
- Acne
- Anorexia
- Anxiety
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Drug addiction and withdrawal
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Muscle spasms
- Parkinson’s disease
Although none of these are authentic or proven to be right scientifically as clinical studies are still in process but there are a lot of studies being conducted on different beneficial uses of CBD for years and a lot of these studies support CBD’s usage profile and health benefits.
Side Effects of CBD:
CBD oil comes in many dosage forms or product forms so that users can take it in a way they feasibly love to, including oil, capsules, tablets, gummies, tincture, cream and naps. Considering this, we can state that side effects would be of different types depending upon how a CBD is administered.
Usually it’ll be taken orally by mouth or would be applied topically. So let’s examine its potential side effects in both ways.
When taken by mouth:
Cannabidiol is highly safe to use when orally swallowed or sprayed under the tongue properly.
Studies claim and prove that an oral 300mg/day dose of CBD is safe for up to 6 months whereas higher oral doses of 1200-1500mg/day are safe for up to 4 weeks.
The only FDA approved oral CBD drug named Epidiolex is approved to be safe in doses of up to 10-20mg/kg/day.
Cannabidiol sublingual sprays are safe in doses of 2.5mg for up to 2 weeks.
So, it’s highly safe, but when taken orally, some user may experience:
- Dry mouth
- Low blood pressure
- Light-headedness
- Drowsiness
- Signs of liver injury
The chances of liver injury are very rare and can happen to less than 1% of the user community.
When applied to the skin:
There isn’t enough reliable information, nor do we have any customer complaints regarding the side effects of CBD when applied topically. But still, there are chances that users may develop some side effects if they are allergic to any CBD product’s constituent or have any underlying skin condition.
Side effects upon topical applications may be:
- Skin rashes
- Redness
- Itching
- Mild burning sensation
Although side effects are stated but it is a quite rare case that someone would face any side effects especially when CBD is used topically.
Special Precautionary measurements linked with CBD:
Pregnancy and Lactation:
Although CBD is highly safe and there are no studies or claims that favor possible risk of CBD use in pregnancy or lactation but keeping in mind the impurities or traces in a CBD product, it’s always better to stay at the safety borderline and avoid any risks because CBD only helps in maintaining normal body functions and is not a first-line treatment to any ailment. So skipping it during these precious moments is not a big deal.
Children:
CBD is said to be safe in children of 2year and age. The only FDA approved drug Epidiolex is also specifically designed for childhood epilepsy. Although the stated age is 2 and above, CBD has been effectively used in children of 1 year age.
Liver disease:
People with liver disease should tend to use lower doses of cannabidiol as it has a high potential to interact with liver enzymes.
Parkinson disease:
Some researchers suggest that high dose intake of CBD may make muscle movement and tremors worse in people having Parkinson’s disease.
The bottom line:
There is no doubt to say that CBD is a highly safe compound and it’s very less likely that its users complain about any side effects. But it may cause mild side effects if someone is new to CBD when his body is trying to get adjusted to a new chemical balance.
Side effects are rare and even if they happen, they are mild and there are no adverse effects of this CBD compound.
Hence, it undoubtedly is a safe journey but if you have medical complications, do consult with your physician before deciding on CBD.