Does CBD Oil Make You Lose Weight?

Written by Olena Lastivka

Written by Olena Lastivka

Olena is a nutrition and healthcare writer, runner, and gym enthusiast. She is keen on health and fitness research, modern studies on sports and nutrition, and various physical activities. 

on December 06, 2022

Medically reviewed by Dr. Olena Avdiievska, MD, RDN

Medically reviewed by Dr. Olena Avdiievska, MD, RDN

Dr. Olena Avdiievska is a nutritional and medical expert at Unimeal. She is an MD and RDN in Dietology and nutrition and a university professor with 76 scientific publications. 

Unimeal provides articles with trustworthy and experts-proved information. Our health content is reviewed by professional nutritionists and trainers to extract for users the most verified and medically checked data.

You've probably seen or heard that CBD or hemp oil is another extremely healthy superfood that can help you lose weight. Additionally, it has qualities that can even serve as medicine in some cases. Is it a new marketing ploy, and what does science say about CBD oil? In this article, we will discuss the properties, advantages, and disadvantages of this product. 

What is CBD (Hemp) oil?

CBD and hemp oil are two different things. Hemp oil is produced by pressing hemp seeds. CBD itself is an extract derived from the hemp plant. It is highly lipophilic, so the human body absorbs it only in combination with fats. 

Usually, manufacturers combine CBD extract and hemp oil to make the substance more effective. The basis of CBD oil contains CBD extract dissolved in oil (it is most often hemp oil or coconut oil). It can also include other ingredients depending on the form of the product and its purpose of use. 

CBD, unlike THC, is not a psychoactive element. It still interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is a part of the central nervous system. CBD also affects your body and is alleged to provide certain medical benefits without the adverse side effects of THC cannabinoids¹Lu HC, Mackie K. (2016, April 1). An Introduction to the Endogenous Cannabinoid System. Biol Psychiatry. DOI:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.028.

Can CBD help you lose weight?

Your calorie balance plays the main role in weight fluctuation. CBD oil primarily contains fats and is not even close to zero-calorie foods. However, it can make you consume fewer calories in general, as fats are very satiating. 

Better choose virgin hemp or CBD oil as it contains more useful nutritional elements from hemp seeds. They include Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc³U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Research Service. (2019, April 4). Seeds, hemp seed, hulled. USDA. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170148/nutrients. 

In addition, different brands might add Vitamin E, C, D, and B-complex (B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine). Vitamin-enriched CBD oils are especially common in vegan nutrition as plant food often lacks these components.  

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When to take CBD for weight loss? 

There is no scientific evidence that can support that CBD oil helps to lose weight. However, CBD oil can reduce food cravings if you tend to overeat for psychological reasons⁴Koch M. (2017, May 24). Cannabinoid Receptor Signaling in Central Regulation of Feeding Behavior: A Mini-Review. Front Neurosci. DOI:10.3389/fnins.2017.00293. 

CBD has shown controversial results when it comes to weight control management. Apart from being a very calorie-dense substance, it also can stimulate appetite, according to recent research⁵Legare, C. A., Raup-Konsavage, W. M. (2022). Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis, Cannabidiol, and Cannabinoid-Based Pharmaceuticals. Pharmacology. DOI:10.1159/000521683. 

If you want to make sure that you don't gain weight with CBD oil, mix it with vegetables, fruits, and other foods that contain minimum calories. 

CBD oil provides you with a decent amount of fats, so you can consume less food with a high fat content. Instead of just adding CBD oil to your nutrition, use it as a substitute for other oils.

See also:Top-10 Fatty Foods to Avoid in your Nutrition 

Who can take CBD oil?

The main reason for taking CBD oil should be a medical prescription or food preference, as there is no evidence that it contributes to weight loss. 

CBD oil is still a controversial topic in the medical community. Some researchers claim it can have more positive contributions with minimal side effects. Others are sure that CBD oil needs further research, especially for vulnerable groups of people, such as the elderly, children, and chronically ill people⁶Hazekamp A. (2018, June 12). The Trouble with CBD Oil. Medical cannabis and cannabinoids. DOI:10.1159/000489287. Therefore, this matter needs more exploration before we ran rely on the substance's short- and long-term effects. 

Here are some effects of CBD that you can use to your advantage: 

• It might enhance endurance. Research has shown that hemp oil benefits your cardiovascular system. However, CBD medications have adverse effects on heart disease treatment⁷Kicman, A., & Toczek, M. (2020, September 14). The Effects of Cannabidiol, a Non-Intoxicating Compound of Cannabis, on the Cardiovascular System in Health and Disease. International journal of molecular sciences. DOI:10.3390/ijms21186740. CBD-based drugs are also used in sports medicine to improve athletic results and treat concussions⁸Maurer, G. E., Mathews, N. M., Schleich, K. T., Slayman, T. G., & Marcussen, B. L. (2020, November/December). Understanding Cannabis-Based Therapeutics in Sports Medicine. Sports health. DOI:10.1177/1941738120956604. 
• It might reduce inflammation. It is used in medication in different combinations with other active components, although most studies suggest that this treatment needs more human trials⁹Burstein S. (2015, April 1). Cannabidiol (CBD) and its analogs: a review of their effects on inflammation. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry. DOI:10.1016/j.bmc.2015.01.059.
• It might enhance sleep quality. Scientists claim that CBD has an overlooked potential to control sleep-related brain rhythms and can treat pathological sleep conditions such as insomnia¹⁰Kesner, A. J., & Lovinger, D. M. (2020, July 22). Cannabinoids, Endocannabinoids and Sleep. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience. DOI:10.3389/fnmol.2020.00125. 
• It might relieve pain. CBD-based medication is considered an alternative for treating chronic pain, migraine, arthritic, cancer-related, and joint pain¹¹VanDolah, H. J., Bauer, B. A., & Mauck, K. F. (2019, September). Clinicians' Guide to Cannabidiol and Hemp Oils. Mayo Clinic proceedings. DOI:10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.01.003,¹²Svensson C. K. (2020 November-December). CBD for the treatment of pain: What is the evidence? American Pharmacists Association. DOI:10.1016/j.japh.2020.06.009,¹³Porter, B., Marie, B. S., Milavetz, G., & Herr, K. (2021, July). Cannabidiol (CBD) Use by Older Adults for Acute and Chronic Pain. Journal of gerontological nursing. DOI:10.3928/00989134-20210610-02.
• It might ameliorate epilepsy symptoms. CBD can control and soothe seizures of certain epilepsy types and is frequently prescribed by doctors¹⁴Arzimanoglou, A., Brandl, U., Cross, J. H., Gil-Nagel, A., Lagae, L., Landmark, C. J., Specchio, N., Nabbout, R., Thiele, E. A., Gubbay, O. (2020, February 1). Epilepsy and cannabidiol: a guide to treatment. Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape. DOI:10.1684/epd.2020.1141. However, usual CBD oil does not have the same effects.
• It might decrease depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. CBD has sedative effects, but research does not show enough evidence that it can control stress, anxiety, or mood. In addition, studies revealed that it could lead to both positive and negative results and therefore requires further observation¹⁵Spinella, T. C., Stewart, S. H., Naugler, J., Yakovenko, I., & Barrett, S. P. (2021, July). Evaluating cannabidiol (CBD) expectancy effects on acute stress and anxiety in healthy adults: a randomized crossover study. Psychopharmacology. DOI:10.1007/s00213-021-05823-w.
• It might reduce nausea. As CBD is usually combined with THC for treating nausea and vomiting, some patients experience adverse effects. They report side effects of cannabinoid substances and mostly prefer a placebo to the active ingredients, although the medication has some positive influence on the treatment process¹⁶Grimison, P., Mersiades, A., Kirby, A., Lintzeris, N., Morton, R., Haber, P., Olver, I., Walsh, A., McGregor, I., Cheung, Y., Tognela, A., Hahn, C., Briscoe, K., Aghmesheh, M., Fox, P., Abdi, E., Clarke, S., Della-Fiorentina, S., Shannon, J., Gedye, C., … Stockler, M. (2020, November). Oral THC:CBD cannabis extract for refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase II crossover trial. nnals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology. DOI:10.1016/j.annonc.2020.07.020.
• It might reduce symptoms of neuropsychotic disorders. CBD is used to slow down the development of Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. The studies reported good safety and tolerability, but further research is required to ensure maximum efficiency¹⁷Elsaid, S., Kloiber, S., & Le Foll, B. (2019). Effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in neuropsychiatric disorders: A review of pre-clinical and clinical findings. Progress in molecular biology and translational science. DOI:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2019.06.005.
• It might help treat psychiatric disorders. CBD is proven to have anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties. However, it is still a mild remedy compared to more advanced medication¹⁸Crippa, J. A., Guimarães, F. S., Campos, A. C., & Zuardi, A. W. (2018, September 21). Translational Investigation of the Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD): Toward a New Age. Frontiers in immunology. DOI:10.3389/fimmu.2018.02009. 
• It might treat opioid addiction. CBD has shown some positive results and significant potential in substance abuse management in recent studies¹⁹Karimi-Haghighi, S., Razavi, Y., Iezzi, D., Scheyer, A. F., Manzoni, O., & Haghparast, A. (2022, April 1). Cannabidiol and substance use disorder: Dream or reality. Neuropharmacology. DOI:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.108948.

CBD's therapeutic potential is currently being studied and examined in rodent and human trials. Most scholars refer to CBD potential and a big research field rather than specific and measurable results²⁰White C. M. (2019, July). A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol's (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential. Journal of clinical pharmacology. DOI:10.1002/jcph.1387. 

We strongly recommend having professional consultations and buying only prescribed medicine without resorting to self-medication. CBD medication is still illegal in some states and various countries because of insufficient research on safety issues and not enough comparative trials.  

How to use CBD oil?

You can add it to your salad instead of olive oil or any other oil. As long as you like the taste, you can use the oil in any cold dish.

Don't cook hot dishes using CBD oil, as it starts to lose its properties when exposed to temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, you should store it the right way. Otherwise, the oil might lose its properties. Most manufacturers recommend a cold, dry, and dark place. 

CBD oil in the form of balms, lotions, or creams can moisturize your skin but doesn't affect your weight or metabolism speed. It is also a popular vape refill, but this choice is definitely not healthy as it contains other ingredients that can harm your cardiopulmonary system.  

Let's summarize 

CBD oil can become a part of your healthy diet and even might help you get rid of some unpleasant symptoms, relieve pain, and soothe your mind. Virgin hemp oil contains many vitamins and minerals and can be considered a healthy food additive. 

However, its medical and therapeutical effects are not studied enough to conclude that it is a highly effective remedy. When prescribed by a medical professional, CBD can contribute to treating several diseases and medical conditions in tandem with other medical components. Remember that it is not a magic pill with no proven properties that can reduce your weight or drastically change your health condition.