Due to the reputation of other cannabinoids, specifically THC, there are a few questions people often have about CBD. One of the most common is “will CBD make me hungry?”.
It’s an understandable query, we are all aware (anecdotally, of course) of the reputation marijuana has of giving one the munchies, but does CBD have the same effect?
On the flip side, there is the other question, will CBD decrease your appetite? When considering trying anything new, these are two good questions to start with.
Allow us to break down the details, and take a deep look into whether CBD is likely to have an effect on your appetite, and if it is, then in what way, so that when you’ve finished reading this article the question “will CBD make me hungry?” will be a meer memory…
What Causes the Munchies?
Before we get into CBD, let’s take a moment to study why it is that marijuana causes an increase in hunger (we’re not going to look into why it may result in one craving Chilli Heatwave Doritos in particular, but maybe we’ll look at that in another article).
It is the THC in marijuana that causes the hungry feeling, and this is because THC binds directly to your CB1 receptor.
This receptor is part of the body’s endocannabinoid system, which partly controls your appetite levels.
While THC binds with your CB1 endocannabinoid receptor, CBD does not, and is therefore unlikely to have the same effect.
But as is often the way with science, it isn’t quite that simple.
Will CBD Make Me Hungry?
CBD itself has not been scientifically proven to have any effect on your appetite, CBD products may, and that is, again, due to THC.
Any CBD products bought legally in the UK may contain a minuscule amount of THC, never more than 0.2% as stated by both US and EU law.
However, a large dose may, possibly, contain a sufficient amount of THC to make a slight impact on your hunger levels.
This effect is not likely to be a big one, and you are unlikely to even notice it. However, there may be other reasons why your appetite may change due to CBD products.
How Does CBD Affect Anxiety and Hunger?
There have been studies that suggest it is possible (we cannot, and will not state facts here, we are merely bringing attention to published research) that CBD has a positive effect on symptoms of anxiety.
If this were true, then the effects of anxiety on appetite could be, to some extent, reversed by the use of CBD products.
Appetite and mental health are linked across a wide spectrum of neurological conditions, with anxiety being one of the most common.
Both an increased and a decreased appetite are regular symptoms of anxiety, and if CBD could, hypothetically, settle the imbalances that caused anxiety, it could then have a positive impact on appetite.
Science is getting involved with this way of thinking, with numerous studies being carried out into the possible benefits of CBD on anxiety.
This 2015 study showed positive results, and interestingly showing a “bell-shaped response curve” suggesting it is possible that higher doses of CBD actually have less effect on anxiety than lower levels.
A more recent study into the effects of CBD in anxiety related to heroin use disorder also showed signs that CBD could have a positive effect.
If these studies turn out to be the start of something, and it turns out that CBD can have a positive effect on anxiety disorders, then this could suggest that as opposed to the negative effect that one may assume CBD would have on hunger, taking CBD in small doses may actually help the body settle into a healthy and regular appetite.
Our conclusion to the big question “CBD make me Hungry?”…
So, there is a lot of information here, and much of it is still theory at this point. But what we can say for sure is this, CBD itself will not have an effect on your hunger that is similar to that of THC.
However, the THC in some CBD products may be enough, if taken in high doses, to impact hunger and create those munchies we are all familiar with (again, anecdotally of course).
On top of that, there is the possibility that CBD could, just could, have a positive impact on appetite issues related to anxiety disorders.
As stated, the latter is still a theory at this point, but as soon as there is any fresh information, we shall be sure to bring it straight to you!