Does using CBD oil lead to weight gain?
To start with the key question straight away: does CBD oil make you put on weight? The short answer is: in most cases no, but it can happen. A 2018 study shows this nicely. Of the 2409 people who took part and took CBD, 153 (6.35%) said they had the impression they had put on weight. That means that more than nine out of ten people said they did not put on weight after taking CBD, or in fact lost some.
What the 2022 review showed
A 2022 review, which brought together eleven studies into the effects of CBD on appetite and weight, confirms this picture. In most of those studies a link with weight loss was seen more often than with weight gain. These are correlations, not a demonstrated causal relationship.
Possible causes of putting on weight while using CBD
It is of course notable that a substance like CBD has opposite effects in different people. Even so, that is not so strange, because people differ and everyone has their own CBD routine and responds differently to CBD. The following mechanisms probably play a part in whether you will put on weight while using CBD oil.
What does determine your weight
Weight ultimately comes down to what you eat and how much you move. If something in your eating pattern or your daily rhythm also changes in the same period that you start with a supplement, then that is what makes the difference. People often start with a supplement at a moment when something is changing anyway, during a new routine or a busy period for instance. It is then impossible to say afterwards what caused what.
Full spectrum or broad spectrum
Full spectrum products contain traces of THC, always below the legal limit of 0.05%. Some people want to rule that out entirely, because of work or travel for instance. In that case choose broad spectrum, because that is free of THC.
Myth: CBD slows down your metabolism
There is also a theory that says CBD slows your metabolism down, and that this is the reason you put on weight. This really is a myth. There has been animal research from 2017 into the influence of CBD on receptors in the brain. Outcomes from animal research cannot simply be translated to humans, so no conclusions can be drawn from that.
Tips for staying at your weight while using CBD
Would you like to start taking CBD and are you afraid of putting on weight? Or do you notice that CBD oil leads to weight gain for you? Then use these tips to stay at a healthy weight:
- Try to keep a fixed eating pattern and avoid snacks.
- Move regularly. If you notice you are moving less during this period, plan something extra once or twice a week, a long walk for instance.
- If you want to rule out THC completely, choose broad spectrum instead of full spectrum.
If your weight changes unexpectedly or it worries you, discuss it with your GP. CBD is a food supplement and not a means of managing weight. There are currently no EU-approved health claims for CBD.
