Guide to Wellness – July 2019

CR.ORG GUIDE TO WELLNESS 45

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CBD IN

MANY FORMS

Infused

into honey

Pills containing

extract

Oil drops, for

drinks, food,

or straight into

the mouth

Topical balms,

rubbed onto skin

Until evidence from this new re-

search emerges, however, conclusive

findings are hard to come by. Ryan

Vandrey, Ph.D., a Johns Hopkins

researcher investigating the potential

health benefits of CBD, says: “Other than

epilepsy, at this point [the benefits are]

mostly postulation, not proof.”

Donald Abrams, M.D., a cancer

specialist and practitioner of integrative

medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco

General Hospital, is a co-author of a

2017 report on the medical benefits of

cannabis from the National Academies

of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

When he and 15 other experts

examined more than 10,000 studies—

based mainly on cannabis

in general, not just CBD—they found

only three conditions for which the

evidence in humans, not lab animals

or other forms of preliminary research,

was strong: pain, nausea related

to chemotherapy, and spasticity in

patients with multiple sclerosis.

For CBD alone, the evidence is

even more sparse. Abrams says the

NAS report, which came out before

Epidiolex was approved, could identify

only three published randomized

trials—the gold standard for medical

research—that looked at just CBD. And

for none of those conditions—anxiety,

smoking cessation, and Parkinson’s

disease—was the evidence strong

enough for the NAS report to conclude

that CBD clearly helps.

With so little research into CBD,

it’s hard to know for certain how

safe it is. That may be particularly con-

cerning for pregnant or breastfeed-

ing women.

Still, the research to date has

identified few risks. It appears to

be safer than THC, with even the FDA

saying CBD poses little risk of abuse.

Side effects, however, include tiredness,

diarrhea, and changes in appetite

and weight.

It’s also unclear what doses or forms

of CBD might work best for which

conditions, notes Joseph Maroon, M.D.,

a clinical professor of neurological

doctor first, especially if you take any

prescription drugs or are pregnant or

breastfeeding. Until more evidence

comes in, be wary of turning to CBD

in lieu of more proven therapies,

especially for serious health problems,

such as cancer.

Though it’s unclear what dosage

might work best for any health

problem, it’s worth looking for

products that say they contain CBD,

not just “cannabinoids.” Products

that say they contain that broader class

of compounds may not have much

if any CBD. Instead, they may contain

a mix of more than 100 other com-

pounds found in cannabis plants,

about which even less is known. In

addition, look for products that

list the amount of CBD per serving,

not just per bottle.

Are CBD Product

Claims Proved?

The short answer is, mostly no—at

least not yet. Consumers need to be

“mindful that this is an unregulated

industry,” Vandrey says.

Start with the fact that, according

to the FDA, only drugs approved

by the agency—which have undergone

rigorous studies for safety and

effectiveness—can make claims that

they can treat or cure any disease,

ranging from migraines to cancer.

In other words, the manufacturer of

Epidiolex can make medical claims,

but makers of other CBD products on

the market can’t.

And unlike prescription drugs,

CBD products aren’t subject to

consistent testing; instead, require-

ments vary from state to state. Those

that have legalized the recreational

and medical use of cannabis tend

to have stricter standards and require

testing of products before they can

be sold. Such testing often includes

checking for THC and CBD levels,

as well as for mold, pesticides,

and other contaminants. Some

states with only medical cannabis

surgery at the University of Pittsburgh

Medical Center who authored a recent

review of the neurological benefits of

CBD alone and with THC. He writes that

with more than 1,000 CBD and cannabis

products on the market, in multiple

forms, “dosing recommendations are

nearly impossible.”

And most medical studies have used

doses of CBD much higher than what’s

included in products consumers typically

purchase, according to ConsumerLab,

a company that tests health and beauty

products. In addition, some research

suggests CBD may interact with several

kinds of prescription meds.

If you want to try CBD, talk with your