So, how can CBD oil increase your appetite? The answer to this question can be a bit confusing so, let’s take it step by step.
Some say CBD oil increases appetite. Others say it doesn’t since CBD doesn’t directly bind to the cannabinoid receptor type 1, the receptor responsible for regulating or modulating our appetite. The increased appetite called “the munchies” is caused by THC, the major psychoactive cannabinoid, when it stimulates this cannabinoid receptor.
However, CBD works on several receptors that relieve many symptoms affecting our appetite. While CBD doesn’t necessarily make you hungry, it indirectly helps improve your food intake by relieving the symptoms that prevent you from enjoying food or keeping it in.
Factors That Affect Appetite
Before we discuss the effects of CBD on appetite, let’s first go over the many factors that can affect it. These include:
- Mental health issues such as depression, grief, anxiety, stress, and eating disorders
- Chronic medical conditions such as gastrointestinal problems, chronic arthritis pain, cancer, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease, kidney problems, liver diseases, and chemical or hormonal imbalance
- Medications you’re taking
- Pregnancy
- Bacterial and viral infections that affect the gastrointestinal system
Your age, environment, diet, and even lifestyle habits (smoking, drug use, or excessive alcohol consumption) can also affect your appetite.
If left untreated, poor appetite can worsen your medical condition. It can even cause additional problems such as weight loss, fatigue, and malnutrition.
The Endocannabinoid System and Appetite
The endocannabinoid system is made up of two receptors — cannabinoid receptor types 1 and 2. These receptors are found all over the body, especially in the immune system, brain, spinal cord, and major organ systems like the gastrointestinal system.
Now, cannabinoid receptor type 1 helps regulate appetite. When THC activates this receptor, it can produce a cannabis phenomenon called ‘the munchies.” This is the feeling of enhanced appetite and hunger even if you’ve just had a meal and you’re full and not particularly hungry.
THC triggers the release of a special appetite-stimulating hormone called ghrelin. This effect overrides the brain’s signal for satiation. Simply put, THC’s activation of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 tricks our brain into thinking that we’re starving and need food, even though we’re full.
CBD doesn’t have this potent appetite-stimulating effect on the cannabinoid receptor type 1 simply because CBD doesn’t bind very well to this receptor.
However, CBD activates many receptors that relieve symptoms. This includes the cannabinoid receptor type 2 which helps modulate inflammation. Symptom relief, in turn, can help improve your appetite.
The Many Ways CBD Can Help Boost Appetite
CBD may not be able to stimulate appetite like THC powerfully does. But CBD produces many therapeutic effects that can indirectly boost appetite.
Below are the many ways CBD can help increase your appetite.
By Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Negative emotions like chronic stress and anxiety always trigger our fight or flight response, releasing and increasing the cortisol levels in the brain and in the bloodstream. Cortisol is a known appetite suppressant. By suppressing appetite, we can shift our energy and focus in responding to the stressor and protecting ourselves.
CBD has a powerful relaxing effect on the mind and the body when it activates the serotonin and vanilloid receptors. It helps ease stress and control our anxiety. By controlling these negative emotions, our appetite level can go back to normal.
By Reducing Pain
Chronic pain can decrease our appetite. After all, it’s hard to muster enough appetite when pain distracts us from eating properly.
A throbbing toothache, a splitting headache, painful muscles and joints, worsening stomach pain, cancer pain — all these can prevent you from enjoying the food you eat.
Now, CBD has powerful analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory effects when it binds to the serotonin, adenosine, vanilloid, and glycine receptors. Its activation of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 also produces an anti-inflammatory effect that can reduce swelling and decrease pain.
These CBD effects help not only with headaches, toothaches, and arthritis pain but treat-resistant pain as well like cancer pain and severe migraine attacks. It can also help relieve stomach pain, allowing you to enjoy your food better.
By Controlling Nausea and Vomiting
Many medical conditions can cause nausea and vomiting, both of which can decrease our appetite. These include migraine, intestinal problems, liver failure, heart failure, Crohn’s Disease, ear infections, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallstones, cancer, and depression.
Some medications may also cause nausea and vomiting. These include ibuprofen, antibiotics, antidepressants, opioid-based drugs, and chemotherapy drugs.
CBD helps relieve nausea and vomiting when it interacts with the serotonin receptor. It calms the brain center responsible for these biological responses, and it also controls gaping responses or reactions caused by cues.
These are just some of the ways that CBD can help improve your appetite. By itself, CBD doesn’t trigger hunger as THC does. It can’t bind that well to the cannabinoid receptor type 1. However, CBD relieves many symptoms that prevent you from enjoying food. By controlling them, you gain some of your appetite back.
Where to Buy CBD Oil in Canada
You can easily buy CBD oil in Canada in-store and online, but buying online gives you more options, especially when it comes to different brands and varying potencies. Just be extra cautious when you buy from online shops since CBD’s popularity has also given rise to many CBD scammers.
To avoid CBD scammers, always look for the CBD oil’s certificate of analysis or laboratory test result. This shows you the quality, potency, and safety of the product. It lets you know of the product’s cannabinoid content and if it contains contaminants like heavy metals, toxic residues, and even harmful microorganisms. Make sure, too, that the laboratory test was done by a credible third-party facility. Reading reviews about CBD oil also helps you reach a more informed decision.
Our CBD company, ICARIA, is considered one of the most trusted and reliable providers of CBD oil in Canada. All our products make use of organic CBD sourced from non-GMO, 100% natural industrial hemp grown in Northern America. Our CBD products also underwent testing by a verified laboratory facility, and their results came back negative for any traces of contaminants.
To know more about ICARIA, please visit our review page or drop us a line. We’d love to connect with you.
