The health and wellness sector is suddenly witnessing the rise in demand and varieties of CBD products. You can get them at offline and online health stores. CBD or cannabidiol is a natural compound present in cannabis. Unlike THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, CBD does not cause the psychoactive effects associated with weeds. CBD oil gets extracted from the hemp plant, which belongs to the cannabis family and has a high concentration of cannabidiol and less than 0.3% of THC.
Oil extracted from hemp is used in preparing capsules, edibles, tinctures, bath soaks, lip balms, creams, protein bars, and sprays. You can even enjoy the best CBD gummies in a variety of flavors. Even alcohol producers have introduced CBD-infused beers, shots, and other alcoholic drinks.
CBD is reported to hinder prescription or OTC medications. Hence people wonder if it is safe to combine CBD and alcohol.
How alcohol interacts with CBD?
Intensifies relaxation and calming effects
Alcohol is capable to reduce hindrances and promote relaxation. CBD too has the same effect. Taking 25 to 75 mg of CBD regular has revealed to lessen anxiety and enhance sleep quality. Combining CBD and alcohol can amplify the effects. It can result in sedation and increased sleepiness. Some people have experienced behavior and mood changes.
Protects side effects of alcohol
Excessive consumption of alcohol damages cells, which increases inflammation. You can suffer from chronic diseases like liver disorder, pancreatitis, and cancer of a specific type. The research on rats and mice has reported that CBD has helped to protect them against fatty liver disease and brain cell damages. However, there is still a wide study required in humans.
Reduces blood-alcohol levels
BAC or blood alcohol concentration is a unit that defines the alcohol level in your blood. Higher BAC means depreciation of cognitive functions and motor control. However, in the study, a high CBD dose than recommended was used, so there is a need for more research.
A good alternative to treat alcohol addiction
CBD has helped to lessen addiction and withdrawal symptoms in animals. In alcohol-addicted rats, CBD helped to lessen alcohol intake, lowered alcohol cravings, and prevented relapse. In humans, the research is limited but the result reported that CBD helped to curb the addictive behavior.
Should alcohol and CBD be taken together?
No sufficient research on humans is available to clearly identify the effects of alcohol and CBD mixture. In the studies it is identified that CBD can reduce some side effects of alcohol but what are the negative effects of taking both needs to be researched to a wide extent.
Besides, CBD effects differ from one person to another, so it is hard to know whether alcohol and CBD will affect everyone in the same way. Current research is focused on the effects of ingesting high alcohol amount with CBD instead of occasional few drinks with CBD. Until more research results are made available, it remains vague whether combining CBD and alcohol is safe or not.
If you plan to blend alcohol and CBD, start with low amounts to avert side effect risk. In case of concerns, consult your doctor.