Join us on Thurs., Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. under the Dome when Pharmacist JJ Allen will be on hand to continue this discussion and answer your questions.
Q: What does the research data say about CBD oil and its effectiveness in treating health issues?
A: Research is still in its infancy, but there's evidence to support the use of CBD for two rare seizure disorders:
Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. There is promising research in other areas, but it’s safe to say the hype is out in front of the science.
In December 2015, the FDA made regulatory changes that allowed many labs to start researching the compound. Funding for CBD research exploded, and researchers are getting a little bit clearer picture of how various exogenous cannabinoids affect the body.
Promising areas of research include: social anxiety disorder, sleep disturbances, traumatic brain injury and pain management. It’s important to note a lot of the data is based on animal models and retrospective data looking at marijuana use.
One theory about why some people respond well to exogenous cannabinoids and others don’t is that some people may have what researchers are calling endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome. An easy way to think about this is to compare it to Vitamin D deficiency, but instead of having inadequate Vitamin D, your body has inadequate cannabinoid levels. Like Vitamin D receptors, cannabinoid receptors are all over the body. It’s important to realize this is only a theory, but it’s remarkably interesting.
Q: What are potential risks and benefits in taking CBD?
A. In general (and when used appropriately), properly manufactured CBD products appear to be relatively safe. The most common side effects include: nausea, drowsiness and irritability.
However, CBD does interact with many enzymes, which handle metabolizing various medications. Thus, I strongly encourage individuals who are considering a CBD product to first consult with their pharmacist before starting a CBD product.
Other potential risks include taking a CBD product that fails to have the amount of cannabinoids listed on the product label or, on an equally alarming note, taking a product that is contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, etc.
Q: How is CBD oil regulated?
A: The FDA is responsible for regulating CBD containing products. After the United States Senate passed the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD products were removed from the Controlled Substances Act as long as <0.3% of the finished product was from the cannabinoid known as THC - the active cannabinoid present in marijuana that is responsible for giving users a “high.”
Q: Will the use of CBD oil result in a positive drug test?
A: Testing positive is a legitimate concern with CBD oil. It 's possible to fail a drug test while using ANY CBD product. I’ve seen companies making guarantees that users will not fail a drug test. That is concerning.
Drug tests look for high levels of the intoxicating molecule, THC. THC-free products do exist; however, it is important to know that one always runs the risk of testing positive, even while on a THC-free product due to the following reasons:
1. The product is not actually THC-free despite label claims. For this reason, I can’t stress enough the importance of buying CBD from a reputable company who provides certificates of analysis for every product they sell.
2. The testing procedure misidentifies one of the other cannabinoids/compounds present in the product as THC. This is a ‘false positive’ test result since it incorrectly gave you a positive test result.
If you’re regularly tested, I strongly encourage you to talk with the people responsible for administering the drug test. Inform them that you are considering taking a CBD product and ask how they will handle any potential results which may show trace amounts of cannabinoids in your system.
Q: If someone decides to buy CBD oil, what should they know?
A: First, be sure not to confuse active cannabinoids with hemp oil. These are two very different things. Just because something contains hemp does not mean it contains active cannabinoids.
Second, choose a full or broad-spectrum product that has a diverse cannabinoid profile as opposed to an isolate. The former appears to provide much better results/patient outcomes.
Third, it’s the wild west out there. Many products sold online or over the counter have inaccurate product labels. In a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers discovered that out of 84 products bought online from 31 different companies, the frequency of accurate labeling for CBD tinctures and oils was only 25 and 45 percent!
This underscores the importance of buying CBD from companies who make third party test results available for each product batch as well as from an individual who has thoroughly vetted each company.
As a reminder, consult with your physician or pharmacist to ensure taking a CBD containing product will not interfere with any of your medications.
