There is so much to be said about the life-saving medication that CBD has turned out to be. The health benefits are enough to turn anyone skeptical, but it is only when they dwell into the world of using CBD products do they come to terms with the potential of the herbal extract. This could very much explain the sudden rise in the popularity of the medication.
However, out of the several good things about CBD, people have started to ask about the side effects of CBD. More so, one possible side effect of CBD – Does mixing CBD and alcohol spell trouble for you? Is there an adverse chemical reaction that can occur when the CBD and the alcohol in your bloodstream meet? Let us take a look at what happens when you mix CBD and alcohol if at all anything happens.
Laying The Foundation: CBD
The star of the show, CBD or cannabidiol is a natural substance that is present in the cannabis family of plants, such as the hemp plant. CBD is mostly therapeutic in its effects, and is strictly non-intoxicating – you won’t get high as a result of ingesting CBD. CBD can be extracted from marijuana as well, but the global CBD market scene revolves around the legality of the said plant and chooses to settle with the hemp plant instead.
It is a safe natural compound that offers a range of health benefits ranging from pain relief and anti-inflammation to calming of tensed nerves and anxiety. It is easily tolerable by both humans and animals, even at high doses – it is impossible to overdose on CBD. There has not been one reported case of death as a result of CBD dosage anywhere in the world.
Alcohol
The main intoxicating and psychoactive compound present in alcohol is ethanol. It is ethanol content that makes you feel drunk. The formation of alcohol occurs when yeast consumes and processes the sugars that are present in carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, grape, and grains such as barley. Alcohol is a potent intoxicant, which is known for its mind-altering effects and numbs out your cognitive and motor function to a great degree.
CBD And Alcohol: Is It A Winning Combination?
Theoretically, they both can mix. There is very little research that has gone underway, but there are data that indicate that CBD use can accentuate the effects of alcohol to a certain degree when they interact with one another. CBD, as many of you may know, interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is, in essence, a regulatory system that links other bodily functions like the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system, the immune system, and so on.
The CBD interacts with several receptor pathways on the ECS; each of these receptors is responsible for different effects from immune response to regulating pain and inflammation. The receptors may have a few genetic mutations that make them susceptible to different responses with CBD, than the usual. The effects when they mix in with alcohol can be detrimental; then again this is a one-off. There is no implicit peril in mixing the two.
CBD Can Counter The Negative Effects Of Alcohol
Rather than making the situation worse, CBD can protect your body to an extent. Let us see how:
CBD Protects Your Systems And Cells From Damage Due To Excessive Drinking
Binge drinking can leave battle scars of the nights inside of you, resulting in damaged cells, increased risk of chronic diseases such as liver diseases and pancreatitis. CBD is a potent neuroprotectant that can reduce the damage that is caused as a result of excessive alcohol consumption.
CBD Can Reduce The Blood-Alcohol Levels
The blood alcohol concentration is the amount of alcohol that reaches your bloodstream. The higher the number, the more intoxicated you are. A recent study was able to conclude that dosing on 150mg of CBD can significantly reduce blood alcohol levels. This was a study that was conducted a long time back, and the research is not completely solid at this point – take it with a pinch of salt.
Why Do We Advise You Not To Mix Them?
Do understand that CBD is a health supplement, which has neuroprotectant, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This is a herbal extract that is a versatile tool that naturally improves the quality of life. Mixing CBD with alcohol would be similar to mixing green tea and alcohol. Why on earth would you do that? Plus the effects of CBD can be trampled on when you intake alcohol – the efficacy reduces and the desired effects may not be achieved.
The whole exercise to take CBD is to benefit from it. Taking CBD and then washing it down with alcohol would be like going to the gym and then having a Mediterranean buffet – it ruins the whole purpose of hitting the gym.