CBD and Alcohol - Interactions and Potential Risks Explained

Both CBD and alcohol have a relaxing effect. This effect can be intensified when CBD and alcohol are consumed simultaneously, leading to greater fatigue. If you suffer from sleep problems, the increased relaxation effect can, of course, be quite positive for you.

CBD and alcohol can each lower blood pressure on their own, as both cause relaxation and widening of blood vessels. The combination of CBD and alcohol intensifies this effect.

However, blood pressure can also drop too low, which can lead to reduced blood and oxygen supply to the brain. The consequences are dizziness and drowsiness, even fainting. So you should definitely be careful and only mix small amounts of alcohol and CBD.

A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the interaction of CBD and alcohol found that the combination resulted in a lower blood alcohol level than alcohol consumption alone.

However, taking CBD cannot mitigate alcohol-related impairments and limitations (1). The idea that a mixture of CBD oil and alcohol can reduce attention and motor skill impairments caused by alcohol consumption is absolutely incorrect.

Too much alcohol consumption usually means a hangover the next morning: headaches, nausea, and vomiting are the unpleasant consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. These are symptoms where CBD could have a soothing effect.

The positive effect of the cannabinoid THC on nausea and headaches is well-known. It is suspected that the cannabinoid CBD, the non-intoxicating relative of THC, can also alleviate nausea and headaches. A study from Italy, presented in 2017, certainly shows the effectiveness of a mixed preparation of THC and CBD for migraine-related headaches (2).

Further studies on the effectiveness of CBD alone are needed on this topic, but: If you are hungover, you might recover faster by taking CBD later.

It has long been known and scientifically researched that long-term excessive alcohol consumption can lead to severe long-term consequences such as liver and brain damage. Studies on rodents and cell cultures have shown that CBD has neuroprotective effects.

This means it reduces damage to nerve cells in the brain (4). Thus, CBD could potentially also prevent alcohol-induced nerve damage. It is also possible that cannabinoids like CBD can counteract alcohol-induced liver damage: Scientists have shown through studies on mice that cannabidiol protects mouse livers from the development of alcoholic hepatitis (3).

As promising as this may sound, if you want to avoid the long-term consequences of alcohol, it is still best to abstain from excessive alcohol consumption.

The potential of CBD is also being investigated with regard to the treatment and aftercare of alcohol-dependent patients. Increased alcohol consumption over a longer period leads to dependence and creates cravings during alcohol-free phases—a dangerous spiral emerges.

Evidently, CBD weakens cravings, whether for alcohol or other drugs: Animal studies showed that alcohol- and cocaine-dependent rats receiving CBD consistently showed less interest in seeking their drug (5).

Furthermore, the animals treated with CBD suffered less from withdrawal seizures. These are interesting initial indications of the potential of CBD for combating alcohol addiction: CBD could both ease withdrawal and prevent relapses after successful withdrawal.

According to current knowledge, no impairments are to be expected when consuming small amounts of alcohol and CBD simultaneously. However, you should be careful with combining larger amounts of alcohol with CBD: you must expect a mutual potentiation of the relaxing and blood pressure-lowering effects of both products.

Thus, there is a possibility that a shared consumption may lead to greater fatigue, and the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness increases due to lowered blood pressure. Learn more here about potential side effects of CBD and how you can counteract them.

As a remedy for hangover symptoms like headaches and nausea, CBD – taken retrospectively – may prove beneficial. In any case, you should pay attention to quality when selecting your CBD products to avoid unwanted side effects.

There are also interesting indications regarding the therapy of alcohol-dependent individuals – both concerning secondary diseases and withdrawal and relapse risk. The interest in the potential of CBD in connection with alcohol has been piqued in many professional circles.

This leads to more and more studies being initiated and conducted to better understand the interaction and to better describe the therapeutic efficacy of CBD.