Can CBD Be Used as a Weight Loss Strategy?
Being overweight and obesity cause many health challenges, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, mental illness and pain. Individuals gain weight as a result of physical activity types and levels, medications and their diets, genetics and other factors. However, getting rid of the weight can be a challenge. Recent research has asked, “can CBD affect metabolism and encourage weight loss?”
Research on CBD and Weight
Frontiers in Neuroscience published a study on CBD and appetite, showing that rats injected with CBD ate and weighed less at the end of the study. Additional rat studies from Psychopharmacology supported these results.
In addition, research on CBD and obesity has shown positive results. For example, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who ingested cannabis several times per week had a 14-17% obesity rate, while a 22-25% rate was found in individuals who had not ingested marijuana in the previous 12 months. Unfortunately, other research found that this substance may actually cause weight gain.
The body has both white and brown fat cells. Brown fat cells, which generate heat to burn calories, are healthy, while too many white fat cells, which store energy, cause disease. One study published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry tested CBD and brown fat cells, finding that this cannabinoid actually helps white cells turn brown.
The endocannabinoid system regulates most physiological systems in the body, which can significantly affect weight, pain, mental health and substance abuse tendency. Research on the endocannabinoid system and CBD oil have shown positive results.
CBD has many potential health benefits, but its effect on weight loss is unclear. Despite the research on contributors to weight gain and loss, appetite control, metabolism and other weight-related functions, additional research is necessary to directly link CBD to weight loss.
