According to medical studies, CBD offers users anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-convulsion, antipsychotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. That means that CBD will not only help you slim down, but regular consumption will also help improve your health.
But how true are these claims? Is CBD good for weight loss? Below is everything you need to know about CBD’s anti-obesity properties.
Quick take: Is Cannabidiol good for weight loss?
- CBD/marijuana users tend to have lower body weight compared to non-users.
- You may use CBD as an appetite suppressant.
- Research suggests that CBD may convert ‘bad fat’ into ‘good fat.’
- At low doses, CBD can be a stimulant.
- Cannabidiol and THC are compounds derived from hemp or marijuana.
- CBDs’ effect on the body is dose-dependent.
- CBD is non-psychoactive.
- CBD complements exercise and a healthy diet in weight loss.
References
What is CBD, and How can it help you Lose Weight?
Not to be confused with cannabis or marijuana, CBD, short for cannabidiol is one of the over one hundred compounds found in the cannabis plant or hemp. The reason over half a million Americans have tried or intend to try CBD is that the chemical is non-psychoactive and offers a vast array of benefits, including weight loss.
CBD oils, Drinks, CBD gummies, sprays, and pet products promise anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-convulsion, and anti-psychotic properties.
What is the relationship between CBD, anxiety, and weight loss?
According to medical research, one of the many reasons humans fail to maintain a healthy weight is stress and anxiety. With ongoing happenings on the planet, a lot of people are finding it hard to deal with the pressure.
Multiple studies and reviews of studies have concluded that CBD is beneficial in preventing and alleviating stress and anxiety.
What many people do not know is -one of the symptoms of long-term stress and anxiety is weight gain. Why?
Anxiety causes a lack of energy and inactivity.
Anxiety drains you both physically and mentally. Because of that, you are left with little energy to exercise. Inactivity causes weight gain because it leads to the formation of visceral fat and the secretion of toxic hormones, including insulin.
The need for a coping mechanism
When anxious, some people find comfort in food. Consequently, long-term stress and anxiety may lead to excessive consumption and lack of exercise.
If you use food as a coping mechanism, it can be easy to consume much more than your body needs.
Anxiety causes the body to release cortisol.
Cortisol is a stress hormone released when an individual undergoes extended periods of stress or anxiety. According to medical research, cortisol release causes fat to build up in the midsection.
How CBD can help you lose weight
CBD is a mild appetite suppressant
The issue with over-the-counter appetite suppressant pills is they can cause side effects, including constipation, insomnia, irritability, dizziness, blurred vision, and so on.
As a mild appetite suppressant, CBD can help you avoid overconsumption in two ways.
Stress and anxiety relief
If fat builds up in your midsection, it could be a sign of cortisol release caused by anxiety. Regular consumption of CBD products can help lower stress and anxiety and -by extension- cortisol levels.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine concluded that, quote:
“CBD was also found to have a sedative effect as determined by the self-evaluation scales. The present results suggest that CBD interferes with cortisol secretion.”
CBD and the endocannabinoid system: How does CBD help you lose weight?
CBD has been shown to help humans lose weight through interactions with the body and brain. The mechanism is the CBD’s interaction with the body’s endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system or ECS is a neuromodulator system that regulates not only eating, but also sleep, emotional processing, temperature control, and pain control.
A study that looked into ECS’s role in directing eating behavior concluded that, quote:
“The evidence clearly indicates that the activation of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain stimulates food intake and overstimulation of the ECS contributes to overeating and obesity”
What is vital to remember is that CBD works with other cannabinoids to activate the endocannabinoid system and other receptors. The consequence of that is weight loss and the prevention of metabolic disorders.
What to remember
- Obesity may have an inhibitory effect on the ECS.
- CBD has a positive effect on ECS.
How CBD helps you lose weight
Unlike THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, CBD does not trigger hunger. Why?
An animal study published in the National Library of Medicine found that, quote:
“Cannabidiol reduced food intake in line with some existing reports, supporting the need for further mechanistic and behavioral work examining possible anti-obesity effects of cannabidiol.”
According to the findings, the test subjects reduced food consumption over the test period. Why?
CBD as an appetite suppressant
The reason we gain weight is we eat too much and move too little. The body stores more calories if we do not exercise. Consequently, by reducing food consumption, we can avoid gaining weight.
The study above found that CBD consumption helps to suppress appetite over time. There are conflicting studies that claim that CBD can cause weight gain.
What we do know is that the effects of CBD on appetite are dose-dependent. And your body weight determines how much CBD you should consume. For weight loss, researchers claim that the appropriate dose is <1 to 50 milligrams per kilogram a day. If you are ‘bigger’ you may consume a larger dose.
We recommend following manufacturer instructions
If you are unsure how much CBD you should take, start by taking small amounts and monitoring its effects on your appetite.
What to remember:
- The FDA does not regulate CBD products in the US, meaning the product may contain other chemicals. We recommend only purchasing CBD weight loss products from reputable manufacturers.
- CBD should be part of a weight loss strategy that also includes eating healthy and regular exercise.
- If you are unsure about how much CBD you should take, start with a small dose, and work your way up.
- THC increases appetite and food intake by stimulating CB1 receptors.
Does CBD turn ‘bad’ fat into ‘good’ fat?
According to multiple medical studies, your body can convert white fat cells to brown cells through exposure to cold temperatures, getting enough sleep, and exercising.
CBD has the same effect through a process known as browning. What you must understand is that there are two types of fat in your body. White or ‘bad fat’ is associated with causing illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes.
Brown fat generates heat in the body.
If you are overweight, you have more white fat than brown fat.
By converting white fat into brown fat, you may lose weight faster. But medical experts recommend that you combine CBD consumption with:
- Getting at least 8 hours of sleep/enough rest.
- Exercise regularly.
- Consume a healthy diet.
What to expect when you start taking CBD for weight loss.
The growing popularity of CBD as a weight control product has led to a boom in products. Add to the fact that the FDA does not control the CBD market and it can be hard to tell what you are consuming.
Consequently, we recommend only purchasing organically grown and third-party tested CBD products.
What is the difference between pure CBD and full spectrum CBD?
Full spectrum CBD products contain all the components found in the cannabis plant. If you do not want to experience the high effect, we recommend products that contain less than 0.3% THC.
Pure CBD oil, as the name suggests, only contains CBD.
Pure CBD oil or full spectrum CBD for weight loss Should you try CBD for weight loss?
For the majority, CBD poses very little to no risk. But there are exceptions. CBD can lower blood pressure, meaning if you have hypotension, or are on medication that may cause it, it is in your best interest to consult with your doctor first.
Summary: How can CBD help you lose weight?
CBD is not the magic pill that will help you lose weight overnight. Instead, CBD can help increase energy levels giving you more energy to exercise, it prevents and reduces anxiety, preventing cortisol release, and it is a mild appetite suppressant.
We recommend making CBD part of your weight loss and exercise routine. That entails (1) eating healthy. (2) stress management. (3) regular consumption of CBD. (4) getting enough exercise.
