On this site I have wrote numerous posts (including clinical evidence and research) on how CBD Oil can be able to relieve a number of symptoms which included epilepsy, anxiety and depression and how it could be beneficial for dogs as well. You can review all posts on the benefits of CBD Oil here.
However, commonly used mainstream medications can come with side effects. Ultimately the patient has to decide if any side effects that may occur are worth the benefit of using the medication.
So what exactly are the side effects of CBD Oil?
Let’s dig in a little deeper and explore what clinical research has been able to present to us thus far.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil
Before I begin to write a post I like to research all content carefully and present it in a fashion that I know can assist each person who takes the time to read. I have seen information stating there are no real side effects of using CBD Oil. That is not nesscearily the case. There are some.
It would be more fair to say they are very limited (and not every person who uses it will get any side effects). Every person is different.
Below I made a quick list of the more common ones reported. In my post on epilepsy I referenced the NYU study. Its an easy read but you can check out the details on side effects for reference. So lets review some of the common side effects that has been listed.
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Weight Gain
- Increased Appetite
In another study (this is a more detailed extensive read) it references again the benefits of CBD use as a safe and effective treatment for treatment resistant epilepsy. This led to the development of the only CBD Oil based FDA approved medication (Epidiolex).
The last part of the study basically summarizes all the scientific data, the benefits and adverse effects which if they occurred were mild. So if you want to bypass the technical details (biochemistry & statistics) of the study you will find the listed side effects and conclusions at the end.
Another helpful nugget of information can be found in this 2013 study where it references the safety of cannabinoids. There were never any reports of fatalities related to toxicity of any cannabinoids (even at very high dosing).
There are some serious cognitive, psychotomimetic and substance abuse effects related to THC. Especially to what it calls “young or cannabis naive patients”. Please note the clear distinction between CBD and THC, they are NOT the same chemical compound.
Another Physicians Perspective on CBD Oil
I also met with some physicians recently that practice in a more integrative model. Since they are open and on top of much of the new trends and research I thought I would ask and get their take on CBD Oil, its uses and benefits etc. I got an interesting response that falls in line with much of the resources that I have shared with you.
They mentioned that there is certainly a lot of positive benefits that has been referenced in recent research but there are still limits to the amount of long term research that is available. So basically there hasn’t a lot of long term data available yet.
The promises that we are seeing with the research that is available should help remedy this as more research is made available but this takes time. A lot of the benefits we see in the use of CBD Oil is how it works in conjunction with the Endocannabidoid System which is still a relatively new concept in the medical community. The referenced link above details the system and this was just back in 2005.
A Common Over The Counter Medication in Your House with Dangerous Side Effects
Food for thought. What about some of the common medications? A common medication that you may surely have in your medicine cabinet would be Tylenol (acetaminophen).
I even remember growing up hearing that it was one of the safest medications to use for pain. Some of this could be from mass marketing too but it was always readily available in the medicine cabinet growing up.
What you may not know is there is a growing list of providers in the medical community that are sounding the call of the dangers acetaminophen. Particularly with potential damage to liver. It requires a lot less to cause damage then you realize and each year is responsible for over 56,000 emergency room visits. Again this is a popular (OTC) over the counter pain relief medication that most of us have in our homes.
Be sure to read my related post on the Dangers of Acetaminophen & Tylenol in which I cover this topic in more depth.
Read More: Natural Pain Relief With CBD Oil
Read More: How To Use CBD Oil Pain – Here Is What You Need To Know
Most Commonly Prescribed Medications And Side Effects
Now that we have spent some time covering some of the potential side effects of CBD Oil, lets change gears and look at the other more traditional medication options that are most commonly prescribed.
Fortunately, the side effects that has been documented with CBD Oil use is limited. Below is a list of more common medications with their respective side effects. Since we have covered Epilepsy, Anxiety and Depression I will present those specific details below.
Epilepsy
I sourced the top 3 drugs from Goodrx. You do the same here. I specifically linked side effect data from Drugs.com, but here is a quick list beside each one. Click the long URLs below to get the full details.
Neurontin [https://www.drugs.com/sfx/neurontin-side-effects.html ]
-dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, fever, infection
Topamax [https://www.drugs.com/sfx/topamax-side-effects.html ]
-vision problems (blurred vision, eye pain, double vision or rapidly decreasing vision), burning sensations, confusion, clumsiness, drowsiness, speech and language problems, slowing of physical and mental activities
Lamictal https://www.drugs.com/sfx/lamictal-side-effects.html
– blurred vision, changes in vision, clumsiness, skin rash
Anxiety
Xanax – https://www.drugs.com/sfx/xanax-side-effects.html
– cognitive dysfunction, constipation, difficulty in micturition, drowsiness, dysarthria, fatigue, memory impairment
Alprazolam – https://www.drugs.com/sfx/alprazolam-side-effects.html
– cognitive dysfunction, constipation, depression, difficulty in micturition, drowsiness, dysarthria, fatigue, headache, memory impairment, menstrual disease, nervousness, sedated state, skin rash, tremor, weight gain, weight loss, anxiety
Depression
Zoloft – https://www.drugs.com/sfx/zoloft-side-effects.html
– diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dyspepsia, fatigue, insomnia, loose stools, nausea, tremor, headache, paresthesia, anorexia
Prozac – https://www.drugs.com/sfx/prozac-side-effects.html
– hives, itching, skin rash, restlessness
Trazodone – https://www.drugs.com/sfx/trazodone-side-effects.html
– blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and xerostomia
As we look at comparable side effects this might be a good time to bring up what many may believe could be problematic with many anti-depressants. Its my opinion that they are prescribed too often. I am not attempting to state that they can be beneficial but sometimes the trigger is pulled too quick before finding the underlying source of the problem or less evasive treatment options.
There are studies referencing an increase of type 2 diabetes in children and an increase risk of dementia . These were certainly give most people pause to consider all options when moving forward prescription medications that can carry a significant negative side effects. You can then find yourself taking a medication cocktail where you are given a medication that carries side effects and then take another medication to control those side effects – the list goes on.
Overall Risks and Side Effects of CBD Oil are Limited
Upon reviewing the clinical research available as opposed to medicated options CBD Oil looks to be a very promising natural alternative for many looking for other treatments. Everyone’s body chemistry is slightly different but from the amount of data that is available it shows a lot of optimism. Future investment in research should prove valuable to be able to uncover more of its long term benefits.
Always speak with your doctor if you are seeking to try CBD Oil. Always discuss any new medications or changes (including supplements).
