It’s well known that CBD (cannabidiol) doesn’t have cause psychoactive effects, and that — unlike alcohol — it doesn’t cause intoxication or impairment. Its effects seem essentially benign. In fact, some companies now even produce CBD-infused alcoholic beverages.
That might lead you to believe that there would be no harm in using alcohol and CBD oil together. However, the story is much more complicated.
Despite its very low THC levels, cannabidiol appears to interact with alcohol in several ways. Some may be beneficial, but others may be harmful or even dangerous. Specifically, there’s some evidence that the sleepiness or sedation that can be triggered by alcohol consumption may be intensified by CBD use.
Researchers haven’t come to firm conclusions about the impact of CBD-alcohol interactions, but the studies conducted so far deserve a closer look. We’ll do that after a brief review of the two substances and their effects.
Effects of CBD
CBD is sourced from the hemp plant, which like the cannabis plant, is a member of the botanical class Cannabis sativa. There’s an important difference, though: cannabis plants have much higher levels of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
Cannabidiol is also present in both plants, but hemp’s very low levels of THC explain why the CBD products sold in stores and online are derived from cannabidiol extracted from hemp. (Governments regulate the amount of THC allowable in CBD products; in the UK, it’s approximately 0.2%, and the US and most European nations limit it to 0.3%.)
That also explains why users of hemp-derived CBD products don’t experience the same euphoric or mind-bending cerebral effects that marijuana is known for. There’s simply not enough THC in the products to trigger those types of reactions when interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) receptors.
Aside from the possible medical, health, and wellness benefits of CBD (chronic pain relief, reduced anxiety, and better sleep are just some of those potential benefits), all that users may notice are rare side effects like diarrhea and fatigue — a far cry from the many temporary physical and mental effects that cannabis use can produce.
(Always seek medical advice from a healthcare professional before using CBD for any of its purported health benefits.)
Effects of Alcohol
Most readers who drink alcohol (or have in the past) are aware of the effects that alcohol intake can have.
Alcohol moves through the digestive system and is absorbed into the bloodstream before it’s broken down in the liver. The process leads to an increase in the drinker’s blood alcohol level and produces several temporary and very noticeable effects on the brain and body. Many are caused by alcohol’s tendency to slow the function of the central nervous system.
They include relaxation, euphoria (alcohol’s trademark “buzz”), and lowered inhibitions. Those may be followed by slower or slurred speech, drowsiness, changes in perception and cognitive function, and nausea or vomiting, depending on the number of alcoholic drinks consumed and the drinker’s tolerance. Some of those negative effects can put drinkers at physical risk as well.
Excessive alcohol consumption lowers the levels of mood-control chemicals in the brain, potentially leading to adverse effects like depression and anxiety (among the reasons that alcohol is also described as a depressant). It can also overwhelm the liver’s ability to metabolize alcohol in the body, causing lower heart rates and other alcohol-related issues.
Of course, those who have an alcohol addiction problem (these days, referred to as alcohol use disorder) are in danger of developing even more long-term medical concerns. Liver damage and toxicity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and serious mood disorders are some of the alcohol-induced health issues commonly seen among those addicted to alcohol.
Effects of Combining CBD and Alcohol
The last two sections probably make you think that CBD’s effects pale in comparison to alcohol’s effects, especially the potentially negative ones. You’d be right, but research has shown that some surprising outcomes may result from mixing CBD and alcohol.
Potential Negative Effects
It appears that combining CBD and alcohol may amplify the effects they have in common.
- There are some indications that CBD’s apparent ability to calm and relax its users may join with alcohol’s depressant effect to increase the likelihood of sleepiness or sedation. That would make sense since evidence indicates that alcohol may interact with the body’s ECS.
It’s also the basis for a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that using the two substances together can cause drowsiness that can lead to accidents when driving or operating heavy machinery. A similar warning comes from the company that produces Epidiolex, the only CBD prescription medication that’s currently on the market. - Another small study found that mixing CBD and alcohol can cause major changes in both motor function and time perception, issues that did not arise when test subjects took CBD without drinking alcohol.
Before drawing conclusions, though, it’s important to note that there’s very limited research on the subject of combining alcohol and cannabidiol. Much of what’s known or suspected is the product of animal studies rather than research with human subjects, and some of the data dates back more than 40 years.
The second study we’ve mentioned comes with a second caveat; the CBD doses that were administered were much higher than those typically used by consumers.
Potential Positive Effects
There’s a small amount of evidence that CBD may lower blood alcohol levels in the body, but that finding also comes with several asterisks.
- The research subjects were given very high amounts of cannabidiol, not the amounts they’d generally consume daily.
- The results were only seen when they consumed CBD and alcohol at the same time; there was no effect on blood alcohol levels if the cannabidiol was administered an hour beforehand.
- CBD was not shown to have any effect on the subjects’ levels of intoxication or impairment.
There are other potential benefits that CBD use may provide for those who drink heavily, but they’re not associated with using the two substances at the same time.
- Cannabidiol may help protect against some of the inflammation and cell damage believed linked to heavy alcohol use. Among the conditions and diseases apparently benefitting, at least in animal research, are liver disease, brain damage, and pancreatitis.
- Another set of animal studies has shown promise for the use of CBD to help those suffering from alcohol use disorder and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Addicted rats drank less alcohol and had fewer cravings after being administered CBD.
Conclusion
Once experts have definitively established the true benefits of CBD for health and well-being, perhaps additional research will be conducted on the subject of CBD and alcohol interactions.
Most scientists and researchers agree that there’s not yet enough evidence for solid conclusions about what can happen when you mix CBD oil (or other CBD products like tinctures, CBD gummies and edibles, or topicals) with alcohol.
Their best advice, at least for now, is to play it safe and avoid combining the use of both substances.
