Your Beginner’s Guide to Safe CBD: Get Started Here on Learning a Little Something About It.
Become educated on the options and their side effects.
CBD Safety 101
CBD is considered to be safe for human consumption. However, as with all health products, it’s important to be cautious when using CBD, as some people do experience side effects.
Here at Astraèa & Co, we truly believe hemp has the power to transform and improve lives. We don’t want to scare you off from using them, but we believe it’s essential to equip you with the knowledge so that you can use our products safely and effectively.
As always, it’s a great idea to chat to a CBD-friendly doctor before you use CBD. Be sure to tell them your full medical history. Let them know which medications you’re currently taking, whether they’re prescription or over-the-counter.
Heading #1: Potential side effects of CBD
A 2017 medical review assessed numerous clinical studies and surveys to identify the potential side effects of CBD. According to the review, the most common side effects are:
Diarrhea or nausea
Changes in weight
Changes in appetite
Fatigue
Headaches
Dry mouth
Most of the side effects were mild and passed within a few hours. Not everybody who uses CBD will experience these side effects.
Additionally, CBN - short for cannabinol - can make you feel super sleepy, so we advise you not to drive after using CBN.
Heading #2: Will CBD interact with my medication?
Certain health products and medications can interact with one another. This includes over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, and herbal preparations. CBD might interact with certain medications too.
If you’re using medication that carries a grapefruit warning, don’t use CBD without your doctor’s approval. As the Food and Drug Administration explains, grapefruit affects liver enzymes in such a way that it changes the way your body processes certain medications. This can lead to a higher concentration of the medication in the bloodstream, possibly causing side effects.
So, what’s the link between CBD and grapefruit? CBD seems to affect the liver enzymes in the same way that grapefruit does - specifically, it inhibits an enzyme called CYP3A4.
As a general rule, always tell your doctor about any supplements, herbal preparations, and over-the-counter medications you’re using as well as any prescription drugs.
Heading 3#: Who else shouldn’t use CBD?
It’s advisable to avoid CBD if you’re pregnant, as there’s very little research on whether CBD is safe to use during pregnancy.
Can children use CBD? The first FDA-approved CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, is prescribed to treat seizures associated with certain conditions in children aged one and older. However, in that case, the medication is officially prescribed. Unless it’s prescribed by a doctor, we wouldn’t recommend giving CBD to children.
Heading #4: Using CBD safely
There are a few general tips for using CBD safely.
Firstly, always use high-quality products.
Secondly, when it comes to dosage, you should “start low and go slow.” This means that you should start by giving yourself a small amount of CBD and gradually increasing it until you reach your desired effect. For example, you might start with 10mg or 15mg per day and increase it to 20mg after a week. You could even start with half the recommended dosage.
Listen to your body. Increase or decrease your dosage as needed, paying attention to your body, mood, and state of mind.
For your own peace-of-mind, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before using CBD, supplements, or herbal preparations of any kind.