CBD oil for weight loss

Losing weight with CBD oil: Fact or fiction?

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Constant food cravings? Or do you simply have trouble losing some additional weight because of your metabolism? With CBD oil you’ll affect your endocannabinoid system which is responsible for regulating and boosting metabolism. Not only that, but it can also help reduce food intake and promote browning of the fat which is easier to burn.

What is CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a chemical compound, known as a cannabinoid. Although cannabinoids can be found in various plants, CBD is predominantly found in cannabis.

CBD doesn’t have psychoactive effects, so it doesn’t cause the infamous “high” like THC does. It affects our body in a different way, but just like THC, it stimulates our cannabinoid receptors, which results in reduced anxiety, stress, pain, inflammation, seizures,…

CBD also “extends” the anandamide (endocannabinoid) breakdown, which results in it staying longer in our bodies. Anandamide is well known for its pain relief properties and boosting our brain functionality.

Because a lot of research has yet to be done, many of the CBD effects on our health are still unknown. But with more support and research, the list of CBD benefits is continuously growing. And weight loss is also one of the things on the list.

Can CBD help with weight loss?

The short answer is yes, but we have to dig deeper to understand how CBD can actually help us with weight loss.

Cannabis and body weight

When you hear the word cannabis, the first association in many cases would be THC & munchies. But that’s not the case. Although it is true that heavy THC users tend to eat more frequently than non THC users.

But the results of two surveys that included more than 50,000 people are quite surprising. You would think that those who use cannabis & hemp products would weight more (have a bigger body mass index) than those who don’t, but the picture is completely different.

The obesity rate of those who used cannabis & hemp products at least 3 days a week was only between 14.3% and 17.2%. The group of people who didn’t use cannabis for at least 12 months prior to the survey, had the obesity rate between 22% and 25.3%.

As CBD is the predominant cannabinoid in most cannabis & hemp products, we can logically conclude that CBD alongside with other cannabinoids definitely plays a role in weight loss promotion.

Although further research is needed to better understand the role of cannabinoids (including CBD) in association with weight loss, scientists believe that they affect many weight-related body functions, including appetite and metabolism.

Boosting metabolism to promote weight loss

It is a well-known fact that hemp products like hemp protein powder and hemp hearts can contribute to weight loss and muscle mass formation – all thanks to healthy protein intake.

But if CBD doesn’t have any protein, then how can it improve our metabolism?

As we already mentioned before, CBD interacts with our cannabinoid receptors such as CB1 and CB2. Those receptors are spread throughout the whole human body, but studies suggest that interaction of CBD and endocannabinoid receptors in the brain and lymphoid tissue is the one that should be credited for improving metabolism.

The results of a study that included rats are very promising in association with CBD and weight loss. There were two groups of rats that were given 2,5mg and 5mg of CBD per kg of body weight, for a time period of 14 days. Both groups experienced a significant loss of body weight, with the higher dose being more effective.

Does that mean more CBD is better? Probably, as many public claims and anecdotes highly support the outcome of this study but even though those results are more than promising, we can’t say anything with certainty, as more research is needed, especially with humans.

Can CBD reduce food intake?

One study came to the conclusion that blocking the CB1 receptor may help reduce food intake and thus help with losing bodyweight. Although CBD doesn’t directly block the CB1 receptors, it can influence other cannabinoids and molecules to block them.

CBD effects on fat

There are 6 types of fat in our bodies. Some of them are good, some of them, not so much.

White fat, for example, has its own benefits as it is essential for insulin, hunger and growth hormone management. But on the other hand, it also has its flaws as if your body has too much of it, it can cause insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease and of course, weight gain.

An In-vitro study reported that CBD could assist with the browning of the white fat as well as promoting lipid metabolism.

Why is this important?

Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue is a special type of fat. It is responsible to maintain our body temperature by burning calories. Unlike white fat, brown fat isn’t a “storage” fat, so it is much easier to burn, resulting in faster weight loss.

A study published in 2016 reported that exposure to cold temperatures also promotes browning of white fat. Adequate sleep and regular exercise also have a major impact on fat browning as well as overall health.

Essential fat is the third and most important fat to maintain good health. It plays lots of essential roles in our body, including vitamin absorption and temperature regulation. Because our bodies aren’t capable of making essential fat on their own, they must come from the food that we eat. But as far as we know, CBD doesn’t play any role in essential fat regulation and intake.

However, hemp products like hemp seed oil, hemp hearts, hemp protein powder and even some CBD oils are a great way to introduce a perfectly balanced ratio of omega 3 & omega 6 essential fatty acids to your diet. That makes hemp products a perfect supplier for whole body protein synthesis which results in improved metabolism.

Can I gain weight with CBD?

It is well known that THC can stimulate appetite. Although there isn’t a study that could confirm that CBD can increase appetite on its own, there is a lot of anecdotal information. From cancer patients reporting increased appetite after taking CBD oil during chemotherapy treatment to children eating a lot more after they started treating their epilepsy with CBD products.

There is definitely more research needed regarding CBD and weight gain, as studies and anecdotal reports gave us mixed results.

How to use CBD oil for weight loss

When using CBD for weight loss you can’t expect a miracle overnight, just like it doesn’t happen after only a day of exercise. But including CBD oil into your daily routine, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise should definitely help you lose weight as well as gain muscle mass.

Suggesting from the above, full-spectrum products with high CBD content should work best if you are trying to lose weight with the help of CBD. The best way to start is with a small dose 2-3 times a day that you gradually increase until you find the one that suits you. The most common use is sublingual, but feel free to add your CBD oil to smoothies, salads, desserts, candy,…

Final thoughts on CBD and weight loss

There is definitely a lack of research, but in conclusion, we can say that CBD definitely has the potential when it comes down to weight loss. But keep in mind that a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise are also the key to good health.

Author: L. O.

Source(s):

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425762/
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  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27067870/
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  • https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324733
  • https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324745
  • https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cbd-oil-for-weight-loss#recommendation
  • https://www.venustreatments.com/en-gl/blog/is-all-fat-equal-different-types-of-body-fat-and-how-to-beat-them/
  • https://dailycbd.com/en/condition/obesity/

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