Can CBD Oil Cause Constipation? It’s Possible, But Unlikely

It’s natural for people to blame any unexpected symptom or gastrointestinal issue they experience on a food they’ve tried for the first time. It’s no different when they start a new medication — or when they begin using CBD (cannabidiol).

In the latter case, developing constipation (or diarrhoea) isn’t unheard of. There’s an outside chance that new users will experience bowel-related side effects until their systems get acclimated to cannabidiol. Everyone’s body is different, so everyone reacts differently to CBD.

However, constipation or diarrhoea are just two of the few, seldom-experienced side effects of using CBD oil or other products. Dry mouth, fatigue, and low appetite are the other mild negative effects occasionally felt by new CBD users. But they all usually resolve quickly, and they’re more commonly associated with extremely high doses or daily use of high doses.

What’s more likely is that a different ingredient in a CBD product (for example, the gelatin or sweeteners in CBD gummies) causes or contributes to bouts of constipation. It’s also possible that the health and wellness condition that a user is trying to ease with CBD (like stress) or a medication they’re taking (like an antacid) is what’s really causing their bowel distress.

Interestingly, one result of early studies into cannabidiol’s effects shows that CBD might help those with gastrointestinal problems like constipation or diarrhea.

Research indicates that cannabidiol may increase motility, help reduce inflammation, and ease gut pain. Preliminary evidence shows promise for the use of CBD to prevent constipation and diarrhoea among those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease and other GI issues.

In simple terms, CBD oil doesn’t often cause constipation — but if you’re a new user experiencing the problem, it should quickly go away. And surprisingly, it might even help.

If this sounds intriguing and you’d like to learn more, read on.

What Is CBD, And How Does It Affect the Gut?

We have to start with short lessons in botany and biology, but we’ll take them in bite-sized pieces.

CBD, THC, and Hemp

CBD is sourced from hemp, which is a member of the Cannabis sativa family; the other prominent family member is cannabis. The two plants are extremely similar, with the primary difference being the amounts of natural compounds called cannabinoids that they contain.

There are more than 100 cannabinoids, but the two most important are CBD and psychoactive THC. Cannabis has low levels of cannabidiol and high levels of THC, which is why marijuana from cannabis plants makes users high. Hemp, by contrast, contains very little THC and large amounts of CBD. That’s why the cannabidiol in CBD products is extracted from hemp.

It’s also a major reason why CBD isn’t intoxicating. Its low levels of THC aren’t enough to cause the cognitive and behavioral effects associated with weed use. For those who want to enjoy the apparent medical benefits of cannabidiol without having their consciousness or daily function affected in other ways, CBD’s non-intoxicating properties are a plus.

The Body’s Endocannabinoid System

How do CBD and THC deliver their effects in the body? It’s due to another similarity — the one between cannabinoids and endocannabinoids.

One of the most important but little-known systems in the body is the endocannabinoid system (ECS). It’s responsible for governing many of the body’s crucial operations, including thinking, memory, appetite, sleep, coordination, immunity, and inflammation.

The ECS has two components. One is the system’s receptors, which send and receive control messages, and the other is the messengers that shuttle between receptors. The latter are neurotransmitters produced inside the body known as endocannabinoids.

Endocannabinoids’ chemical structures are almost identical to cannabinoids like CBD and THC. The similarity allows CBD and other cannabinoids to interact with — and alter — the messages being sent between receptors. That’s how they’re each able to provide their apparent health benefits, and how THC is able to get users high.

There’s one more bit of biology to discuss.

There are two primary types of ECS receptors, called CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors control functions like cerebral activity and sleep, and most are in the brain and spine. CB2 receptors are generally located elsewhere in the body, and they manage functions like immunity and inflammation.

When THC enters the body, it primarily binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and delivers its psychoactive effects. CBD interacts mostly with the CB2 receptors in other parts of the body — including the gastrointestinal system.

That’s most of what you need to know as we move on.

CBD and Constipation

As mentioned at the start of this article, it’s very uncommon for CBD oil, or any other cannabidiol product, to cause constipation on its own.

It may happen occasionally, though; constipation is one of the rare but mild side effects reported after ingesting CBD. However, almost all of the cases involve one of three groups of users:

• New users, whose bodies haven’t yet become accustomed to the effects of cannabidiol.
• Those who take unreasonably high doses of CBD, tens or hundreds of times higher than “normal” dosages.
• Those who consume high doses of cannabidiol on a daily basis.

Importantly, side effects like constipation and diarrhoea, dry mouth, tiredness, and decreased appetite only affect a small subset of those groups. Most new CBD users, for example, won’t experience any GI symptoms at all. Medical professionals often caution that drugs and other substances affect people differently, and cannabidiol is no exception.

Here’s what that means. Those who become constipated after using CBD oil or other products should also consider the possibility that the issue is being caused by factors like:

• Stress: Many users try CBD because it can apparently help reduce mental health conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression. Chronic stress, though, is known to reduce blood flow to the gastrointestinal system, slowing digestion and causing constipation.
• Medical conditions: Quite a few disorders and diseases that reportedly benefit from cannabidiol use are known to trigger constipation. Those choosing CBD to help them deal with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or inflammatory bowel disease (among other issues) may be constipated because of those conditions, not because of CBD use.
• Medications: Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause constipation, including painkillers and antacids. Those may be the culprits instead of CBD oil.
• Other Ingredients in CBD Products: CBD gummies are most likely to contain ingredients like gelatin and sweeteners, which can slow digestion and cause constipation in some people. However, some CBD oils also contain flavorings and sweeteners that may cause GI system issues.

Before we leave the subject of additives, there’s good news for CBD oil users worried about the possibility of constipation.

There are two primary components of CBD oil: cannabidiol and a so-called “carrier oil.” The body best absorbs CBD when it’s bound to fat molecules that are easy to break down. The most effective and commonly-used carriers are MCT, coconut, or hempseed oil, which all provide a laxative effect when swallowed and can reduce the possibility of becoming constipated.

One issue somewhat related to CBD use should be mentioned as well: those who also use cannabis are more likely to experience constipation.

Studies have shown that activation of the ECS’s CB1 receptors — which happens when THC is consumed — may lower gut motility (the movement of food through the digestive tract) and slow digestion. Since there’s very little THC content in CBD oil, it’s unlikely to have that effect on the CB1 receptors, but weed might.

In fact, cannabidiol’s interaction with the CB2 receptors may lead to positive effects on the digestive system.

CBD and Gut Health

Preliminary research has shown promising evidence that CBD use may help those with intestinal disorders.

You may remember that the CB2 receptors in the ECS, which are the primary target of CBD, regulate immunity and inflammation in the body. A 2023 review of relevant research found that could explain the relief that CBD may provide for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and colitis, all linked to chronic inflammation in the gut.

Other research indicates that cannabidiol may boost gut motility, easing the passage of food through the digestive system and lessening the potential for constipation. And preliminary studies say CBD may help fight the leakage in the gut barrier that leads to what’s known as Leaky Gut Syndrome.

There’s not enough evidence for regulatory officials to approve CBD oil or other products for the treatment of any condition or disease, except for a few rare types of childhood epilepsy. However, early research shows encouraging signs that CBD may eventually be found to be an effective treatment for gut diseases — rather than a trigger for constipation.

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