Some people believe that the combination of CBD (cannabidiol) and supplements is a good idea for improving your health, and for some, it could be.
If you can combine the benefits of CBD with those of supplements, why wouldn’t you?
In some cases, combining CBD with supplements could theoretically lead to a better absorption-rate and more benefits because the benefits of CBD and supplements could potentially compound on each other.
Other people believe that the combination of CBD and supplements is not a good idea, because this can lead to a potentially unhealthy situation because of potential compound interactions.
As far as the safety of CBD oil, one of the main questions is whether you can combine CBD oil with other supplements that you are currently taking.
This article aims to answer this question, by providing explanations of which supplements can and cannot be combined with CBD oil.
1. Is it safe to combine CBD with Supplements?
You can combine CBD oils with most supplements, but you should always check with a doctor before starting a new supplement or medication, especially if you are already taking prescription medication.
That being said, let’s take a closer look.
For starters, CBD can be mixed with vitamin-, mineral-supplements with no negative effects.
CBD and vitamins are metabolized by different pathways inside your body. Liver enzymes that play an important role in the metabolization of CBD, mostly don’t have an important role in the metabolization of vitamins.
There are even CBD products that have added vitamins in them, for example CBD oil with added vitamin D. This clearly shows that you don’t have to worry about side effects when combining CBD with vitamin- or mineral-supplements.
But there are, of course, way more supplements than vitamin- and mineral-based supplements.
There are herbal supplements, antioxidant supplements, dietary oil supplements like fish oil.
In general:
While most supplements can be combined with CBD, there are however a few supplements that can decrease the effectiveness of CBD or increase the time CBD stays in your system leading to unexpected side effects, or supplements that lose effectiveness because they get compete for the same enzymes that are needed for their metabolization as CBD.
But you also have to keep in mind that certain CBD products like full-spectrum CBD oils, contain a variety of other hemp-derived compounds that may interact with supplement compounds as well. While these types of products are generally more effective than simple products that only contain CBD, it’s also more difficult to predict potential interactions with supplements.
2. Which Supplements should you avoid while taking CBD
Some supplements increase the effectiveness of liver enzymes that have an important role in the metabolization of CBD.
To understand this topic deeper, you first have to understand what enzymes have such an important role in the metabolization of CBD: CYP450 enzymes.
Not only do CYP450 enzymes have an important role in the metabolization of CBD, but also the majority of prescription medication.
What’s important when it comes to combining CBD and supplements though:
Some supplements can potentiate the action of CYP450 enzymes. Since CBD is metabolized by CYP450 enzymes, this means that these supplements can speed up the metabolization of CBD.
This isn’t necessarily something you would want when using CBD. When using CBD, you would actually prefer the metabolization to be slow or at least regular, so you can experience the effects of CBD for longer.
Which supplements are we talking about?
St. John’s Wort is a strong potentiator of certain CYP450 enzymes and therefore can speed up the metabolization of CBD.
Ginkgo Biloba activates certain CYP450 enzymes that have an important role in the metabolization of CBD and therefore can also speed up the metabolization of CBD.
The same goes for the various forms of Ginseng. All ginseng products can activate certain CYP450 enzymes and therefore can decrease the effectiveness of CBD by speeding up its metabolization.
But there are also supplements that get metabolized through the same pathways as CBD. These supplements then compete for the same enzymes that CBD is competing for, for their metabolization process.
For example:
CYP450 enzymes have an important role in converting vitamin D to its active form. Since CBD inhibits CYP450 enzymes, CBD could interfere with the conversion of vitamin D to its active form.
3. How to choose which Supplements to combine with CBD
Basically, if you want to avoid interactions between CBD and food supplements you’re planning to take, you need to know whether the supplements you’re planning to take interact with CYP450 enzymes.
If they’re not metabolized by these enzymes, you can be relatively sure that you can combine with that specific supplement.
If you find out that the supplement that you’re planning to combine with CBD does interact with CYP450 enzymes, realize that it in some cases it can decrease the effectiveness of CBD. And in other cases, it can lead to unexpected side effects if, for example, the CBD stays longer in your system than you expected.
Generally, if you choose vitamin- and mineral-based supplements, you can be relatively sure that you won’t experience any strange side effects when combining with CBD.
If you’re using either CBD or supplements medically, it’s extremely important that you consult with your physician before thinking about combining CBD with any supplement or medication
Conclusion
CBD can be combined with most supplements without any negative side effects.
There are however a few supplements that can decrease the effectiveness of CBD by speeding up its metabolization.
There are also a few supplements that can increase the time CBD stays in your system and therefore lead to unexpected side effects.
Key here is that you look at what type of interaction the supplement you want to combine with CBD has with CYP450 enzymes. If it activates CYP450 enzymes, there’s a chance it will reduce the effectiveness of CBD. If it blocks CYP450 enzymes it has chance to increase the time CBD stays in your system.
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