When it comes to treating anxiety, is CBD better than THC?

CBD may offer short-term anxiety relief, according to a new study. Cannabinol had a greater impact on reducing anxiety than THC, marijuana's psychoactive compound.

• New research suggests that cannabinol, or CBD, may have potent anti-anxiety properties in the short term.
• CBD was found to be more effective at reducing anxiety than THC, which is the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
• Several questions remain unanswered about CBD due to legal issues, making controlled research difficult.

The plant contains cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol as well as THC and tetrahydrocannabinol. THC causes the plant to feel "high."

Hemp, a form of cannabis that contains only 0.3% THCTrusted Source, is the most commonly used source of CBD.

New research suggests that CBD-dominant forms of cannabis have significant anxiety-reducing properties. CBD's mental health benefits are becoming increasingly evident in research.

In the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoids, cannabis and cannabinoids research is published.CBD vs. THC for anxiety: a comparison

The number of Americans who suffer from anxiety disorders over the age of 18 exceeds 40 million each year. Research has examined cannabis as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders, but robust evidence is lacking on its efficacy.

CBD and THC were compared to see how they affected anxiety symptoms for the study. There were 300 people in the sample, 42 of whom had never ingested cannabis and 258 of whom had occasionally consumed it. In addition to the control group of non-users with anxiety symptoms, three groups of participants were created among the remaining participants.

One-third of the smokers consumed products containing 24% THC and 1% CBD. A second group of smokers smoked a product containing 24% CBD and 1% THC. The third group smoked cannabis flowers containing 12% CBD and 12% THC, with a one-to-one relationship between the two compounds.

Researchers required cannabis users to purchase their products from dispensaries. Neither the frequency of cannabis use nor the type of cannabis were asked. Researchers visited participants' homes during the 4-week trial period.

The researchers used the Profile of Mood States Elation, Tension, and Paranoia subscales and the Addiction Research Center Inventory intoxication scale to measure short-term, acute changes in anxiety immediately after smoking.

We used the Patient Global Impression of Change scale to measure less acute anxiety. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale are additional measures.

The non-cannabis group, however, showed the least improvement at the end of the study period. A significant anti-anxiety effect was also not observed in the group that possessed a higher THC concentration.

Among the CBD-dominant groups, the most profound improvement was observed. As compared to members of the other cannabis groups, participants in this study didn't experience tension or paranoia.

Although those who smoked CBD-rich cannabis did not feel impaired, they reported feeling less tense afterward. Furthermore, they experienced less paranoia than those in the other two cannabis groups following use.

What is the safety of CBD for anxiety?

CBD is generally considered safe in reasonable doses and tolerated by most people. There is, however, little regulation of CBD products, and there is little knowledge about how CBD treats anxiety.

It is possible to find CBD products containing 99% pure CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, or even full-spectrum CBD, though the percentage of cannabinoids may not be clear. Due to a lack of regulation, CBD product labels may only sometimes be accurate.

It is well known that CBD interacts poorly with some well-known medications, especially at high doses, which can cause liver complications. The first study author, Dr. L. Cinnamon Bidwell, PhD, said that people should consult their doctors whenever starting a new treatment, according to an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder's Institute of Cognitive Science.

Research about CBD's effects is lacking, according to Staci A. Gruber, PhD, director of McLean Hospital's MIND (Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery) and the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core.

Dr. Gruber told MNT that psychiatric and psychological conditions are generally not a problem or concern. What dose-finding studies have been done on that? Currently, we do not.

According to Natania Crane, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago and associate director of UIC Recovery Clinic, there is insufficient evidence to support CBD's use for mental health.

"Many people abuse THC-dominant cannabis, which is associated with worse mental health over time, whereas we know less about how CBD-dominant cannabis affects individuals with mental health disorders," Dr. Crane said.

Dr. Patricia Di Ciano, a University of Toronto assistant professor who was not involved in the study, pointed out that most CBD dosage is based on oral preparations such as oils. She told MNT that neither smoked nor vaped CBD is safe.

With increased consumer access to cannabis, CBD-dominant cannabis is becoming more widely available in smoked and vaped forms. There are harmful chemicals in smoked cannabis, and it is unknown whether vaping CBD poses any risks."

Dr. Patricia Di Ciano is an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Research challenges associated with cannabis

THC and CBD researchers face an uphill legal battle when trying to study their effects under controlled conditions.

INDs, or investigational new drugs, are inspected by the FDA and cannot be evaluated as pre-market drugs," Dr. Gruber said.

Researchers cannot legally administer cannabis products to study participants, she said, even if a trial subject buys 50 bottles of a commercial product.

As your study doctor, I cannot give you a drop of blood. As your friend, as your neighbor, I can give it to you, but as your study doctor, I cannot give you any," Dr. Gruber said. We all try very hard to develop models to assess real-world scenarios.

The efficacy of CBD for treating anxiety has not been studied in large-scale clinical trials, according to Dr. Di Ciano. She said that more science is needed to understand how CBD works and its potential as a treatment for mental illnesses.

Gruber explained that it may be the first study to examine the effects of different inhaled products based on real-world experience rather than lab experiments.

Study results are much more ecologically valid when real-world products are used," she said.

What is the shelf life of CBD?

According to Dr. Di Ciano, the length of time CBD remains in the body is still being determined.

According to her, regular users respond differently to THC and CBD than other users. A larger dose takes longer for the body to excrete, which is one of the reasons why dose size is important.

Getting the medication to the right place at the right time is important. In comparison to smoking or vaping THC, oral THC provides longer-lasting effects. Several hours can pass before the effects of oral THC wear off, according to Dr. Di Ciano.

Dr. Di Ciano added, "This is another reason why clinical trials are important for understanding the best dose, frequency, and route of THC and CBD in treating anxiety."

However, Bidwell noted that short-term tension reduction was associated with CBD-dominant flower consumption for 1–2 hours.

CBD for anxiety: is it a good idea?

Several factors indicate that CBD is not yet suitable for treating anxiety, according to experts.

There is a lot of misinformation about CBD. Dr. Gruber explained that a common misconception is that all products are created equal.

According to Dr. Di Ciano, The scientific evidence does not support the perception that CBD can help with several illnesses.

Dr. Di Ciano suggested that cannabis-based treatments be pursued under medical supervision.

As of now, it is probably best to take a conservative approach when it comes to cannabis use for anxiety.

"We should make CBD widely available under medical supervision if several clinical trials demonstrate its ability to treat anxiety in a wide range of populations in the long term," Dr. Ciano said.