I set out in search of a reason why CBD would be considered bad for one’s liver. For the record, there is no verifiable evidence that CBD is bad for your liver. The only CBD-derived product approved by the FDA at this point in time is Epidiolex. Epidiolex not only contains cannabidiol but also alcohol. On the website for Epidiolex, you will find the following information.
“EPIDIOLEX may cause liver problems. Your doctor may order blood tests to check your liver before you start taking EPIDIOLEX and during treatment. In some cases, EPIDIOLEX treatment may need to be stopped. Call your doctor right away if you start to have any of these signs and symptoms of liver problems during treatment with EPIDIOLEX:
- loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting
- fever, feeling unwell, unusual tiredness
- yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- itching
- unusual darkening of the urine
- right upper stomach area pain or discomfort”
Key Takeaways
- Epidiolex Caution: While CBD itself isn’t proven harmful to the liver, FDA-approved Epidiolex, containing both CBD and alcohol, poses liver risks, warranting careful monitoring and potential treatment cessation.
- Industry Transparency: Amidst the CBD industry’s growth, transparency is crucial. Lack of regulation means varying product quality, urging companies to prioritize transparency, as exemplified by ATLRx’s commitment to lab reports and accurate labeling.
- Personal Testimonial: CBD’s efficacy varies among individuals, as highlighted by the author’s journey from ineffective head shop products to beneficial ATLRx CBD, offering relief without adverse effects and emphasizing the importance of quality sourcing.
- Liver Interaction and Tolerance: CBD’s liver interaction resembles that of grapefruit, potentially affecting medication efficacy. However, aside from Epidiolex, CBD itself hasn’t shown significant liver issues, with tolerance being the main concern rather than adverse effects.
When you google search about CBD causing liver problems, a plethora of links leading to Epidiolex information show up. It’s not just a coincidence, this product is a high concentration of CBD; from the image on the website 10,000 milligrams for a 100-milliliter bottle, alongside dehydrated alcohol. Epidiolex is marketed for two specific disorders involving seizures. Users have the option to use insurance but this product comes in at a yearly fee of around $32,000.
The CBD industry is currently in the Wild West period, most companies are trying to cavalier a legal product they can make a fortune from. The big issue lies with the fact that not everyone is in it for the well-being of users. Right now, the best thing companies can do is be transparent. There isn’t a baseline for which product is superior for ailments, or really any standard or known “bullseye” in the industry.
Even the big-name companies have been getting negative reviews consistently, and because of that more companies need to be on the same page as their customers. The cannabis industry thrives on having nothing to hide, we are a farm-to-table industry and should be organic all the way through. If you’re a CBD company making quality products, why would you want to hide? The ATLRx family is here to watch the cannabis industry make history and we want to be at the forefront of education in Georgia. Our dispensary has lab reports on every flower strain we put in front of you and every tincture. No bullshit, no beating around the bush, just good quality cannabis products we can stand behind. We are even taking it a step further by starting to print the exact MG per bottle on each label based on the batch so you know exactly how much CBD is in your bottle.
A lot of people that have already found benefits from CBD had to get there the hard way, myself included. I used to try the CBD flower and gummies from the head shops around Atlanta just to get irritated with the lack of effectiveness. By just trying ATLRx products a lot of things changed for me. I’m someone who got hooked on painkillers for a couple of years after my doctor got me on them to help with my nerve damage and migraines.
I remember going from pills to smoking cannabis in heavy amounts only to find myself wasting away. CBD gave me the sense of support I have always been prescribed, without dumbing down my ambition or mental state. I went from suppressing everything to expressing everything in such a short period of time it hurts to look back on it. I’ve never had any side effects, and I haven’t personally heard of anyone having any substantial side effects from using CBD products.
The worst thing that happens is when you build up a tole
rance and find yourself without any CBD for a couple of days to a week. Part of having a balanced endocannabinoid system involves supporting your regimen with CBD in some manner. CBD does interact with medications in the same way grapefruit does by inhibiting enzymes in your liver from breaking down medications. However, there is no evidence out there showing CBD products to create issues in the liver, aside from the FDA-approved drug, Epidiolex. Sometimes all that needs to be done is a bit of digging, and occasionally you may find yourself surprised.
