Can CBD be taken in combination with other medications?

A common concern among people who consume any CBD product, especially CBD oil, isknow if CBD can interfere with the medications they are taking for the treatment of any disease.

CBD interacts with the receptors of theendocannabinoid system(CB1 and CB2), a system that intervenes in processes such as appetite, sleep, pain sensation, inflammation, etc... But, in additionCBD also affects the metabolism of drugs, varying its effects on our body.

How CBD and Medications Interact

When a drug is ingested, a series of processes take place in our body:

Absorption: is the process by which a drug reaches the bloodstream.
Distribution: is the process by which the medicine reaches the precise place where it has to be effective.
Metabolism
Elimination

During their metabolism, drugs are transformed into other products so that their subsequent elimination is easier. This process takes place in the liver.

The rate of drug metabolism is not the same in all people.Metabolism may be rapid, preventing blood concentrations from being achieved, or it may be slow, whereby a normal dose may cause toxic effects.. The rate of drug metabolism may depend on genetic factors, diseases (especially chronic liver diseases), and drug interactions (especially those involving induction or inhibition of metabolism).

CBD is also metabolized in the liver and has effects on various enzymes of the P450 family. Remember that enzymes are proteins that carry out chemical reactions that occur inside living beings. Processes such as digestion, obtaining energy, the elimination of waste substances, etc… are carried out thanks to these proteins. The P450 family of enzymes is responsible for the breakdown of toxins, drugs and other foreign substances in our body.

Therefore, depending on how CBD interacts with them, the metabolism of the drugs we are consuming will be affected in one way or another, that is, the amount of drug that remains in our body, which can cause adverse effects.

Let's look at an example to understand it better:You are taking a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, along with CBD. Your liver stops metabolizing acetaminophen and turns its attention to CBD, so acetaminophen could stay in your body longer.

Why can this be a problem? Well, because a medicine like paracetamol is supposed to remain in the body for a certain period of time and be eliminated. If you exceed that time, there may beadverse side effectssuch as nausea and drowsiness that can be inconvenient if you have to drive.

Forms of administration of CBD

The way CBD is administered will also influence whether or not drug interactions occur.

Here we recall the mainforms of administration of CBDand let's see the risk of interactions with other medications:

via sublingualhe:If done correctly, CBD administered this way is absorbed through the mucous membranes in the mouth and into the bloodstream. Sublingually, the liver does not process cannabinoids, so drug interactions are weaker. It is important to use this method correctly. We suggest keeping the product for approximately 60 to 90 seconds under the tongue.

topical route:Although topical cannabinoids can be absorbed through the skin, they do not enter the bloodstream. There is no potential for drug interactions to occur using this route.

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What should we do

When consuming CBD, especiallycbd oil, you shouldconsult with your doctorespecially if you're concerned about its effect on medications you're taking. Possible drug effects:

inhibitory effect

In these cases, the cannabinoid has aslight inhibitory effect on drugs, that is, it inhibits the metabolism of these drugs that remain circulating in the bloodstream and can cause toxicity.

If you are going to consume any of these drugs together with CBD, it is recommended to reduce the dose and control the adverse effects:

anti-inflammatories
Analgesics
antibiotics
Antidepressants and anxiolytics
flu

inducing effect

If CBD exerts ainducing effect on the enzyme responsible for the metabolism of a drug, the activity of the enzyme is enhanced. This causes our medicine to be metabolized faster. If the amount of drug is less than expected, its effects are diminished. Therefore, the desired therapeutic effects may not be achieved.

If we are taking a medicine that interacts with CBD in this way, we would have toconsult a doctor to readjust the dose.

Synergistic effect

CBD can also act synergistically with some drugs(such as opioids). As a result, effects greater than those achieved if the drug is administered alone are obtained. In this case, the effects of the drug are enhanced, so the same effect can be achieved with a lower dose.