CBD drug interactions: Is it safe to take them together?

Cannabidiol is used by people as an effective natural substance for many health problems , such as chronic pain, anxiety, but also epilepsy or Parkinson's disease. Although we know the beneficial effects of CBD oils on our body, in some cases we may be deterred from using them because of concerns about how CBD will interact with medications prescribed by our doctor. The possible interactions of individual active substances should certainly not be underestimated. In this article, you will learn when to avoid using CBD, but also whether to use it together with antibiotics.

Is CBD safe?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a substance that is extracted from the hemp plant. However, this does not mean that you should be at risk of ecstatic states or addiction. Absolute safety from the point of view of human health was also stated by the World Health Organization in its report from 2018. CBD, unlike the more commonly known THC, does not create the so-called raušu, so it is not psychoactive. Nevertheless, there is a natural power hidden in cannabidiol, which can help where chemical preparations have failed or are not desirable.

In addition, the use of CBD oils carries with it the risk of only minor side effects , which can appear especially at high doses. In that case, drowsiness, diarrhea, low blood pressure or dry mouth should be considered.

Grapefruit test

Most drugs are metabolized in the liver under the influence of cytochromes P450 (enzyme system). If the imaginary services of this system need to be used by several drugs, they may begin to interfere with each other. According to current knowledge, it is CBD that is a strong inhibitor of drugs that are absorbed into our body through the aforementioned system. Simply put – if you are taking medications that our body breaks down through cytochromes P450, CBD can prevent the metabolism of these medications.

How to find out which medicines it concerns?

Just as cannabidiol inhibits cytochrome P450 enzymes, so do grapefruit juices. That is why manufacturers of contraindicated drugs have a habit of marking them with a grapefruit warning. Therefore, if it is not appropriate to consume grapefruit while taking the medicine, you should logically avoid CBD as well. For example, it can be some:

• painkillers
• oncological drugs
• drugs for cardiovascular diseases
• immunosuppressants
• blood thinners
• antihistamines
• antiepileptic drugs
• corticosteroids
• medications for mood disorders and depression
• medicines for high blood pressure
• antibiotics

CBD Drug Interaction: Potentiating, Weakening, or Competing

Cannabidiol can react with drugs in three ways . Either their effect will be strengthened or weakened, or mutual rivalry between the individual substances may occur.

If both substances have a similar effect , it is strengthened during use. In the case of CBD, we can mention, for example, medicines for lowering blood pressure. We know that CBD by itself lowers blood pressure, so when taking drugs for this purpose at the same time, the effect will be mutually reinforcing. In a specific case, unwanted reactions could occur and such a patient could even faint.

If CBD and the drug have mutually opposite effects , the effect that should otherwise be beneficial for the body can be weakened or even eliminated . For example, if your doctor prescribes you treatment with stimulants, taking CBD can interfere with their effects. In the end, you will experience health problems more intensely.

CBD most often interacts competitively with drugs. Metabolic competition in practice means that drugs or compounds compete with each other for the same enzymes that break them down. Such competition causes the metabolism of individual compounds to slow down, which causes either a longer duration of the effects of the given drug or the accumulation of compounds in the body. A good example is blood thinners, which break down many of the same enzymes in the liver as CBD. Joint use can lead to a slower breakdown of anticoagulants, and their long-term (several days or weeks) accumulation in the blood can lead to fatal consequences.

Red zone

Although we generally consider CBD to be a safe substance with several health benefits, we should exclude cannabidiol if it is necessary to take certain medications .

As such, CBD does not have a direct effect on blood clotting . In interaction with anticoagulants , such as However, Fraxiaparine, Clexane, Warfarin, etc., can cause the side effects of the blood-thinning drug to persist, or its accumulation in the blood. That's why you should never take CBD when taking anticoagulants unless your doctor specifically recommends it.

Benzodiazepines are highly effective substances with anxiolytic, sedative, anticonvulsant and hypnotic effects . CBD increases the effect of BZD drugs (the best known are Diazepam or Xanax) and patients who take these drugs together with CBD are more sleepy than usual.

The use of CBD should also be avoided by patients who are prescribed barbiturates (they are used as sedatives, hypnotics, but also antiepileptics, as they act against convulsions). CBD increases the effect of barbiturates , therefore serious body reactions may occur with simultaneous use.

Cannabidiol stimulates the immune system, therefore it is not recommended to use it during treatment with immunosuppressants . These are used in the treatment of serious conditions and in organ transplantation. Since CBD reduces the effect of immunosuppressants , its use together with drugs such as Imasup, Immunoprin and others - if not directly recommended by a doctor - can be very dangerous .

Antihistamines (e.g. Claritine, Zodac, Desloratadine) are relatively widespread in the population, as they suppress allergic reactions (hay fever, itching and watery eyes, swelling, cough, etc.). CBD increases the effect of antihistamines , whose main role is sedation and relaxation. Taking CBD is unlikely to lead to serious interactions with antihistamines, but it may increase their side effects.

CBD increases the effectiveness of antibiotics

Almost a hundred years have passed since the discovery of antibiotics that we commonly use today for bacterial diseases (Sir Alexander Flemming discovered penicillin in 1928). During that time, however, the bacteria adapt, and by mutating they can better avoid their executioners. Today we know this phenomenon as antibiotic resistance . It is the innovative involvement of CBD in antibiotic treatment that looks promising, even according to scientists.

Danish scientists found that cannabidiol improves the effectiveness of antibiotics . In their research in 2020, they worked with a very widespread so-called golden staphylococcus (Staphylococcusaureus). By adding CBD, scientists were able to improve the destructive effect of bacitracin (a polypeptide antibiotic) on the bacterium. It turned out that the bacterium could not reproduce normally under the influence of this combination, there was also a decrease in the number of key genes and a weakening of the membrane. Based on the mentioned study, the researchers concluded that the combination of antibiotics and CBD offers a good option to deal with the growing antibiotic resistance.

In another study , it was shown that another cannabinoid - cannabigerol (CBG) - can effectively eliminate methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The latter is a major threat due to its prevalence in the hospital environment and resistance to penicillin.

On what principle does CBD work?

There are several systems in our body that together create the functional balance of the organism - homeostasis . In addition to the generally known systems that ensure, for example, nervous activity, the function of the heart and blood vessels, or immunity, there is also the so-called endocannabinoid system (ECS) . It is in our body regardless of whether we use cannabinoids or not.

The endocannabinoid system is the subject of extensive scientific interest, and although it is not yet fully understood, many experts agree that it is the ECS that helps manage pain and discomfort caused by a number of diseases. The use of CBD oils stimulates the endocannabinoid system, thus contributing to the fight against inflammation and pain, but also alleviates spasm activity and problems associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

How to properly approach the use of CBD and what dose to choose? We have written down the most important things for you.

*The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only. None of the given information is intended as a substitute for a medical diagnosis and such information cannot be considered as medical advice or recommended treatment. This website does not support, endorse or advocate the use of narcotic or psychotropic substances or the commission of any other illegal activity.