How Does CBD Interact with Medications?
With more and more people using CBD products for a wide range of health issues, there has been some concern about its safety when used in combination with other medications.
Just as taking ordinary aspirin with certain medications can cause drug interactions, so can certain medications that are taken with CBD products.
Is this something that the average user should be concerned with, or is are the drug interactions nominal and something that could potentially happen but not cause any harm? These are important questions that many patients are asking as the answers are quite simple.
To begin, we want to state that CBD and drug interactions, although usually not a serious concern, are a serious matter. If you are taking a CBD product along with other medications, it is best to check with your doctor to ensure the potential drug interactions aren’t harmful and to see if there is an alternative to the medication you are currently taking.
While CBD is safe to use, it can potentially interact with other medications you are taking. These interactions are usually harmless and none have been recorded as fatal.
Can CBD interact with other drugs?
Of course. In fact, almost any drug can interact with another drug and it is a common occurrence with traditional medicine which is one reason many people are deciding to use CBD products.
CBD can interact with other drugs because of the way it is metabolized by your body. CBD can interfere with how your body metabolizes the other drugs that you take possibly making them less effective or causing them to stay in your system longer. This might cause negative side effects and complications as a result but nothing that is serious or that your doctor can’t adjust.
Certain drugs interact differently with CBD just as they would any other medication. One of these drugs is blood thinners. Taking CBD with a blood thinner such as warfarin can make the warfarin stay in your system for longer before it is broken down. This can cause bruising, excessive bleeding if cut and possible dizziness in some patients.
Positive Drug Interactions
Not all CBD drug interactions are negative. CBD can make other medications more effective to the point where you can take less and less of them. By reducing the dosage of some of your medications, you will save money and require less pills to take throughout the day. However, it goes without saying that, this should be cleared with your current physician, and you should not be altering your current medication regime without proper medical guidance.
The Grapefruit Test
If you are unsure about taking CBD with a specific medication that you are prescribed, you can use the grapefruit test. Just as you might have been told by your doctor not to eat grapefruit while taking a certain medication, the same goes for CBD. Grapefruit changes the way medications are metabolized by the body making them less effective or ineffective. If you are taking a medication that is affected by grapefruit, it will most likely be affected by CBD.
Ask Your Doctor
The best way to decide if a CBD product will interact with a particular medication is to ask your doctor. Even if your doctor doesn’t work with cannabis, informing him or her that you use CBD products will help them treat your condition better and prescribe medications that won’t interact with your CBD.
CBD and medication interactions are common, but they are usually harmless and can be easily adjusted by your doctor. Taking CBD products can be very beneficial to your health and you should not be overly concerned with a drug interaction that could come with taking CBD and a prescription drug.
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