CBD: WHAT YOU NEED to KNOW

You may have noticed that cannabidol (CBD) seems to be available almost everywhere you look. No single compound expanded its market in 2019 quite like CBD did. This cannabinoid has the bragging rights for new product diversity, after finding its way into water, lattes, jellybeans, hummus, cosmetics and even doggie treats.

CDB products have claimed to treat or even cure a plethora of ailments such PTSD, cancer, arthritis pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, depression, Crohn’s and opiod addiction to name a few. The question remains: how could a single family of molecules help so many different maladies? The most obvious response is that they might not; all of this research might not pan out.

The FDA has approved only one CBD product, a prescription drug product called Epidiolex to treat two, severe forms of epilepsy. It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as dietary supplement. Some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality.

So far, the FDA has warned about some possible side effects:

• CBD can cause liver injury.
•  CBD can affect the metabolism of other drugs, causing serious side effects.
• Use of CBD can cause changes in alertness, drowsiness, especially with alcohol.
• CBD can cause changes in mood as agitation and irritability.
• GI distress, decreased appetite, abdominal pain.
• There are also disturbing regulation issues like cumulative exposure  and how much is actually in the various products? For example, the FDA has tested the chemical content of some cannabinoid compounds and many were found to NOT contain the levels they claimed. Some have been found to contain pesticides, heavy metals, infective agents, and the neuroactive compound THC, the euphoria -inducing compound in marijuana.
• A study in JAMA documented that in 84 products sold online, 26% had less CBD than advertised and 43% had more.

In May, the FDA held a public hearing on the safety and efficacy of CBD products. In June, a bipartisan team of legislators introduced a bill aimed to streamline research, and in September, the NIH (National Institutes of Health) announced a $3 million research package to investigate the use of cannabinoids and other cannabis-based, non-THC compounds for pain management.

For a full comprehensive report from the FDA:

Disclaimer: Pop-up advertisements are appearing on this blog  without permission, and Food, Facts, and Fads is not associated with any brand that appears. In my opinion, with the list of side effects that have been associated with these products, it would be prudent to be careful with their use until regulations can be put in place by the FDA. As with all supplements, inform your doctor if you are using any of these products due to interactions with regular prescriptionn  medications.

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