Busting a CBD Myth: Does CBD Give You Munchies

It’s no secret that CBD oil can help with various issues, from anxiety to chronic pain. But does CBD give you munchies just like marijuana? 

You might be surprised, but CBD does not give you the munchies in the traditional sense that THC does. However, it does stimulate our appetite. Want to know how? Keep on reading to find out. 

THC, CBD, and Feeling Hungry

The munchies are caused by THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. THC activates certain receptors in our brain, including the CB1 receptors. These receptors regulate our mood, pain perception, and appetite.

When THC binds to these receptors, it causes an increase in appetite. This is why people who smoke marijuana often experience munchies. THC also stimulates the release of ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone.

So, will CBD make you hungry? No, it won’t. Cannabidiol does not activate CB1 receptors. Neither does it cause the release of the ghrelin hormone. 

However, CBD can still affect our appetite in different ways!

How CBD Stimulates Our Appetite

Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t affect the hormones in our brain linked to hunger. Instead, it can help your body better manage food intake.

So how does it make you hungry? 

By Reducing Nausea Symptoms

Based on a few studies and anecdotal evidence on CBD for nausea and appetite, CBD helps people deal with the feeling of sickness, which means that the basic hunger mechanisms in your body are free to operate. 

As a result, someone who was previously feeling sick will be more inclined to eat food and like it.

By Improving Your Gastrointestinal Health 

Cannabinoids have been shown in numerous studies to benefit gastrointestinal health, particularly concerning IBD and gastric discomfort. Therefore, by improving our gastrointestinal health, CBD can also stimulate our appetite.

Will CBD Make You Gain Weight?

Since there is not much research on CBD and weight gain, we can’t say for certain if CBD will make you gain weight. However, some studies suggest that one of the most prevalent CBD side effects is appetite change.

For example, a study conducted on children with epilepsy indicates that CBD oil increased hunger in 30% of the youngsters. 

At the same time, similar studies show CBD also has the potential to decrease appetite. For example, a 3-month study conducted on 23 children diagnosed with Dravet syndrome shows that taking 11.4 mg of CBD per pound of body weight can both increase and decrease appetite.

To sum things up, we are still far from understanding the correlation between CBD and weight gain since more research on humans is needed.

Will CBD Make You Lose Weight? 

While CBD is not a weight-loss or appetite-suppressing supplement, in some cases, it may help you with your diet.  

How can CBD help you lose weight?

CBD Can Boost Your Metabolism 

Based on the studies, CBD appears to lower food intake by boosting metabolism. 

For example, one animal study suggests that injecting 1.1 and 2.3 mg of CBD (per pound of body weight) can reduce the body weight in rats. 

Another CBD appetite study implies that CBD may reduce food intake. On that note, you should take these studies with a grain of salt since they were conducted on animals, i.e., there’s a lack of human studies. 

CBD Converts White Fat Into Brown Fat

There are two types of fat in our bodies — white and brown. White fat is the “bad” kind that can lead to obesity and various health issues. Brown fat, on the other hand, is considered “good” fat because it burns calories to generate heat.

Studies show CBD may help convert white fat to brown fat. This process is known as “browning.” Browning helps decrease the amount of white fat in our bodies, leading to weight loss.

That said, the most recent human clinical study on CBD and appetite shows a new organic hemp extract called Nitro-V™ (it contains rare Varin cannabinoids CBDV and THCV) helped 100 of 100 human subjects lose 22 pounds in 90 days. 

In addition, the study showed a 61% hunger decrease and 40% fewer food cravings. 

So, will CBD help you lose weight? It might. Should you use CBD for appetite loss? It won’t hurt to add CBD to your diet. Some brands such as SunMed even introduced special products for the purpose.

However, since we lack more studies on the subject, if you want to slim down, we recommend doing things the old-fashioned way — by changing your diet and by working out.

Will CBD Make You Thirsty?

The most common side effects of CBD are dry mouth, drowsiness, and gastrointestinal issues. So, yes, after taking CBD, your mouth and eyes might become very dry. While “cotton mouth” is more typical with THC, it can also occur with CBD.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to combat dry mouth when using CBD as appetite stimulant.

First, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. You can also try chewing gum or sucking on hard candy. These will stimulate your saliva production and help to keep your mouth from feeling too dry.

And finally, you can never go wrong with herbal teas.  

Conclusion

To sum things up, there is no such thing as CBD munchies. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t activate CB1 receptors in our brain. However, CBD may still stimulate our appetite.  

In some cases, it may help us eat less and lose weight, while, in others, it might make us hungrier, thus aiding weight gain. 

So far, the research on cannabidiol and appetite is inconclusive. More studies on humans are needed to determine how cannabidiol affects our appetite.

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About the Author

Marina Avramovic

Marina is a content writer and a film-maker who spends most of her time in front of the computer, writing articles and blog posts on various subjects, learning fictional languages or editing avant-garde movies. This compulsive penchant for learning new ways of dreaming and writing became her dream job. When she's not obsessing about work she tries to cook, read dystopian novels and go on adventures with her dog.

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