Are you looking for a way to lose weight and have you heard that CBD has slimming effects? CBD seems to have become the natural remedy for so many of the ills that plague modern society.
Is this really the case?
CBD, whose full name is cannabidiol, is an active ingredient naturally produced by the hemp plant with innumerable properties. It can make pain and inflammation go away, treat insomnia, improve mood, calm anxiety and stress, and is also said to greatly affect appetite.
It is one of over a hundred cannabinoids produced by cannabis, but this one stands out in particular because it encapsulates the efficacy of dozens of plants.
And you know what the bright side is?
Unlike its fellow THC, CBD is not psychoactive. Therefore, it is able to treat multiple conditions without providing any sensation of a high.
In this article, we will look at the slimming effects of CBD, better understand why there is a correlation between this natural substance and weight, and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Let’s find out now what action it has on the human organism and why we talk about the slimming effects of CBD.
Relationship between CBD and weight management
The first question that arises is: how does CBD interact with body weight? It is quickly said, this is through the endocannabinoid system.
This is a system that all vertebrates possess, so it is specific to both humans and animals. The discovery of this system has allowed scientists to explain the functioning of so many cognitive and physiological functions such as anxiety, stress, sleep, pain, movement, and of course appetite.
Everyone’s body, including yours, already naturally produces cannabinoid-like chemicals called endocannabinoids. When it produces enough of them, everything works as it should. But there are times when it produces less than usual and it is in these situations that you may notice imbalances in your body such as excessive anxiety or difficulty sleeping.
Cannabinoids, having a very similar chemical composition, can compensate for this lack. CBD, of course, has this power and by interacting with the receptors of the endocannabinoid system, it is able to rebalance imbalances.
Among many, it can also interact with weight, which is regulated by that very system. By the way, the slimming effects of CBD manifest themselves in several ways, let’s see them now.
Does CBD have slimming effects? What science says
As we said before, CBD has numerous effects in addition to its slimming effects. This means that it works on this condition on several levels.
First of all, CBD reduces anxiety, stress and depression that can cause munchies. When you are stressed, you may have noticed that you tend to eat uncontrolled comfort foods that are very often bad for you and so-called junk food.
But let’s continue, CBD treating insomnia allows you to be more active during waking hours and this means having more energy and burning more calories.
And again, working as an anti-inflammatory, it is able to reduce both extensive and localised inflammation. Very often where there is inflammation there is also fat accumulation and CBD can thus solve two problems at once.
But, in addition to this, science has also discovered that CBD is able to act on the metabolism by speeding it up and is even able to transform the fat inside your body, thus promoting weight loss.
Let’s see what the research has to say about this.
CBD affects metabolism
At the beginning of the article we said that CBD affects weight because it interacts with receptors of the endocannabinoid system. There are two receptors in the system, CB1 and CB2.
Research on the anti-obesity effect of the CB2 receptor agonist on rats (the agonist is the molecule that activates the receptors) explains how CBD affects weight. The CB2 receptor is immunomodulatory and also plays a role in energy homeostasis. During the study, the CB2 receptor was chronically stimulated on food intake, body weight and mood. By interacting with this receptor, CBD therefore affects weight.
But how exactly does CBD make one lose weight when there are so many cannabinoids in the cannabis plant?
Another study on cannabidiol and its effects on rats explains this. This was the first experiment in which the power of cannabidiol to increase nutrition by reducing food intake was revealed. In the trial CBD reduced total food consumption while other cannabinoids, such as cannabigerol and cannabinol, had no relevant effects.
Studies are still at a standstill, and more are needed directly on humans. However, already these results are very encouraging and support the thesis of the slimming effects of CBD.
Conversion of bad fat into good fat
The second way CBD works on weight is by burning fat. You may not know this but there are two different types of fat in your body: white fat and brown fat.
The ‘bad’ fat, if we can call it that, is the white fat. It is the one that is deposited in certain areas of your body and is also the one that is linked to many diseases, even serious ones, such as heart disease and diabetes.
This fat is not good for your body.
On the other hand, there is brown fat, which is the one that burns calories and generates heat. This fat is specific to people who have a healthy physical constitution; we could call it ‘good’ fat. People with a good fitness weight generally have more brown fat than white fat.
The body is already able to convert white fat into brown fat to some extent and you can see this for yourself in very sporty people. This conversion is in fact possible by exercising, as well as by sleeping for the right amount of hours.
How does cannabidiol fit into all this? One study stated that cannabidiol promotes browning. Specifically, it appears that CBD works on two fronts: on the one hand, it has a modulatory role in the browning phenotype, and on the other hand, it promotes lipid metabolism. In conclusion, CBD may help in the prevention of obesity.
Does CBD make you feel hungrier?
So far, we have therefore understood that through CBD you can speed up your metabolism and burn the bad fats in your body so that you can lose weight.
But is this always the case? While surfing the web you might have read that cannabidiol can sometimes trigger the opposite effect. This means that instead of making hunger go away, it may increase it, which would be a big problem.
The question then is: is there a risk of weight gain with CBD?
The results seen so far remain, meaning that most of the time CBD has a slimming effect. However, in some research, a side effect has emerged which is precisely that of weight gain.
A cross-sectional study on cannabidiol users took a sample of over two thousand people who used CBD to treat conditions such as pain, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. A small percentage of this sample, more precisely 6.35%, reported increased hunger as an adverse effect. Others were dry mouth, euphoria, red eyes, light-headedness and others.
The results are therefore mixed, but it is good to know that the rare side effects that did emerge during the scientists’ various investigations occurred due to interaction with other drugs or in connection with the individual’s genetics.
How long does it take to lose weight with CBD?
Weight loss is a complex process influenced by many factors. It is therefore important to know that the slimming effects of CBD can vary significantly from person to person due to differences in metabolism, diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors.
Furthermore, there is no standard time for weight loss with CBD, as the duration and onset of the effect depend on various factors, such as the form of intake and individual dose.
To give you an idea of how different the individual response can be, during scientific studies, most people who took CBD noticed a weight loss. However, as we mentioned earlier, a rare side effect may be an initial weight gain.
It is reasonable to expect to see the slimming effects of CBD within a few weeks of taking it. However, it is important to be patient and consistent with taking the product.
You can achieve more satisfactory results through an integrated approach that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Taking CBD oil for weight loss
Although tests on the slimming effects of CBD are still ongoing, this does not detract from its enormous therapeutic potential. It is a natural product that has few, if any, side effects when taken in the correct manner.
One extremely versatile product is CBD oil.
If you want to try CBD oil drops for weight loss and incorporate them into your diet, you can:
- Take them orally: CBD oil can be easily taken by placing a few drops directly under the tongue and holding it for 60 seconds before swallowing;
- Adding it to food and drink: you can add it to a smoothie, which is already designed to drain or help you lose weight and thus amplify its action, or to one of your favourite foods.
You can find CBD oil in different formulations and concentrations. If this is your first time with this product, we recommend you start with 5% active ingredient and a low dosage, then gradually increase if you feel it is appropriate.
Taking hemp seed for weight loss
The seeds are another very interesting part of the hemp plant. They are not rich in CBD, as the flowers and leaves are, but on the other hand they contain many nutrients that can help to have a more balanced diet. And, consequently, to regulate weight.
Here are some of the ways in which hemp seeds can help you lose weight:
- High fibre content: they are a good source of fibre, which can help you feel full for longer and eat fewer calories;
- Protein: they are also a source of protein, which can help you build and maintain muscle mass, which can increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories;
- Healthy fats: contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and improve heart health;
- Other nutrients: contain other important nutrients, such as magnesium, iron and zinc.
Hemp seeds can be added to a variety of foods, such as yoghurt, smoothies, salads and cereals, or they can be ground into a flour and used to make bread, muffins and other baked goods that are lighter than those made with wheat flour.
It is important to note that hemp seeds are caloric, so it is important to eat them in moderation if you are trying to lose weight.
In addition to weight loss benefits, hemp seeds also offer other health benefits, including improving skin and hair health, reducing the risk of heart disease, improving brain function, and relieving joint pain.
Legal CBD products that help with weight management
CBD products can therefore be an inexhaustible source of benefits for you. You can test them to lose weight but then also find that they help balance your whole body and give you a sense of well-being.
If you choose the broad (without THC) and full spectrum (with THC) versions of CBD oil, you will also enjoy the benefit of all the other natural substances produced by the hemp plant such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, terpenes, flavonoids and many more.
These formulas realise the entourage effect, i.e. an even more powerful action than cannabidiol taken on its own.
Visit our store now where you will find CBD oil in different concentrations and many other interesting products with which to supplement your diet to lose weight and stay healthy.