Interaction of cannabidiol and alcohol in humans

It identified CBD’s ability to function as a modulator for several neuronal circuits disrupted during long-term addiction. The article recognized CBD’s ability to provide a “stand-in” mechanism for the brain’s reward structures to communicate without naturally-occurring endocannabinoids. More studies are necessary for CBD to become a conventional treatment option for alcoholism or other forms of abuse and addiction in the future. What effect does the consumption of alcohol have on the abundance and availability of CB1 receptors in the brain? On a side note, this is why alcoholism presents such a challenge in terms of its progression as a disease. Individuals don’t want to acknowledge the reward structures in their brains telling them to change their behavior, so instead, they drink.

The eCB system, which regulates cannabis reinforcement, is also involved in modulating alcohol reinforcement, motivation to consume alcohol, excessive alcohol consumption, AUD,9-11 and alcohol-related diseases. Although THC is the most commonly studied cannabinoid that defines cannabis potency, there are more than 100 other phytocannabinoids and more than 500 constituents in the cannabis plant that also may exert different effects on alcohol-related outcomes. For example, cannabidiol (CBD) https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-cannabidiol-addictive-the-effects-of-cbd/ is a nonpsychoactive, plant-based cannabinoid that has been implicated in the medicinal value of cannabis due to its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Scientists do not know exactly how CBD affects alcohol when humans consume both substances. One clinical trial found that when 200 mg of CBD was taken at the same time as alcohol, it reduced blood alcohol levels. This did not happen when a different dose of CBD was given 1 hour before alcohol in another study.

Can CBD treat alcohol use disorder?

Taking small amounts of CBD is unlikely to cause serious side effects, which is why many people, including researchers, are eager to find out more about its potential health benefits. Researchers are currently looking into the possible therapeutic effects of CBD for people with alcohol use disorder. The ECS includes endocannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, and enzymes. When endocannabinoids (which are naturally occurring cannabinoids in the body) bind to receptors in the body, they can produce effects like pain relief. When those endocannabinoids complete their task, enzymes break them down. CBD can also change the way certain medications are processed by the liver.

Taking alcohol and CBD together could amplify these effects, potentially causing symptoms like increased sleepiness and sedation. Research suggests CBD may reduce pain, decrease anxiety, and promote skin health. Although some marijuana brands might promote its effects on sleep, the jury’s still out on whether that’s true. Its effects on dreaming certainly indicate it’s disturbing at least some aspects of the process. Typically, if you wake up during this stage of sleep, you’ll be able to remember your dreams. It follows that reduced REM sleep leads to a lesser chance of remembering your dreams.

Using CBD to treat alcohol use disorder

Initiation of co-use of these substances in adolescence has predicted poorer attention, with graded dose effects observed that may be driven by alcohol use. Early evidence suggests that adolescents may recover from cannabis-related effects following reductions in use. One 2019 review of human and animal studies suggests that CBD may help people with alcohol use disorder reduce their alcohol intake. The review also suggests that CBD may provide neuroprotective effects against alcohol-related brain damage. Regular alcohol poisoning may lead to addiction, cause malnutrition, nerve damage, liver disease, and permanent brain damage. Animal studies show that CBD may reduce liver and brain-cell damage caused by alcohol.

• If you decide to mix CBD and alcohol, stick to low amounts of both to minimize your risk.
• Nonetheless, this study is outdated and used a much higher amount of CBD than most people typically use.
• Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 1 Oct 2023), Cerner Multum™ (updated 24 Oct 2023), ASHP (updated 11 Oct 2023) and others.
• Figure 1 Explored therapeutic prospects of cannabidiol in previous experimental research on alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• CBD also reduced the anticonvulsant properties of chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, and ethosuximide29,38,39.
• First, CBD could help patients with AUD reduce their level of alcohol drinking.
• Copyright © 2019 De Ternay, Naassila, Nourredine, Louvet, Bailly, Sescousse, Maurage, Cottencin, Carrieri and Rolland.

According to this study, CBD has its own seizure-reducing efficacy and not affected by pharmacokinetic drug–drug interactions with other AEDs. The efficacy of AEDs can be modulated by CBD but CBD’s anti-epileptic efficacy is unaffected by AEDs41. Longitudinal data on cannabis use and neuropsychological development are generally lacking. Preliminary evidence suggests that heavy to very heavy use could lead to deteriorated development of executive functions and IQ.

CBD And Alcohol: What Happens When You Mix Them?

She is a dedicated and skilled practitioner who strives to help her patients achieve optimal states of well-being. With that said, what little research exists on mixing alcohol and CBD is based mainly on studies of rodents rather than humans. As a result, it’s still unclear whether it’s safe to consume CBD and alcohol together. “I strongly advise my patients against consuming alcohol and cannabis together, whether it’s CBD or THC, since you can feel a stronger effect from both when using alcohol,” says Theisen. CBD is actively being researched as a possible treatment for people with alcohol use disorder.

• These results were subsequently demonstrated in vivo, as CBD (3 mg/kg) was administered for 4 weeks to mice, significantly reducing liver TG content.
• Eventually, this can lead to a condition called alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD).
• CBD has a different chemical structure than THC, the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana plants.
• In clinical trials, 13% (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) and 12% (25 mg/kg/day) of drug-treated patients experienced hepatic transaminase elevations of greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal (3 x ULN) compared to 1% in placebo patients.

The drugs that act on these targets as agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, negative modulators, inducers, binders, activators, blockers, and substrates could have the potential to interact as they work on the same target and mechanisms27. The possible drug–drug interactions of CBD based on these known targets against potential medications are collectively listed as flow chart figures that could have high clinical significance and relevance. The double-headed arrows indicate that the interactions are possible on either side. In one study on rats, a CBD cream lowered the brain-cell damage caused by heavy drinking by up to 49% (5). Animal studies suggest that CBD can reduce stress-related alcohol consumption, withdrawal convulsions, and impulsive alcohol use. However, a 2019 study on mice found that CBD may decrease alcohol consumption.

CBD also regulates calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis by acting on mitochondria stores (Ryan et al., 2009), and blocks low-voltage-activated (T-type) Ca2+ channels, modulating intracellular calcium levels (Ross et al., 2008). More recently, CBD has been approved in the US for seizures prevention in Dravet and Lennox–Gastaut syndromes, and will therefore be available for clinical practice very soon (Food and Drugs Administration, 2018). Due to its action on cognitive processes and anxiety regulation, CBD is also increasingly considered as a potential treatment for other neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders (Campos et al., 2016; Lee et al., 2017). In addition to its actions on the brain, CBD has systemic effects, through its complex immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties (Booz, 2011). Excessive alcohol consumption can cause damage to cells, increasing the risk of inflammation and chronic diseases such as pancreatitis, liver disease, and certain types of cancer (10).