We’ve probably all heard about the rapidly-spreading craze of cannabidiol, or CBD, into food and drink products, but what you may not know is that your food choices can affect how effective your CBD use turns out.
Some recent reports suggest that certain foods can drastically change how cannabis users end up enjoying their CBD products, showing that fatty foods can help the body to absorb CBD while low-fat foods might inhibit the cannabis compound’s benefits.
The reports are based on a recent University of Minnesota study that researched diet and CBD effectiveness, UPI reported. [1]
The study showed 14 times more CBD in the blood after a high-fat content meal than the same cannabidiol consumption after a fast. [1]
"The type of food can make a large difference in the amount of CBD that gets absorbed into the body," said study co-author Angela Birnbaum in a release. “Although fatty foods can increase the absorption of CBD, it can also increase the variability, as not all meals contain the same amount of fat.” [1]
Scientist at the Twin Cities university hope the discovery of fat’s relation to food and the benefits of CBD could help ordinary people to save on products and prescriptions in coming years.
Phytocannabinoids like the CBD compound react positively with fatty foods, unlike other compounds and active ingredients that can actually stop working if the user has recently eaten before imbibing them. [2]
Investigators at UMN compared epilepsy patients who took CBD without breakfast versus those who ate fatty foods like burritos. [1]
Cannabis is used by many people for their chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy and mental health concerns. Research so far is preliminary, but new innovations like those at the University of Minnesota are breaking down barriers.
According to the UMN press release, the study found:
- CBD exposure is vastly increased when CBD is taken with high fatty foods
- When compared to fasting, taking CBD with food increased the amount of CBD in the body by four-times and the maximum amount recorded in the participants’ blood by 14-times
- No cognitive differences were identified, which is consistent with previous studies. [4]
The Epilepsy Foundation of America funded the UMN study conducted within the school of pharmacy, helped along by other endowments. [4]
Sources
[1] https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2019/08/17/Fatty-meal-might-affect-how-you-absorb-CBD/7531566043761/
[2] https://www.slashgear.com/cbd-supplements-may-go-to-waste-when-taken-without-certain-foods-19587748/