Last Updated on January 19, 2021 by Maxwell Harris
One of the main questions that people using CBD ask is, “If I take CBD products regularly, can I build a tolerance?”
Tolerance is a state where you need more of a product to get to a state of satisfaction or benefit that you could achieve with a smaller amount initially. In simpler terms, tolerance is when you start to see fewer benefits from an amount that was formerly effective.
The concerns about building up a tolerance to CBD stem from the fact that it is closely related to cannabis, since it is, in fact, part of it.
CBD vs THC
THC is a psychoactive component found in cannabis. THC is responsible for building up tolerance in users as it binds to the endocannabinoid receptors within the body. These receptors impact the immune and nervous system as well as the mood. THC’s strength binds to the receptors is responsible for the tolerance built in the long term. The body requires more of the THC to gain the same benefits, hence the addictive elements. Since CBD does not contain THC, it means that users cannot build a tolerance over the product. This means that there are no long term effects like tolerance with CBD.
Read more: CBD vs THC: what exactly is the difference?
Unlike marijuana, when it comes to CBD, instead of tolerance to CBD, there is an issue known as reverse tolerance. Reverse tolerance is also referred to as drug sensitization. It is where you need less of a product like CBD oil to get the same benefits as previously. With CBD, you develop reverse tolerance, the more you use the CBD product. The CBD dosage you need keeps decreasing slowly over time. This type of tolerance happens because CBD, through its many products like CBD oil, works by increasing receptor activity within the body because of the lack of THC.
Therefore, the answer to the question is, “No, you cannot develop tolerance to CBD.”
Does CBD Help Lower Tolerance?
Taking cannabinoids is risky because the body builds tolerance over time. Introducing THC to the body regularly causes the body to become saturated with the component, especially in the endocannabinoid system. As mentioned earlier, it binds with the system each time it is introduced to it. However, as tolerance continues to build with time, the system becomes saturated with the element, hence causing tolerance. The brain becomes desensitized and less receptive to the cannabinoid products.
However, tolerance and its effects are not permanent. This means that it can be reversed. This is because the cannabinoid receptors in the body are not inclined to bind with the THC introduced to it. Therefore, there is no reason why the body should reject letting go of the components’ saturation. It is also possible to reverse the effects of the product and the resulting tolerance because the body can survive without the element’s benefits.
There isn’t a better way to get over tolerance than using another cannabinoid product like CBD. Therefore, CBD and its products like CBD oil can lower tolerance because it has some similarities with other cannabinoid products. The main difference is that it does not have THC, which causes tolerance in the first place. However, they are both sourced from the cannabis plant.
While CBD may be helpful when it comes to lowering tolerance to cannabis, it takes time. It is natural for the body to experience withdrawal symptoms from not using regular products. Withdrawal symptoms like mood swings and anxiety cannot be avoided, among other physical and psychological effects.
To keep the effects on a minimum, you may require to partake in cannabinoid cycling. Cannabinoid cycling is where you often change between CBD and THC-rich products. This CBD cycling helps to supplement the endocannabinoid system with different products. Doing so helps to diminish the desensitization of the system hence lowering tolerance.
Additionally, CBD, through products like CBD oil, has the opposite effect in the endocannabinoid system. As mentioned above, CBD causes reverse tolerance. Therefore, this can be very beneficial when it comes to lowering tolerance from other cannabinoids. CBD does so by promoting endocannabinoid tone, which hinders tolerance. This is where the system is thrown out of sync, and the receptors are desensitized.
Additionally, CBD acts as an antagonist as it reduces the binding affinity of the receptors. This makes them unresponsive to other forms of cannabinoids. CBD helps the body to manufacture endocannabinoids on its own. When the body does so, it doesn’t require the elements from an outside source, hence the aspect of reverse tolerance.
Does CBD Really Do Anything?
The effects of CBD in the body are mostly centered on the endocannabinoid system. The system is made up of cannabinoid receptors that are found throughout the body, and they are responsible for regulating different purposes within the body. Such purposes include affecting mood, appetite, and memory, among others. When CBD is introduced to the endocannabinoid system through products like CBD oil, it has direct impacts. For instance, CBD inhibits the production of FAAH, whose role is to break down and weakens anandamide. Anandamide is important in the generation of pleasure and motivation. An increase in anandamide increases the generation of the positive effects mentioned above, which is a benefit of CBD.
CBD also influences the FABD, which transports enzymes to be broken down and metabolized by FAAH. Interfering in the transportation process results in less anandamide metabolism hence increasing its concentration and the resulting benefits of CBD.
Additionally, CBD binds to the G-protein receptors within the body. The role of the receptors is to regulate pain, temperature, and inflammation. By binding CBD with these receptors, CBD helps to relieve inflammation and pain. For this reason, taking CBD is recommended for medical purposes because of its impacts on the human’s physical and mental state. Taking CBD products like CBD oil can help relieve pain and manage mental disorders like depression and anxiety.
Can You Become Dependant on CBD?
Now that the issue of CBD tolerance is answered, the next obvious question surrounds dependency. CBD tolerance and dependence are entirely different things. Dependency is, however, closely related to addiction, and the same cannot be said about tolerance. It is natural to experience some side effects when you use CBD products for the first time, as CBD is a foreign substance to your body. However, CBD is not a psychoactive product. This implies that CBD does not affect the ECS receptors significantly. CBD helps the body to produce endocannabinoids. Therefore, you can’t become dependent on CBD oil.