Watch Out - CBD Can Cause Liver Damage

Cannabidiol, aka CBD, is a hot ticket. This non-psychoactive cannabinoid produced from industrial hemp is in high demand globally. People around the globe are trying CBD, and they're telling others about their experience. Countless personal testimonies say to a story of how CBD helped someone manage symptoms of chronic pain, depression, anxiety, stress, arthritis, nausea, migraine headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, and more.

Consumers have options for CBD products ranging from capsules and tinctures to oil, vape, edibles, lotions, bath bombs, pain salves, and beverages. These products come in a wide variety of flavours, consistencies, and options. CBD vape oil is an extremely popular way for many people to consume CBD. With just a couple of puffs from an electronic vaping device, anyone can receive potentially beneficial boosts of CBD.

CBD edibles, such as CBD gummies, are also a prevalent method of consumption. CBD gummies not only taste great, they also give you a healthy daily dose of CBD. The amount of CBD you receive from each CBD and fused gummy depends on the strength of the CBD gummies you purchase and the amount of CBD gummies you can assume. Each package of CBD gummies will let you know how much CBD is in each individual gummy, making it a perfect option for staying within the recommended daily dosage of 70 mg CBD issued by the Food Standards Agency.

We often hear about the good things people receive from CBD. Things like relief from chronic pain, stress, arthritis, depression, anxiety, PTSD, migraine headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, opioid addiction, and more. What we don't hear so much about are the potential adverse or negative side effects of CBD. 

Consuming too much CBD Can lead to feelings of anxiousness and nervousness. This can cause insomnia and other issues. Taking too much CBD may also cause diarrhoea. The last thing in the world you want to do is be up all night on the toilet with diarrhoea. Or to be up all night or have diarrhoea. When someone consumes too much CBD or has adverse effects from CBD it can lead to other issues, such as liver problems.

The FDA advised the public that high doses of CBD taken without a doctor's supervision could potentially lead to liver damage. This news would apply to someone who takes excessively large amounts of CBD on a regular basis. A study in a mouse model on the effects of CBD and liver function tests showed that very high doses of CBD could lead to increase in test markers related to liver damage. Another study in 2021 showed increased ALT levels in those who took CBD, similar to those with drug-induced liver injuries. Moreover, another study in children and adults also found that those who experienced adverse events had elevated liver aminotransferase concentrations, suggesting potential liver injury.

Most research points to CBD and proving liver function as well as benefiting brain function. Avraham et al 2011 in a study of CBD on mice states, "Cannabidiol restores liver function, normalises 5-HT levels and improves brain pathology and accordance with normalisation of brain function. Therefore, the effects of cannabidiol may result from a combination of its actions in the liver and brain." Moreover, a large long term study showed no significant increase in risk of liver damage or injury from consuming CBD.

One big question regarding CBD and potential liver damage is how long CBD stays in the liver. According to Healthline, CBD can stay in a person's system from hours to about a month. This depends on how much a person takes and how they take it. The half-life of CBD in the body can range from about 1 hour to up to 5 days. This means many factors determine CBD's role in our body and how it functions. 

The purity, strength, and dosage of CBD are all very important. It is clear from the various studies, which on the surface seem conflicting, that taking high doses of CBD can increase the risk of liver injury. So it is essential that you are responsible for your CBD intake and you do not consume more than the FSA's recommended daily intake of 70mg of CBD unless your healthcare provider or medical professional instructs or prescribes you to do so. We also advise you to make sure you only buy quality CBD products. Ensure there are third-party lab tests readily available for any CBD product you wish to purchase. This is essential in ensuring the amount of CBD the manufacturer claims to be in the product is true.