If you are reading this article, there is a chance that you’ve already read about some of the health benefits that CBD has over some conditions. One thing you don’t often hear about though is the fact that CBD can potentially have adverse effects on over the counter and prescription medicine. Making sure you buy only the highest-quality CBD is just part of the equation. You also have to make sure it won’t have negative interactions with any medications you might be taking. So, before you buy the best CBD oils out there…make sure you understand any potential interaction effects.
Does one need to show concern? We’re going to answer that question in this article. Most of the medications that you take will be processed through the liver and will then be used by your cells. One family of liver enzymes is of particular interest to us in light of this topic, and that is cytochrome P450 or just CYP.
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Disclaimer:
Giving your doctor a call or a visit is a must if you have questions about the medication you’re currently on and planning on taking CBD – that’s top of the list. Although, having done thorough research on the subject does not coat the fact we are not medical professionals.
CYP on Drug Metabolism
CYP helps the liver breakdown many common drugs including CBD. The problem arises when CBD starts to inhibit CYP, thus changing the way the body metabolizes many drugs. This is especially concerning in cases where medication is life-sustaining and can result in someone getting rushed to the hospital. The entirety of these drug interactions isn’t all negative. However, an article by Scientific American in 2016 referenced a study of 162 patients dealing with epilepsy where the results left the doctors cautiously optimistic about CBD as an epilepsy treatment.
One surefire sign that you should avoid the combination of CBD and your medication is if your doctor warned you against eating grapefruit with your medicine. Grapefruit has a similar effect on CYP but it is not as potent as CBD. If you don’t want to directly ask your doctor about CBD, you can ask about grapefruit instead. Although we do recommend transparency and honesty when dealing with any medical personnel.
Avoiding CBD and Medicine Complications
When considering CBD and drug interactions, you should consider how you are consuming your CBD. CBD does not reach the liver and has a significantly smaller chance of interacting with any drugs that you are taking. By vaping or taking CBD under the tongue, the compound is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and should almost completely avoid the liver. That is not the case with pills, gummies, or capsules though; which will be digested before reaching your blood cells.
You may also be able to avoid any complications by separating your medications. If you space the time between taking medicine and CBD by several hours, you should be able to avoid any complications. And lastly, the more CBD that you are taking, the more likely it is that you will have side effects or adverse drug interactions, especially when you’re new to using CBD. Starting with a small dosage would be the ideal and safe first step to take.
Now it’s likely that you still have questions surrounding CBD oil and its uses. You can leave your questions for us in the comments down below and we’ll do our best to answer them.
Consider reading our: Absolute Nature CBD Review
