Do CBD Ingestibles Interfere With Medications?
With more and more people joining the CBD bandwagon every year, you might be considering trying out this non-psychoactive substance for yourself. On the internet, you can find many articles listing the benefits of using CBD and some others covering more specific topics like its potential side effects. If you want to know anything else about CBD you can contact SahaSelfCare.com for more information. Nevertheless, what every person should know about before taking CBD is how it can interact with other medications.
If you use or plan to use CBD products, you need to understand how they can interfere with medications. Gaining this knowledge before buying CBD will prevent you from making a costly mistake and might even save your life. Here is everything you should know about the possible medication interactions with CBD.
What is CBD?
Before moving on to the possible interactions, it is important to understand what CBD is. Cannabidiol or CBD is a non-psychoactive compound that comes from the cannabis plant. This cannabinoid has a number of medical benefits that help with a wide range of issues such as inflammation, pain, anxiety, and seizures among others.
However, unlike THC, CBD is not addictive and does not produce any psychoactive effects. In fact, it has been found to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC. So, if you are using CBD to avoid the side effects of THC, it will be best to use it in a low amount or stop altogether. Despite the growing popularity of CBD, its use is still limited in many countries because of its restricted legal status. The United States is one such country where you can access CBD but only if you have a prescription.
Understanding the possible medication interactions with CBD
As mentioned earlier, CBD is not psychoactive, and therefore, does not interfere with metabolism. This means that CBD should not interact with any medications that require metabolic activation for absorption into the body. With this in mind, many people have started using CBD as an alternative to other medications.
However, like any other substance, CBD has its side effects too. While most of these side effects are usually mild and easy to manage, some of them might interfere with other drugs. In this section, we will look at how the different factors can affect your interactions with other drugs.
How much CBD do you need to take?
Most of the articles out there recommend a daily dose of 25mg or 100mg for people who are using CBD to manage their chronic pain. However, if you are using CBD to replace another form of medication, then your dose will depend on the drug you are taking. If you want to know how much CBD you need to take, then you should consult a health care provider before starting on any form of treatment.
How long do you need to take CBD?
If your doctor prescribes you a certain dose of CBD for your condition, then you will need to keep taking it as directed unless your physician suggests otherwise. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell whether your body will react negatively to CBD without trying it out first. Therefore, the only way around this problem is to follow your physician’s directions while using this substance.
How do you take CBD?
In addition to the amount and duration of intake, the way in which you ingest CBD also affects how it interacts with other drugs. For example, if you are using oil-based products such as tinctures or capsules for ingesting CBD, then they are absorbed by the small intestine and distributed throughout the body through the bloodstream. On the other hand, vaping or smoking CBD results in the quick absorption of cannabinoids into the lungs where they travel into the bloodstream.
Since the method of delivery affects how quickly cannabinoids reach the bloodstream, you should consider the method when using CBD in place of other medications. As an example, if you are taking an antidepressant and your physician prescribes you a dose of 300mg per day, you should start with a smaller dose of 25mg before increasing it gradually over the course of a few weeks. If you smoke or vape CBD instead of taking capsules or tinctures, then you should wait for about an hour before taking any antidepressants. Taking your medication an hour after using CBD will allow time for the cannabinoids to clear your system before reaching your bloodstream.
Does your CBD contain THC?
The main concern with this question is whether or not your CBD contains THC. Since THC is psychoactive and can play a role in altering your mood, some physicians recommend that patients avoid using products containing THC alongside prescription drugs. However, there is no evidence that THC lowers doses of prescription medicines or even interacts with them in a negative way. Therefore, when using CBD products alongside prescription drugs, it is important to ask your physician if they contain THC before using them.
What else do I need to know about medication interactions with CBD?
Aside from THC content, there are some other things that you need to know about when using CBD alongside other medicines. One of these things is how long it takes for one drug to clear your system before taking another one. If you have just taken CBD for pain management, then you will find it easier to take other medications as well if they are not taken at the same time. This is because CBD metabolites stay in your system for up to three days after ingestion depending on their route of administration and dosage used. Taking this into account when managing your pain will help increase your chances of attaining better results as well as avoiding any unwanted side effects from the interaction between drugs.
Another important thing to consider is how you are feeling after taking CBD. Some people have reported experiencing anxiety and nausea after using CBD for the first time. This might be due to the fact that they were not used to the effects of this substance. Therefore, if you think you are having a negative reaction, then you should stop taking it and consult your physician to see if there is something else that can help with your condition.
What should I do if I experience a negative interaction between CBD and other drugs?
If you have taken CBD and experienced an unexpected negative side effect, then you should stop taking the substance immediately and contact your physician. If possible, you should also consult a pharmacist or a medical expert who can advise you on the next steps to take.
Final Thoughts
The main take-away from this article is that you should consult your physician before using CBD in place of other medications. While there are many ailments that CBD can help treat such as depression, anxiety, epilepsy, inflammation, and cancer, you should also do research. This will help you avoid any unwanted side effects and improve the efficacy of your treatment. It is also important to note that most side effects are very mild but still need caution. In addition, it is also important to know the methods you use for consuming CBD for the best results and safety. It is important to research how much CBD you should be using depending on what you actually want the CBD to help with. All in all, it is safe to say that CBD is a good alternative to many prescription drugs as long as you follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter.
