How does CBD work with alcohol?

CBD has recently taken the world of health and wellbeing by storm, appearing among the legions of products sold in health supplement stores and health food stores. 

There are CBD-containing oils, Body creams, Lip balm, bath products, protein bars and much more. 

Even alcohol manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon and made shots, beers, and other alcoholic beverages that contain CBD. 

However, many people have questioned the safety of the combination of alcohol and CBD. 

This article looks at the effects of combining CBD and alcohol. 

What is CBD? 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. 

Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties, nor does it cause the high that is often associated with marijuana consumption. 

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 the past few years, CBD has grown in popularity and is now available in a variety of different forms, including sprays, capsules, foods, tinctures, and syringes. 

Promising research suggests that CBD may offer a number of health benefits, including helping manage pain, reducing anxiety, and improving skin health. 

short version 

CBD is a compound extracted from the cannabis plant. It is used to make dietary supplements in a variety of different forms. Research suggests that CBD can relieve pain, reduce anxiety, and promote skin health. 

They can be mutually reinforcingAlcohol is known to break down inhibitions and promote a feeling of relaxation. 

CBD can have similar effects on your body. Research has shown that it can reduce anxiety and calm nerves. 

A Study with 72 people For example, has shown that taking 25-75 mg of CBD daily for a month reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality. 

Taking alcohol and CBD at the same time could increase these effects and possibly cause symptoms such as increased drowsiness and sedation. 

Some also claim that taking CBD and alcohol at the same time can increase each other's effects, which can lead to changes in mood and behavior. 

Indeed examined a small one Study the effects of administering 200 mg of CBD to participants together with 1 gram of alcohol per 1 kg of body weight. 

It was found that the combination of alcohol and CBD led to considerable impairments in motor performance and changes in the perception of time. These effects did not occur when taking CBD alone. 

However, this study is out of date and used a much higher amount of CBD than most people normally consume. 

Unfortunately, there is very little research into the health effects of taking CBD with alcohol. 

Summary 

CBD and alcohol both promote a sense of calm and relaxation. Taking them together can intensify these effects. However, more research is needed to determine how both can affect your mood and behavior. 

CBD can protect against the side effects of alcohol 

Not much is known about the effects of combining CBD and alcohol. 

However, promising research shows that CBD can protect against some of the negative effects of alcohol. 

Here are some ways CBD can affect the effects of alcohol. 

Can prevent cell damage and disease 

Excessive alcohol consumption can damage cells and increase the risk of inflammation and chronic diseases such as pancreatitis, liver disease, and certain types of cancer. 

Several animal studies have found that CBD can protect against the cell damage caused by alcohol consumption. 

So showed one Study in ratsthat applying CBD gel to the skin reduced the damage to brain cells caused by excessive alcohol consumption by up to 49%. 

A other study concluded that injecting CBD into mice helps protect against alcohol-related fatty liver disease by increasing autophagy, a process that promotes new cell turnover and leads to tissue regeneration.

A Study has shown that CBD-rich cannabis extracts can cause liver toxicity in mice. However, some of the mice in this study were given or force-fed extremely large amounts of the cannabis extract.

It's unclear whether CBD has the same effects in humans. More studies are needed to determine whether CBD can prevent alcohol-related cell damage in humans.

May lower blood alcohol levels

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a measure of the amount of alcohol in your blood. A higher BAK generally correlates with a greater loss of motor control and cognitive function.

There is little research into the effects of CBD on blood alcohol levels.

A Study with 10 people however, found that participants who took 200 mg of CBD with alcohol had significantly lower blood alcohol levels than participants who consumed alcohol with a placebo.

Note that this study was done in the 1970s and used a very high dose of CBD - almost five to ten times higher than what is recommended for most people. It's unclear whether normal doses of CBD would have this effect.

In addition, other studies have produced conflicting results. Several animal studies have reported that CBD did not lower blood alcohol levels when given to animals with alcohol.

Therefore, more research is needed to determine how CBD can affect blood alcohol levels in humans.

Can have a therapeutic effect on alcohol addiction

Some researchers believe that CBD could help treat alcohol addiction.

This is because some animal studies have shown that CBD can help alleviate various addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

A recent study looked at the effects of CBD on alcohol-dependent rats. She found that CBD helped reduce alcohol consumption, prevent relapses, and decrease motivation to use alcohol.

Research on humans is limited. However, a study of 24 smokers found that using a CBD inhaler for a week reduced cigarette consumption by 40%. These results suggest that CBD could help curb addictive behavior.

More high quality studies are needed to determine whether CBD can help with alcohol addiction in humans.

Conclusion

Animal studies show that CBD can reduce the damage to the liver and brain cells caused by alcohol. It can also help lower blood alcohol levels and even help treat alcohol addiction, but more research is needed.

Should you take CBD and alcohol together?

Currently, there isn't enough research to determine the effects of combining CBD and alcohol.

Several studies in humans and animals have found that CBD can reduce some of the side effects of alcohol.

However, there is little research into whether taking CBD and alcohol at the same time has negative health effects.

Also, the effects of CBD vary from person to person, making it difficult to determine whether taking CBD and alcohol at the same time has similar effects in all people.

Also, most of the current research is focused on the effects of consuming very high amounts of alcohol with CBD, rather than the effects of consuming a few drinks here and there with CBD.

So little is known about the effects of moderate or occasional use. For this reason, it is not advisable to take CBD and alcohol together, especially if you are unsure of how the two substances will affect you.

If you do decide to mix CBD and alcohol, stick to small amounts of both to minimize the risk of side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

Since research into the safety of CBD and alcohol is limited, it is not advisable to take the two substances together. If you do decide to mix CBD and alcohol, stick to small amounts of both to minimize the risk.

The bottom line

CBD and alcohol can mutually reinforce their effects, and taking high doses of CBD and alcohol together can lead to drowsiness and sedation.

However, numerous studies in humans and animals show that CBD protects against alcohol-related cell damage and reduces blood alcohol levels as well as addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

A study in mice showed that CBD can increase the risk of liver toxicity. However, some of the mice had received high levels of CBD.

Unfortunately, most of the research has focused on animals that have received high levels of CBD and alcohol. The effects of moderate doses on humans have not been adequately studied.

Until there is more research, it remains unclear whether CBD and alcohol can be combined safely.