Does CBD Make You Hungry?
Everyone knows that smoking pot makes you hungry. The movies and comedy routines of the recent past have made sure of that. But what is the difference in hunger between hemp-derived CBD products and the munchy effects of marijuana use? As you may already know, CBD does not include the full range of cannabinoids and terpenes of the smokable marijuana flower. Instead, it is refined from hemp plants that feature CBD almost exclusively with THC found only in very small traces.
The body reacts to isolated CBD differently than it does to marijuana. Most notably, CBD does not have a psychoactive effect of THC that gets you “high”. But your real question today is: “Will CBD make me hungry?”
CBD Does Not Make You Hungry
We don’t want to hide the lead so your quick answer is going to be: No. CBD does not directly influence your appetite or level of hunger. In fact, it doesn’t even include the part of the plant that makes marijuana cause the legendary hunger. While CBD has several profound physical benefits, causing an increased appetite is not among them.
The Legend of the Munchies
Most people ask this question because they’ve heard of “the Munchies” from smoking or consuming marijuana buds. The munchies are real, but you won’t find them with CBD. Marijuana use triggers both the CB1 and CB2 receptors inside the human body which interact with the immune, digestive, and nervous system at various points. When the CB1 receptor is triggered, it can block messages to the brain saying that you’re full and no longer hungry. This can cause marijuana users to continuously seek out snacks. AKA: The legendary Munchies.
THC is the Culprit
For those of you familiar with CBD science, you may already know that CBD doesn’t interact with the CB1 receptors. That job is done by the THC part of the formula. When THC enters the body, it triggers the CB 1 receptors that cause a significant spike in appetite and feelings of hunger.
However, CBD products have only minimal traces of THC. Refined CBD has no THC at all. Therefore, it cannot cause the hunger effects that are traditionally expected from cannabis products.
CBD Has No Direct Effect on Appetite
In addition, CBD has no direct chemical or metabolic effect on the appetite at all. While interacting with CB2 receptors, CBD can act as an anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxer, and pain relief. But it does not notably increase or decrease your appetite or feelings of hunger.
What If I Want CBD to Make Me Hungry?
Now here’s an interesting question. Many people actually look to CBD as a non-intoxicating treatment to help increase their appetite. There are a wide variety of medical conditions that make it uncomfortable or undesirable to eat. Your appetite may have disappeared or you may experience gut pain that his prohibitive to eating.
Interestingly, CBD can help you. But not in the way you might expect. While CBD does not directly increase your appetite, it can result in a higher appetite and more comfort in eating through other beneficial effects.
CBD Can Promote a Healthy Appetite
CBD does not cause the munchies, but it can do something better. Munchies can cause one to eat beyond healthy fullness. CBD can help to restore your natural healthy appetite so that you eat exactly the right amount.
It does this by reducing the discomfort of eating and relaxing tension in your body so that digestion can happen more easily.
Easing Muscular Tension and Anxiety
CBD is most notably used as a way to relax the body. It eases a number of symptoms that can make eating difficult. CBD acts as a muscle relaxer so that a stomach ‘tied in knots’ can relax and digest. CBD is also used to treat anxiety so that someone holding themselves too tensely or experiencing too much anxiety to eat can finally unwind and enjoy a meal.
CBD as Pain Relief
Pain is a very common reason for someone to have difficulty eating. Chronic pain can make us tense up, and tension can make it difficult to swallow or for your body to digest. Feeling sick all the time from tolerating pain can sour the stomach.
CBD dulls the sensations of pain both locally and in the brain. As the pain ebbs off, patients have a chance to relax and experience relief. This relief can bring back a normal and healthy appetite as the body asks for the nutrients it needs to heal.
Healing Damaged Digestive Systems
The CB1 receptors are also intimately involved in the digestive system, promoting a mild balance of chemicals and good blood flow throughout. Over time. CBD users have found that the supplement can help to promote recovery of gut disorders and injuries. If you experience pain digesting due to ulcers, leaky gut, IBS, and other related conditions.
Eating Right with CBD
Once CBD has eased the negative symptoms impacting your appetite, it may return with a healthy force. You may again be able to eat comfortably and tell when you are hungry or full with accuracy. CBD doesn’t need to have specific appetite enhancing qualities to help you achieve more enjoyable meals and a healthy level of calorie intake each day.
CBD’s Effect on Appetite and Hunger
In conclusion, CBD supplements without THC do not have the power to increase your feelings of hunger or to increase your appetite outside of feeling hungry. Instead, the health benefits you may achieve with CBD can do something even healthier. You can reveal your natural appetite and increase your ability to eat comfortably.
Your natural appetite will lead you to the foods your body needs to heal and will send the right stop-signal when you’re full and ready to digest. CBD is great for easing tension, anxiety, and pain that is getting in the way of eating without causing you to over-eat as a side-effect of the relief. Instead, you will feel your natural appetite returning and a desire to eat the right amount for your body and energy use. For more insights into how CBD and other supplements work with the body, contact us today!
