CBD for weight loss and hunger control

The key reason that CBD could act as an effective weight loss aid is how CBD works in our bodies and our own bodies natural receptors.

CBD can impact your weight loss through it's ability to interact with your bodies Endocannabinoid system. It's through this, that CBD can impact metabolic rate, appetite and mood and energy.

CBD has been studied and found that it impacts metabolic rate.

Another key area that CBD effects, and is largely attributed to the many weight loss stories coming out about the compound is it's ability to impact ghrelin. This is a hormone that is responsible for stimulating feelings of hunger and appetite.

A study on CBD found that subjects who were given CBD saw a massive reduction in food consumption than the control subjects in the study. This appetite reduction can eventually lead to less calories consumed.

One of the primary objections we hear to the possibility of CBD being effective for losing weight is that cannabis is well known for increasing appetite - a phenomenon colloquially known as ‘the munchies’. However, this effect is actually caused by strains containing high levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant.

In contrast, CBD acts as an antagonist to CB1 receptors. It has the ability to influence other compounds in our body to block the receptors, effectively deactivating them. The ‘deactivation’ can suppress the appetite, leading to a reduction in overeating.

A 2016 study showed that CBD plays a major role in converting white (bad) fat into brown (good) fat. While white fat can be implicated in the development of heart disease and diabetes, brown fat is actually thermogenic. This means that brown fat can actually produce heat and increase energy expenditure; thereby helping you to burn calories. Furthermore, this conversion process actually changes how the fat cells act in the body. As brown fat cells are more active, they can stimulate the body to break fat down more efficiently and eliminate it from the body as waste. Win win!

Life is rarely black and white - there are myriad factors that can lead to a person becoming overweight. Suffering from a chronic pain condition could mean that any form of exercise is difficult. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can cause overeating. Also, if you have trouble sleeping, it’s likely that the last thing on your mind in the morning is getting down to the gym or rustling up a healthy breakfast.

By using CBD to tackle these other health concerns, you could inadvertently make better food and exercise choices. Also remember that better sleep is crucial for burning body fat.

Furthermore, when we exercise we naturally create an endocannabinoid called Anandamide - also known as the ‘bliss molecule’. Anandamide is what gives us the rewarding feeling of euphoria during and after exercising; you might know it as ‘runner’s high’.

CBD can help to maintain high levels of anandamide in the body by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks it down, causing it to stay active for longer. This increased exhilarated feeling could lead to exercise being easier and more enjoyable - thereby making it more likely that you will do it more often. All of this is helpful in contributing to the weight loss battle.

None of us have the same body makeup, so what works for one person might not work for another. If you’ve read stories of people seeing weight loss benefits with just a few drops of CBD oil, don’t be disheartened if you don’t see the same results.

If you have more body weight, or you have been/are a regular cannabis user, you will likely need a higher dose of CBD than someone smaller or who is particularly sensitive to cannabis compounds. In lieu of definitive guidelines, the advice is to start with a small dose and gradually increase. Be mindful of the effects of the dose before taking more - this will prevent you from raising your tolerance too quickly, and will allow you to figure out what the right dose is for you.

There is enough evidence of CBD’s positive effects, and the science behind it, to suggest that it warrants further clinical investigation. However, while the results from the research look promising, there is a key factor to consider.

CBD is NOT a cure for obesity.

CBD should be seen as a complementary therapy. If you make sensible exercise and food choice, CBD could be the additional boost to seeing the results you’re looking for more efficiently.

Additionally, if your exercise and food choices are hampered by other health considerations, you should explore if those could also be helped by CBD to get you back on the road to wellness. You’ll be amazed just how many things it’s shown to help with.

Using CBD for weight loss safely

There is no current evidence to suggest that CBD based products are harmful to humans. They contain plant based cannabinoids, and cannabinoids are found naturally in our own bodies. Hence, if you decide to try CBD oil to assist in your weight loss efforts, even if you don’t find the positive results you were hoping for, you’re unlikely to find any negative ones.

If you are looking to try CBD to assist with your weight loss efforts, have a chat with your doctor first to ensure there will be no unwanted interactions with ongoing prescriptions.

If you still have more questions, we are always happy to help. Just get in touch with any queries you have about CBD