It’s projected that more than 20% of adults in the US use CBD (cannabidiol) to treat insomnia, stress, and anxiety.
A recent study warned that even reduced amounts of the chemical found in marijuana may increase liver enzyme secretion.
What is CBD?
CBD, cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis sativa plant.
It does not cause the “high” or sense of euphoria typically linked with (tetrahydrocannabinol) THC.
THC is a primary psychoactive compound, which is discovered in cannabis plants.
For the study, researchers conducted a clinical trial including 201 healthy adults, who were given a dose of placebo or CBD for 28 days.
Results indicated that in 5.6% participants had an increased liver enzyme level more than 3 times the upper limit of normal.
Up to 5% participants met the criteria for potential liver harm; however, none of the participants experienced severe complications such as jaundice or clinical symptoms related to impaired liver function.
Researchers stated that their liver enzymes returned to normal within 1-2 weeks after stopping it
Notably, researchers stressed the need for further studies to confirm the results, the authors also advised clinicians to screen patients with higher liver enzymes for CBD use.
