Is It Safe to Consume CBD Oil For Pancreatitis?

by: Joe C. | 04/28/22 1:30PM

Home Blog Is It Safe to Consume CBD Oil For Pancreatitis?

People have been using cannabis as a recreational and therapeutic substance for a long time. In the last few years, scientists have been able to extract the cannabinoids present in the Cannabis plant and have harnessed them to formulate several therapeutic supplements. CBD is the most potent cannabinoid obtained from the Cannabis Sativa plant that is known to have health benefits.

Studies have found that CBD oil can help treat pain and inflammation, reduce stress and anxiety, regulate diabetes, hypertension, and more. Recent investigation has shown that CBD oil might have some protective effect on patients with pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a disease that occurs due to inflammation of the pancreas. Is it safe to consume CBD oil for treating pancreatitis? This article will explore whether CBD oil can help alleviate pancreatitis and how safe it is to take CBD oil for pancreatitis.

Does CBD Oil Help Treat Pancreatitis?

CBD is known for being a potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. It helps relieve chronic pain associated with pancreatitis by blocking the pain transmission pathway. It also helps soothe pancreatic inflammation by interacting with the nervous system.

However, as of now, the protective properties of CBD have only been tested on animal models. Though people believe it will exhibit the same effect on humans, it has not yet been proved by any scientific trial.

It Helps Treat Peripheral Neuropathy

Chronic pancreatitis is sometimes associated with peripheral neuropathy. It is a neural disorder that happens due to nerve damage or inflammation. It causes severe pain and even numbness. A randomized controlled trial conducted in 2020 demonstrated that topical application of CBD oil might help relieve neuropathic pain in patients with pancreatitis.

It Aids in Relieving Nausea and Vomiting

People with pancreatitis often complain of nausea and vomiting. CBD oil helps quell nausea and the urge to vomit by stimulating serotonin synthesis. Nuleaf Naturals, Joy Organics, Penguin CBD are some of the best CBD oils that are helpful in reducing the symptoms related to nausea. Anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD oil might effectively reduce nausea in humans. Anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD oil might effectively reduce nausea in humans. A 2020 animal study demonstrated reduced vomiting in rats with pancreatitis.

It Assists In Regulating Blood Sugar Levels

Chronic pancreatitis often makes the pancreas unable to produce an adequate amount of insulin to regulate our body's blood sugar level naturally. CBD oil helps relieve inflammation of pancreatic islets and improves insulin sensitivity. As a result, it helps increase insulin production and down-regulate the spike in blood glucose levels associated with chronic pancreatitis.

It Helps With Weight Management

As we mentioned earlier, patients with pancreatitis often experience excessive weight loss without trying. Studies have shown that consuming CBD oil can help improve appetite and help build up body weight.

Is It Safe To Consume CBD Oil For Pancreatitis?

CBD oil is generally well-tolerated by most people. However, consuming CBD oil is not entirely devoid of side effects. CBD oil can cause allergic reactions, especially in people who are hypersensitive to nuts, trees, and terpenes such as linalool and D-limonene.

A 2019 animal study suggests that consuming high doses of CBD can lead to liver damage. In addition, consuming CBD oil can cause side effects such as:

Loss of Appetite
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Dry mouth
Fatigue

Can Consuming CBD Oil Cause or Worsen Pancreatitis?

As of now, there are not many scientific studies that provide evidence that CBD can cause or worsen pancreatitis. However, a few case studies have been published that tell us that cannabis might relate to the development of pancreatitis.

A report published in 2018 reviewed a case of an 18-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with acute pancreatitis. She had a history of smoking cannabis twice weekly for the last two months.

Another case in 2019 reviewed a 25-year-old man hospitalized for acute pancreatitis. He is also reported to be a daily cannabis user. However, these studies do not validate any causal relation between CBD and pancreatitis.

Can You Consume CBD Oil With Other Medications?

Researchers have found that CBD might interact adversely with certain medications. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to avoid using CBD oil when taking any drug labeled with a "Grapefruit warning." Grapefruit and CBD interact similarly, i.e., inhibiting the cytochrome p450 enzyme, which hinders the metabolism. According to some evidence, CBD might interfere with the metabolism of the drugs used to manage pain and nausea associated with pancreatitis.

Let's Talk About The Dosage

According to experts, you can use CBD oil in multiple ways. You can mix it with any food or beverage or consume it directly. Sometimes, the application of CBD oil topically can help relieve neuropathic pain associated with pancreatitis.

Experts advise starting with a low dose of the edible CBD oil. If you have chronic pancreatitis, you may need moderate to high doses to help relieve the symptoms. You can increase the dose gradually as your body grows accustomed to the effects of CBD. Anecdotal evidence suggests that patients with pancreatitis might experience significant improvement in their condition after consuming 150 mg to 600 mg of CBD oil.

Conclusion

To conclude, there is mixed evidence about the association of pancreatitis with CBD oil. While some studies indicate that CBD oil might have some therapeutic effect on pancreatitis, a few case reports also suggest that CBD oil might worsen the condition. In general, consuming CBD oil is safe for patients with pancreatitis, but one may experience some side effects too.