How do I Know CBD Oil is Safe?

CBD Compared to Other Drugs

There are many illegal drugs out there that can cause you harm if ingested in high doses. There are even legal, every day, food-borne drugs that must be consumed in moderation. Things like alcohol or nicotine can be lethal at high doses. Even caffeine can kill you if you drink too much of it. Cannabis oil, specifically CBD hemp oil, is actually much safer. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the reasons why.

CBD is Not Intoxicating

A group of doctors at the Mayo Clinic recently released a review of all the papers on the National Institute of Health regarding CBD oil. [1] The conclusion that they came to was that CBD and other hemp extracts were nonintoxicating and could have many potential uses in medicine. This review also looked at any adverse effects CBD might have on people.

Most Individuals can Tolerate Large Doses of CBD

Turns out, there were studies where people took high doses (300mg/day) for up to 6 months and were fine. Another showed that a group of patients took 4 to 5 times that dosage for 4 weeks and didn’t experience any bad side effects. With CBD, more is not always “more effective” with most people needing far less than any “maximum dose.” In fact, some recent data that we’ve collected, in concert with GoFire, reveals that consumers of Maven Hemp products find that maximum effectiveness is found in very moderate doses.

Favorably safe

One of the most attractive qualities of CBD is that even if you do experience side effects, they’re extremely mild compared to side effects from other drugs. A German study from 2017 found that cannabidiol was “favorably safe” for humans. The side effects included things like diarrhea, tiredness, and changes in appetite. [2] As with any drug, always discuss consuming CBD oil with your doctor if you are taking other drugs.

There was only one study where severe side effects were experienced, but even then, it was amongst psychiatric patients who were most likely taking other medication. Out of the 1600+ patients using CBD, only one person experienced severe side effects (muscle seizures and/or spasms). [3] Yes, you read that right, one out of over 1600+ patients.

CBD and Elevated Liver Function

A somewhat concerning observation came from some of these studies, though. Many of the patients had elevated liver function. This means that the liver is working overtime for some reason. Even the FDA suggests that patients get a liver function test before starting on the FDA-approved CBD drug, Epidiolex. [4]

Beware of Synthetic Cannabinoids

Based on these studies, natural CBD oil from the hemp plant is not harmful to people. However, synthetic cannabinoids have definitely killed people or left some with massive organ damage. [5] These synthetic chemicals have sketchy origins and are often laced with other things such as anticoagulants (these are chemicals that thin your blood and cause uncontrolled bleeding). [6]

The moral of the story is to make sure that you only purchase natural CBD oils. Always read the labels, ask questions, and check that the product has passed the Good Manufacturing Practice test. At Maven, all of our CBD products are tested for purity by independent third-party labs so you know what you’re putting in your body is the best quality, natural CBD in the country.

References

  1. Vandolah, H. J., Bauer, B. A., & Mauck, K. F. (2019). Clinicians’ Guide to Cannabidiol and Hemp Oils. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 94(9), 1840–1851. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.01.003
  2. Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2(1), 139–154. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0034
  3. Hoch, E., Niemann, D., von Keller, R., Schneider, M., Friemel, C. M., Preuss, U. W., … Pogarell, O. (2019). How effective and safe is medical cannabis as a treatment of mental disorders? A systematic review. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 269(1), 87–105. doi:10.1007/s00406-019-00984-4
  4. Epidiolex [package insert]. Carlsbad, CA: Greenwich Biosciences, Inc; 2018. (US Food and Drug Administration website)https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/210365lbl.pdf; 2018. (Published June 2018. Accessed November 16, 2018)
  5. Spice/ K2, Synthetic Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/spice-k2-synthetic-marijuana.
  6. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018, July 26). FDA Warns of Synthetic Cannabinoids Laced with Anticoagulant. Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/emerging-trends/fda-warns-synthetic-cannabinoids-laced-anticoagulant.

 

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