Can CBD Oil Be Used For Weight Loss? 

Top diet trends such as Keto, intermittent fasting, Paleo, etc. come and go, creating a $72.6 billion market for the weight loss industry. While many dieting plans fail to achieve what they promise, CBD has become the best-kept secret for anyone struggling with obesity and its consequences.

No one wants to hear that their eating and exercise habits will likely lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, bad cholesterol, infertility, sleep apnea, and cancer. Yet, an estimated 41.9% of American adults are obese, putting them at-risk for the health problems listed above.  

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Below we’ll break down the top points to understanding CBD oil and weight loss. 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is found in cannabis and is one of 104 cannabinoids that can be extracted from the plant. Since it is a natural remedy for everything from anxiety to weight loss, it can be removed and added to a carrier oil for human consumption or topical use.

However, CBD is often confused with another popular cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is also found in cannabis. Unlike CBD, THC is psychoactive and produces the "high" and mind-altering effect of recreational marijuana. Although they both come from the same plant, CBD and THC have very different effects on the human body. In fact, when CBD is consumed along with THC, it can make the THC less effective. 

Oil is not the only carrier used for CBD products but it is the most common. Other products such as lotions, dietary supplements, drinks, and gummy bears can contain CBD, as well as balms and similar topicals. Distributors will vary in the exact amount of CBD in their products, which is why looking at lab test results for the CBD you purchase is so important. 

The endocannabinoid system consists of a tightly packed network of cellular receptors, endocannabinoids, and enzymes located throughout the human body. It regulates important body functions such as:

• core temperature
• pain
• immune responses
• emotional processing
• learning and memory
• cardiovascular function
• sleep
• stress
• inflammatory reactions
• lipid synthesis
• glucose metabolism
• appetite and digestion

Research shows that CBD works on these various systems by serving as an anandamide inhibitor, mood enhancer, and immunosuppressive. In short, it helps your body to increase and maintain serotonin levels, which promote happiness and a sense of well-being. It also works to suppress autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and lupus.

Primarily, your endocannabinoid system kicks in to bring your body back to homeostasis when something occurs to throw it off, such as an injury or illness. In this way, it regulates your internal environment to help it find stability, which is a benefit to anyone trying to lose weight and keep the weight off. 

If you’re tired of diets that are a struggle to maintain, CBD oil could be the perfect solution for you. It helps control your hormone levels and stimulates your body’s metabolism, making it a great addition to your weight loss plan.

What’s important to understand is that losing weight is more than just cutting calories. It also involves correcting hormonal imbalances and stabilizing your metabolism, which is achieved through the endocannabinoid system we discussed earlier.

In short, CBD provides fuel to your endocannabinoid system, which then works to balance digestion and inflammation responses. When these responses aren't balanced, your body will be less able to process insulin and work the way in which it is designed to work. 

Since your body’s ability to absorb glucose also affects weight loss and gain, other studies point to CBD’s potential to speed up this process. In fact, it works better than metformin, which is commonly prescribed as a treatment for obesity-related insulin resistance.

If you are looking for a non-stimulate appetite suppressant, CBD is an excellent option. In one study, researchers found that doses of CBD produced a significant decrease in body weight gain for rats by regulating their appetite.

Although science is still evolving, researchers believe that CBD stimulates leptin production, which is the hormone that signals to your brain that you are full. The result is feeling full faster and reducing calorie intake to help increase weight loss.  

Another way CBD helps with your weight loss goals is by converting waxy white fat into brown fat, which burns faster. Brown fat also breaks down glucose while white fat is stored to be used later, leading to obesity. So CBD increases your body’s ability to break down body fat, while simultaneously raising your core temperature and metabolic rate.

While you might associate CBD with increased lethargy due to its calming effects, scientists have recently found that it also works as an energy enhancer at lower doses. Although increased energy doesn’t directly help you in your weight loss goals, it will help you stay motivated to move and exercise—both great ways to slim down and feel your best. 

Your body’s metabolism rate is how fast it expends energy. If you have a fast metabolism, you’ll burn more calories throughout the day, even if your body is at rest. This obviously helps you to lose weight faster and with less effort.

Research shows that CBD increases the metabolism of glucose within your body, which reduces lipids and fats and helps you reach your weight-loss goals faster. Over time and with more research, CBD can potentially treat obesity-related insulin resistance and diabetes. Many studies on how CBD affects rats and mice have already taken place, but research on the effects of CBD on human subjects faces challenges due to federal regulation of cannabis. 

Another way that CBD helps you lose weight is by controlling cortisol and other stress hormones that can trigger overeating. Cortisol keeps fat around your midsection, so reducing its levels with CBD oil can be a game-changer in your weight-loss strategy. 

Obesity increases inflammation in the body, which leads to pain when completing simple daily tasks. Some overweight people feel pain and soreness from just getting up in the morning or moving from a sitting position on the floor to a standing one. It can turn into a chronic situation that makes it difficult to stay motivated to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.   

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, CBD provides natural pain relief and can be administered for pain through topical balms for immediate relief. Ingesting CBD oil provides a general reduction in pain throughout the entire body, making it a favorite for anyone who wants to manage chronic pain without the use of opioids. As a non-pharmacological and natural pain reliever, CBD doesn't lead to addiction like opioids and mixes well with other prescribed medications

The best part about consuming CBD for weight loss is there are so many options available. You can pick your favorite or try all of them to see which best fits your lifestyle. 

• Oil capsules. These are great to ensure you’re taking the correct dosage.
• CBD oil drops. You can put these drops in your morning smoothie or coffee or consume them directly by mouth. If you don’t like the taste, try putting it in what you eat, such as salad dressings, wraps, oven-baked food, or even stir-fries to keep in your daily diet.  
• Topical creams or balms. If you feel pain or inflammation in a certain area, you can target it directly with a CBD-infused cream or balm.
• Gummies. Discrete and sweet, gummies are a fun way to consume CBD.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as with any other supplements. It's important to start slowly and increase your dosage gradually until you find what works best for you. Here are some tips to find the correct dosage!

Keeping a journal to document your weight loss journey is also a powerful way to help you progress. You can use this to determine the exact dose of CBD oil you need and to document how your body reacts to it. A journal also allows you to see your daily progress and record your weight loss to keep you encouraged when it seems to be happening too slowly. 

The best place to find CBD oil products for weight loss is online. A reputable distributor should provide lab results that show the exact amount of CBD that is in their products, as well as other by-products that you might not want to consume. Seeing these lab results is always the best way to ensure you are purchasing a product that contains unadulterated CBD, and to know if there is any amount of THC, Delta-8, Delta-10 or other cannabinoids that could be present. 

We added in some frequently asked questions on CBD and weight loss for your convenience and to refer back to over time, including: 

Yes. The 2018 Farm Bill redefined the use of hemp to allow for legal use. Any hemp-derived product under 0.3% THC is legal to possess, sell, and consume. However, any product over 0.3% THC is still considered to be marijuana and is federally illegal. It’s important to check your state guidelines to better understand how your state classifies CBD products in relation to the legal percentage of products containing THC. 

CBD oil is safe for weight loss but be wary of buying from a distributor who doesn't offer lab test results for the products they sell. If the distributors offer third-party tested lab results, it's even better, since you can rest assured you're getting a quality product when consuming CBD. 

Research studying the effects of CBD on a developing fetus or breastfed baby has not been comprehensive. This is why the FDA suggests that mothers should not consume CBD while pregnant or breastfeeding. 

The amount of weight you can lose while taking CBD will depend on your body's unique metabolism and other factors, such as exercise and diet. As with any diet, it takes several weeks before you start to notice the pounds come off with CBD. This is another reason why keeping a journal can be helpful in tracking your progress. 

Consuming CBD provides many health benefits, including increasing your metabolism, lowering your blood sugar, and helping you lose stubborn weight and belly fat. Added to that, it gives you energy, reduces appetite, and decreases inflammation—all great things when weight loss is your goal. 

If you haven't experienced CBD oil for yourself, contact us today to learn more about how to include this powerful cannabinoid in your weight loss regimen. We'd love to share our knowledge and expertise in all things related to CBD.