CBD products are popping up everywhere. Besides oils and creams, they are now appearing as additives to coffee as well as in candy and chocolate bars at your local bodega. The tantalizing sell is that you can enjoy your candy or coffee while also calming your nerves and potentially soothing your aches and pains. But do CBD products actually deliver on the health benefits that they claim?
CBD Research Is Limited
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical found in the marijuana plant that won’t make you high but which, according to the claims, is an effective way to combat anxiety, to reduce inflammation, and to counter insomnia, amongst other things. So far though, the research is too limited to say one way or the other whether or not this is true. Research on these supposed benefits is either scant or based on animals models, which regularly don’t hold up when transferred to human trials.1 There is only one use that is pretty strongly supported by the evidence, and that is for treating epilepsy in children.2
Supplements Should Always Be A Last Resort
While there are some potential side effects of CBD consumption the bigger issue is that, like all nutritional supplements, they are unregulated. In the US, nutritional supplements are classified as foods and therefore do not require testing for safety or effectiveness by the FDA. There is also no scrutiny about whether or not a product actually contains the supplement that is being advertised. Many supplements have been shown by third party vendors to contain less or even none of the compound being advertised. Even worse, some products are contaminated or purposely spiked with illegal drugs.3 The spiking problem is actually so large that the FDA recently announced that they will be improving oversight on the supplement industry.4 These are good reasons generally for keeping supplements as an option of last resort in your lifestyle and nutritional habits.
Look For The Better Option
While the thought of buying a chocolate bar infused with CBD might feel very appealing, it’s helpful to take one step back to re-evaluate the idea. There are usually better options—for just about every supplement. Great ways to deal with stress or sleeplessness, for example, could include exercising, planning more relaxation into your day, taking up a hobby, or even meditation. To reduce anxiety, it may be worth it to evaluate your caffeine intake and see if cutting back might be in order. If stress and anxiety is a serious problem for you, you might even consider therapy. Approaches like these have the advantage of attempting to solve the root of the problem, which often leads to better and more lasting results than simply masking the symptoms will. It’s a little more work, but it’s worth the effort.