Gone are the days when people had no choice other than chemical-ridden prescription drugs to deal with their health issues. People are now shifting to much healthier, cleaner, and nonaddictive options. Currently, CBD is ruling this category as a one-stop solution to deal with all sorts of anxiety, stress, sleep, and pain issues.
Derived from industrial hemp plants, this compound is full of healing and therapeutic properties. Thanks to the 2018 farm bill, you can easily buy CBD Oil across the country from reputed and well-tested brands like Colorado Botanicals.
But is it safe for your liver? Can people suffering from liver disease take it without any issues? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll explore in this article.
Can CBD affect my liver negatively?
Truth be told, there are multiple views on this question. The FDA says during clinical trials for CBD-based prescription medication Epidolex, the high liver enzyme was a major cause of concern.
However, some say that this could have happened because of using other seizure medicines in combination and not CBD alone. Plus, the levels of CBD in regular CBD products like gummies, and Oils are way below the episodes.
Plus, there are some studies out there that say that CBD can actually be good for the liver after surgery because of its pain-curbing and anti-inflammatory effects. Also, people suffering from fatty liver may benefit from adding a few drops of CBD oil to their diet.
Its strong antioxidative nature and ability to bring down internal swelling can be a good thing. The concern about higher liver enzymes usually stems from taking CBD in very high doses or along with certain medicines. So yeah, it’s not bad if you take it in controlled doses, but if you have a history of liver issues then maybe check with your doctor first.
Can CBD help with fatty Liver?
Yes, CBD may help with fatty liver in some cases. It’s a medical condition in which internal fat deposits build up inside the liver. It can happen due to various health conditions like obesity, cholesterol, or cholesterol. Excessive alcohol use is also a major cause of fatty liver and affects a large number of people globally.
But, nonalcohol fatty liver is also common. In the US alone, nonalcohol fatty liver affects almost one-third of adults. It’s very hard to detect, cause you can’t see it with naked eyes and don’t show up properly in terms of symptoms.
The most common symptoms include pain in the upper right abdomen, excessive fatigue, appetite loss, swelling in the legs, and nausea. If not treated on time, it can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and steatohepatitis.
A fairly recent 2017 study found that those who used cannabis had a lesser chance of developing fatty liver disease. They studied around 6 million individuals and found that those who used cannabis had lower rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases than those who didn’t use it.
Cannabis has CBD in it, and researchers pointed out that CBD’s anti-inflammatory effect on CB2 receptors in the body plays a crucial role in keeping the liver saver from fatty liver disease. Both regular and casual users were studied, the former had a 52% lesser rate, and the latter had a 15% rate of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
But what about fatty liver in alcoholics? Well, CBD shows promise there as well. A study involving mice found that CBD can slow down liver damage. It can save the liver from damage caused by high fat, high cholesterol, and high liquor involving diet. It does so through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and inflammation pathway-blocking properties.
Are there any side effects of using CBD regularly?
Generally, CBD is very well tolerated by the human body. Even in clinical trials of high 1500mg doses, it didn’t cause any major harm to the body. Nor did the participant show any cognitive negative impact.
But, as we discussed above, as per Epidolex trials it may increase liver enzymes when taken in very high doses along with other medicines. The best way to avoid such risks is to stick with a low dose. CBD is slightly dehydrating, so you may feel a cottonmouth, dizziness, and headache initially.
However, these effects will go away once your body gets used to the compound. Other not-so-common side effects include fatigue, red eyes, diarrhea, and drowsiness, all of which can be dealt with by adjusting the dosage.
So as long as you don’t increase the dosage too much in one go, you should be just fine. But, pregnant and breastfeeding women must refrain from using CBD oil. Why? Because there’s simply not enough research yet to see how it affects a developing kid.
Fun fact, you can actually increase the amount of CBD absorbed in the body by taking it along with fatty foods. This will also reduce the risk of nausea, so next time you prepare your pre-bed brew, consider a few drops of high-quality CBD oil in it.
Can it interact with medicines?
Yes, CBD may interact with certain enzymes ( Cytochrome P450 ) in the liver, which can slow down the metabolizing speed of certain medications.
The most common medicines include blood thinners, anti-seizure medicines like Epidolex, antidepressants, immunosuppressants, and antipsychotic drugs.
Conclusion – Is CBD good or bad for the liver?
To sum it up, when taken in appropriate doses CBD may actually be good for your liver health. Especially for those who are diagnosed with fatty liver disease. However, in some cases, it may increase the liver enzyme count which is usually a sign of liver damage.
However, this is mostly seen when CBD is taken in very high doses or along with certain medicines like antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, or blood-thinning medications. So, it’s best to consult with your doctor first if you are already on these prescriptions.
Otherwise, as long as you take it in moderation, it’ll mostly be good for you. Other than live, it’s also good for your brain, anxiety, and sleep. If you do decide to buy, get it only from reputed and well-tested brands like Colorado Botanicals.
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