Discover Which Drugs Are Incompatible With CBD?

Given the rising popularity of cannabidiol, it seems sense that you might be wondering what drugs should not be taken with CBD. The cannabis plant contains hundreds of different compounds along with over 100 unique cannabinoids.

It makes sense that some people are interested in how CBD will affect their drugs interactions since that it is becoming more widely used. There is currently little study on CBD’s advantages for human health. However, the scant data that is currently available indicates that CBD might interact with other prescription medications.

The results are undoubtedly inconclusive; further study is required to determine how medications interact with CBD in the human body. However, a lot of medical specialists have cautioned consumers against combining CBD with specific drugs. Additionally, it has been emphasised how crucial it is to see a doctor if you suspect a reaction.

About Metabolism

It is important to understand the body’s metabolism before talking about how CBD interacts with drugs and medications. You must be aware of these things:

  • Functions of the Metabolism
  • The mechanisms involved in CBD metabolism
  • How the body breaks down CBD
  • The Cytochrome P-450 system and CBD

Why Is Metabolism Important?

Many individuals think of metabolism when they consider how slowly and fast they lose or gain weight. They are correct; having a quick metabolism is necessary if you want to lose weight quickly. On the other hand, you can have a slow metabolism if you have trouble losing weight.

This is known in science as the basal metabolic rate. Or, the number of calories required to maintain a person’s normal physical functioning when they are at rest. That said, there are differences between basal metabolic rate and metabolism.

The liver converts food you eat into smaller components so that your body can utilise them. Carbohydrates that are converted into fats, sugars, and proteins are a good example. The body’s metabolism then changes these substances into metabolites.

These serve as fuel and are used by the body in cellular functions. It also employs them as the foundation for a number of other tissues and systems.

How The Body Breaks Down CBD

Like the food we consume, CBD also goes through a process. But this procedure is referred to as drug metabolism. This relates to the rate at which pharmaceuticals, treatments, and other other medicinal chemicals are broken down by the body. Additionally, it controls how long these substances stay in the body.

When taken, CBD oil, edibles, tinctures, or capsules move through the digestive tract of the user. By way of the intestines, they enter the bloodstream there. The blood then carries them to the liver.

From this point, they travel to the liver’s hepatic portal. Enzymes break down CBD into metabolites as it enters the liver. Following that, the bloodstream carries it throughout the body.

The Cytochrome P450 System

One of the cytochrome’s main functions is to metabolise substances by breaking them down. However, the excretion and detoxification of xenobiotics and other hazardous chemicals plays a key role throughout this metabolic process.

The cytochrome P450 system is the causal mechanism for this (CYP). It involves a specific class of heme-containing enzymes. Compounds that are fat-soluble are converted to water-soluble ones with the help of the cofactor heme. This makes them easier to use and absorb.

According to reports, this system metabolises more than 60% of all drugs taken by humans. It’s fascinating to note that researchers and medical professionals also use this technique to compute and comprehend the effects of drug doses. Additionally, completing this reveals any side effects.

Let’s take an example where the system is generally healthy and the liver only processes one medicinal chemical. To calculate dose information, the scientist can use the typical time needed for the CYP to digest medicine.

That said, various drugs may affect how this system handles particular molecules. For instance, CBD may make some medications metabolise more quickly or more slowly than they would otherwise.

CBD And The Cytochrome P450 System

As previously mentioned, CBD can also have direct effects on the liver’s cytochrome P450 system. According to recent studies, CBD accomplishes this via interacting with the location of the enzyme activity. Here, it acts as a competitive inhibitor, driving out its chemical competitors.

As a result, it affects how the CYP system metabolises other substances. The amount to which it accomplishes this depends mostly on a number of variables:

  • The dosage of CBD consumed
  • The particular physiology of the person
  • The CBD product type ingested

These variables control how firmly the CBD molecules attach to the active site of the metabolic enzyme. Increased bonds and tighter bonds increase competitive inhibition. This suggests that CBD may outperform other drugs and medications during the CYP enzymes’ metabolising process.

As a result, when medicinal chemicals pass through the CYP system, CBD may deactivate their effects. Several factors determine how well it outperforms competing drugs. But mostly how much CBD has gotten into your circulation.

There shouldn’t be a significant variation in the CYP activity if the amount is small. Additionally, the majority of the drug will be metabolised. However, if a lot of CBD is ingested, it will attach to more of the enzyme activity at the location. This might prevent other drugs from being metabolised.

Why Understanding How CBD Competes In The CYP Is Important

When CBD has this kind of an impact on the CYP system, it changes how other medicines and treatments are metabolised. Additionally, it might stop many medications from being metabolised. In the event that this happens, the body’s concentration of certain medication molecules rises.

These increased amounts could, at the at least, have undesirable side effects. The immune system may be weakened or bleeding risks may be increased as a result of these adverse effects. As an alternative, it might result in a serious overdose.

Which Drugs Shouldn’t Be Used With CBD?

According to research, CBD may have unfavourable interactions with other drugs and treatments. Several of the ways that CBD interacts with pharmaceuticals and medications are listed below.

It might alter how your body responds to a particular drug. Due to its potential to aid with a variety of health issues, CBD has gained popularity over the past several years. Many individuals are trying it out as research into how beneficial it is as a supplement continues.

It is crucial to see a doctor before to purchasing and using CBD. Tell them about your existing medications and how you anticipate they may interact with CBD. Tell them about any vitamin supplements, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medications you take.

How to Determine Which Drugs Cannot Be Taken With CBD

You can use the advice in the section below to decide if you can take CBD together with your prescriptions or other pharmaceuticals.

Research is currently being done to determine how CBD interacts with medications and other substances. The grapefruit warning is the only recommendation consumers now have in this regard. Avoid using CBD if your medication’s label contains a grapefruit warning.

Grapefruit has many positive effects on human health, but it can also interact with several medications. It can therefore change how they act. The grapefruit warning was developed as a result, and it is currently present on several well used drugs.

The goal of the warning is to advise customers not to consume grapefruit while taking the medication. The amount of medication in your blood may increase, according to the National Health Service (NHS).

You may therefore be more likely to experience side effects as a result. It may also change the effect that drug has.

The following medications may be adversely affected by grapefruit:

  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Statins
  • Entocort
  • Cytotoxic medicines
  • And more

Due to the presence of the CYP3A4-inhibiting compounds furanocoumarins, grapefruit interacts with several drugs. This can slow down the metabolization of medication and is similar to CBD. Because of this, make cautious to talk to your doctor before ingesting CBD.

You can use this to determine whether it will result in any problems.

Which Drugs Should Not Be Taken With CBD, According To The Most Recent Research?

Studies are being done to determine how various pharmaceuticals and medications interact with CBD. For certain treatments and medicines, investigations on animals have been done. However, in the majority of situations, researchers are attempting to determine how these findings apply to people.

There have been a few modest trials run. 25 epileptic children participated in one trial. To observe how the medications interacted with one another, they gave the kids clobazam and CBD.

Researchers found higher concentrations of clobazam in the systems of the kids. They deemed it safe to take this medication alongside CBD. However, they advise consumers to keep an eye on their medicine levels while ingesting both at once.

Another study examined the use of AEDs by both adults and children. Every two weeks, the dosage was raised while giving them CBD. They kept track of the AEDs in their serum throughout time.

Two other drugs had serum levels that were above this range even though the levels were kept within the approved therapeutic range. Even if you are taking your medicine as directed, CBD may still have an impact on your drug levels, according to recent studies. To learn how CBD and other drugs interact, more research is required.

Finding out how serious CBD’s interactions with other drugs are is important. To create suggestions for using CBD and other medications at the same time without experiencing negative effects.

Ibuprofen With CBD: Is It Safe?

An over-the-counter drug called ibuprofen can help lessen discomfort and inflammation. Breathlessness, wooziness, and nausea are the only side effects associated with using this medicine. Ibuprofen’s potency and duration in the body may be increased by combining it with CBD.

You might consequently experience the possible adverse effects as a result of this. There is currently no human research on the interactions between CBD and ibuprofen.

You should still speak with your doctor, despite the fact that the research is not completely conclusive.

Can I Take CBD While Also Taking Thyroid Medicine?

Thyroid medicine treats thyroid conditions, including both hyperactive and underactive thyroids. Through a variety of pathways in the human body, different drugs aid in the treatment of various conditions. Anxiety, nausea, headaches, and chest pain are side effects of thyroid medicines.

Other adverse effects of anti-thyroid medications can include fever, body aches, itching, rashes, and headaches. Similar to ibuprofen, little is known about the interactions between thyroid medication and CBD. Given that, if you use thyroid medication, it is essential to talk to your doctor regarding CBD.

Can I Combine CBD And Xanax?

Patients with depression, anxiety, and panic disorders may be administered Xanax. Xanax frequently causes drowsiness, impaired coordination, and memory loss. Xanax is broken down by the CYP34A enzyme in the liver.

CBD stops this. As a result, consuming CBD may prolong the duration Xanax remains in the bloodstream. As a result, it might make adverse side effects more likely or last longer.

There are no studies that show how Xanax and CBD interact. Because of this, you should consult a doctor if you want to use CBD together with your Xanax medicine.

Drugs And Medications You Shouldn’t Use With CBD

The effects of CBD on the liver and the enzymes that metabolise several drugs have been studied. When deciding whether or not to use CBD with various medications, they are important to consider. CBD exhibits the same behaviour as metabolites like grapefruit.

Given this, the majority of medications with a grapefruit warning on the label may have comparable side effects when combined with CBD. Numerous currently prescribed medications are included in these drug classes, including sildenafil, antiretrovirals, cyclosporine, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, statins, and haloperidol.

In addition to several different drugs that CYP2D6 and CYP34A metabolise.

Safety Advice And Adverse Reactions

Make sure your doctor is aware of the fact that you are taking CBD along with your medicine. They can then assist you in doing so securely. Even if your medication contains a grapefruit warning, this is still true.

Your doctor may need to check the medication levels in your plasma serum. They might decide to keep an eye on how well your liver is working. If you are using CBD together with a prescription drug, try to pay attention to any changes in your body. You can then assess how taking the two is impacting you.

Sedation, nausea, and sleepiness are typical adverse drug reactions. Diarrhoea, weariness, changes in appetite, and weight fluctuations are among the most frequent side effects of CBD. They don’t have any serious adverse effects.

But it’s crucial to pay attention to your body and avoid letting these problems compromise your physical or emotional well-being.

Why Consulting Your Physician Before Combining CBD With Your Medication

Unknown are all of the drugs that CBD may interact with. It is crucial to err on the side of caution because interactions may cause negative effects. Given this, it’s essential to see your doctor if you’re using CBD together with prescription medication.

They will be able to direct and advise you regarding potential CBD-drug interactions because they have the professional knowledge and competence needed. They could also keep an eye on the negative effects of both the CBD and the drugs you are taking. You can change your dosages with a doctor’s assistance in order to take them all at once.

Important Lessons On Drugs That Should Not Be Taken With CBD

CBD has become incredibly popular. As a result, more and more people are interested in trying CBD.

When thinking about CBD, many people wonder what medications should not be taken together and whether CBD would mix with their current medications. It’s difficult to say how much CBD influences other medications.

Reference

Loughlin, B. (2021). What Drugs Should Not Be Taken With CBD. [online] CBD Village UK. Available at: https://www.cbdvillage.co.uk/cbd-oil/what-drugs-should-not-be-taken-with-cbd/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2023].

About the author : Alex Sikorsky

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