Does CBD Oil Really Work? A Doctor Weighs In?
CBD oil has been described as a cure-all for anything from anxiety to depression, but experts agree there is a need for further human studies to support the assertion.
These days, CBD is everywhere, with celebrities like Kristen Bell venturing their anti-inflammatory benefits, Tamra Judge selling a safe working vitamin line, and Michael J. Fox using it to treat medical conditions.
So is there any truth to the hype?
“It’s an extremely promising compound and there are a lot of studies that show its potential,” says Dr. Kevin Hill, addiction psychiatrist and Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “But while pre-clinical or animal studies show CBD may have anti-anxiety properties and may be antipsychotic, for the majority of uses, there is not a lot of evidence.”
CBD is a non-intoxicating compound in cannabis plants, short for cannabidiol. Like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD isn’t making you high. But for treating anything from anxiety to depression, inflammation to acne, CBD is gaining a reputation as a healing elixir. Some experts are also looking at how it may be used as an alternative opioid addiction treatment.
Though, so far the FDA has only approved a form of CBD for two cases of pediatric epilepsy, leaving the CBD market a “wild, wild west,” according to Hill. Failure to control means most of the CBDs purchased online are not licensed. “You’re not really sure what you’re getting,” he says, adding that only about 30 percent of consumer CBD items have been correctly labeled in a recent survey. That can be troublesome when it’s taken by too many. “While the compound itself appears to be relatively safe, we need to know more,” he says. “It’s not a great scenario to have millions of people using cannabidiol when we don’t have the level of evidence that we need about its long-term effects or interaction with other medications.”
That’s why — if you do decide to experiment with CBD — it’s imperative that you tell your doctor. “It’s better to do it under some supervision than none,” says Hill. “If you are taking CBD and are on five other medications, I need to know that.”
Another tip:
Buy it in a state where cannabis is legal for recreational or medicinal use. Theoretically, the items will be checked in laboratories in a brick-and-mortar shop, says Hill, allowing you to feel more comfortable about your purchase than if you were purchasing it online.
Still, before further randomized controlled trials are underway, it is necessary to proceed cautiously. Study rate and size have not kept up with interest, says Hill, who believes there is little incentive to invest in studies because people buy the products irrespective. But the lack of awareness around CBD — even within the medical community — can lead to confusion and misuse. Take the statement that CBD oil will relieve pain. “If you rub it on your skin, topical CBD is not going to be absorbed in the bloodstream,” says Hill. “It’s going to treat local inflammation as much as products like Bengay or Icy Hot — but will be much more expensive. People are being taken advantage of, and that concerns me.”
Essentially, it is the patient, the public and health care professionals who are responsible for being more informed about CBD. “People are using CBD already, and it’s just going to increase,” he says. “The interest is not going to go away.”
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