CBD and alcohol!
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a condition in which a person feels the urge to drink alcohol even if it has a negative impact on their life. Research suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) may help decrease alcohol consumption and reduce alcohol-related liver damage.
In 2019, 5.3% of people aged 12 or older in the United States had AUD, formerly known as alcoholism. Around 1.7% of children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 were affected by this pathology.
AUD can cause liver disease, heart disease, stroke, and alcohol-related cancers. It can also lead to emotional, interpersonal and financial difficulties. Despite this, only about 7.2% of people with AUD receive treatment in a given year.
Although research is still in its early stages, the use of CBD in the treatment of AUD appears promising.
This article explains what CBD is and examines how it can help reduce alcohol consumption and AUD-related disorders.
What is CBD ?
CBD is one of several active compounds found in cannabis. It is different from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the compound that causes euphoria or the "high." People who consume CBD are unlikely to experience euphoria.
CBD may have the following benefits:
- provide antioxidant capabilities
- regulate the immune system
- anxiety reduction
- epileptic seizure prevention
- reduction of inflammation
Can CBD help reduce alcohol consumption?
Research into whether CBD can decrease alcohol consumption in humans is limited.
However, a 2019 study on mice found that CBD could decrease alcohol consumption. The researchers noted that administering CBD made the mice less motivated to drink ethanol, a component of alcohol.
A small-scale study of 120 adults who used both cannabis and alcohol found that people might be less likely to consume as much alcohol if they used CBD.
Can CBD Treat Alcohol Use Disorder?
Research into the use of CBD as a treatment for AUD is in its early stages. Some preliminary studies suggest that CBD may reduce alcohol consumption and may protect against liver and brain damage from excessive alcohol consumption.
However, researchers are still investigating several factors that could help establish effective procedures for using CBD in the treatment of AUD. The questions they seek to answer include:
- What dose of CBD is most effective
- How long should the treatment last?
- What is the best way to administer CBD?
- Which CBD formulation is most effective?
Does CBD reduce alcohol cravings?
Animal studies suggest that CBD may reduce stress-related drinking, withdrawal seizures, and impulsive drinking. These results indicate that CBD can reduce alcohol cravings.
Other animal studies have shown that CBD may reduce motivation to drink or seek out alcohol.
Studies have also found that combining CBD and naltrexone, a drug that treats substance abuse, can reduce the urge to drink alcohol.
However, researchers need to conduct further studies in people to verify whether these findings are applicable to humans.
Can CBD Help Alcohol-Related Liver Damage?
Early research involving animals shows that CBD may help alcohol-related liver damage by reducing inflammation and slowing the development of fatty liver.
Another study found that treating mice with CBD helped by:
- improving liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption
- by inhibiting inflammatory responses
- limiting the accumulation of fat in the liver.
Mixture of alcohol and CBD
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), mixing alcohol and CBD poses potential risks because mixing these two substances can significantly increase the effects of both drugs. The combination of the two can lead a person to:
feeling very drowsy or sleepy
have difficulty coordinating your body and senses
lose track of time
People should never drink alcohol, consume CBD, or both, before performing activities that require concentration and attention and are likely to cause harm, such as driving or driving. use of heavy machinery.
Summary
Alcohol use disorder affects many people ages 12 and older in the United States.
Although human research is limited, animal studies and early investigations suggest that CBD is a promising treatment for AUD. CBD can help reduce alcohol cravings and reduce alcohol consumption.
