Does CBD make you hungry or can CBD help with weight loss? Find out the answer and learn how to use Yesterday CBD products to reach your fitness goals. Unlike THC, CBD does not make you hungry. It’s a potential appetite suppressant and metabolism booster that might help with weight loss. Since CBD and THC are both compounds found in cannabis, many people incorrectly assume that they cause similar effects. In fact, it has been proven over and over again that, unlike THC, CBD doesn’t make you high. But does CBD make you hungry? Let’s find out. Does CBD Make You Hungry? If there’s one thing THC is known f
Does CBD Oil Make You Hungry
The question of how CBD impacts our appetite and our weight is something we hear quite often. Even though you might know that CBD and weed are not the same thing, you may still wonder if CBD will give you the munchies. And rightfully so: if you are at all focused on eating healthy or managing those late-night cravings, the last thing we would want is for you to ruin all that hard work with a late night TV session binge eating a bag of Cheetos. On the opposite end, you may be one of the people who has heard that CBD can help you lose weight. So which one is it?
In this article we explore the topic of CBD and hunger/food. Does CBD make you hungry? Is it good for weight loss? How can CBD hemp oil help you reach your fitness goals? Keep reading to find out!
CBD and hunger: does CBD make you hungry?
As you probably know already, all of our CBD is derived from hemp. And although they are different plants, both hemp and marijuana (along with the main active ingredients they contain: CBD and THC) belong to the same family, so it is only natural to wonder if they share the same appetite-stimulating effects.
Unlike the hemp plant which contains only trace amounts of THC, marijuana is packed with CBD’s psychoactive cousin. After years of genetic manipulation, today’s marijuana strains are more potent than ever. But beyond simply getting you high, THC also increases your appetite by stimulating your CB1, releasing a hormone that causes your brain to make you think you are hungry.
Think of it like having too much screen time before bed—it might be midnight and you might feel more tired than ever, but all that screen time tricks your brain into thinking it is still daytime. THC has a similar impact on hunger. Instead of your hypothalamus telling you that you are full, the increased levels of ghrelin effectively flip a switch and tell your brain (and your stomach) that it is time to eat!
Hemp on the other hand, which contains a high proportion of CBD but only a negligible amount of THC, does not make you hungry. That is because the CBD in the hemp plant antagonizes your CB1 receptors, suppressing appetite and leads to less binge-eating.
So does CBD make you hungry? The simple answer is no.
CBD for weight loss: can CBD help me lose weight?
Further research is still required, but current studies suggest that CBD could aid in weight loss. By antagonizing your CB1 receptors, CBD can help reduce your appetite and control your weight. As well, its impact on mood can also help prevent overeating as research has shown a strong correlation between depression and overeating.
CBD can also help alter the type of fat in your body. Not all fat is bad, and the “good fat” (brown fat) helps your skin look firm and makes you look younger. On the other hand, the white fat in your body is the main type of fat that insulates your body. It is also the form of fat where the junk food you eat is stored. Studies have shown that CBD could help convert the white fat into brown fat, which work to burn off energy as heat (ie. burning calories) and help the body break down fats more efficiently.
Other ways to convert white fat into brown fat include exercising (CBD can help with that too, see below!), exposing your body to cold temperatures, and getting more sleep. CBD can help boost the quality of your sleep by interacting with receptors in your brain, which helps reduce stress, allowing you to fall asleep faster and stay sleeping longer. So not only does CBD directly impact your weight, but it also has several ancillary benefits that help turn white fat into brown fat, thus further controlling any potential weight gain.
Lastly, all our products pair CBD with coconut derived MCT oil which has been shown to increase satiety and reduce food intake. The combination of CBD and MCT oil could potentially help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism and promoting appetite control.
CBD and exercise: can CBD help me reach my fitness goals more quickly?
CBD can help boost your exercise routine in many ways, so you can lose weight and/or get toned more quickly. If you take oral CBD before you start exercising, CBD will act to help relax your blood vessels during your workout, improving blood flow to your muscles. That means they get a continuous supply of oxygen, and you can work out for a longer period of time before getting sore and fatigued!
CBD can also help reduce post-workout pain and aches by reducing the transmission of signals to the brain. It is great for muscle spasms: apply a CBD balm to the affected area to calm the spasms and the pain associated with them. A topical CBD hemp oil balm can also help relieve the inflammation that your muscles develop due to the workout, which can boost the healing of the tiny tears caused by exercise.
Lastly, as we mentioned previously, CBD hemp oil can help you get a good night’s sleep, which can boost recovery and help you burn fat. Sleeping is an important part of your body’s natural healing process. By boosting your sleep quality, CBD not only impacts your weight, but also provides a boost to your bodies post-workout recovery.which can boost recovery. Sleeping is an important part of your body’s natural healing process. By boosting your sleep quality, CBD could therefore significantly boost post-workout recovery.
In short, if you want to supercharge your workout, try CBD! We recommend you use a combination of topical and oral CBD. Take an oral dose an hour before you start exercising–our Curcumin softgels are perfect for that, and apply a CBD healing balm on any sore areas of your body after your workout. The oral CBD hemp oil will take care of inflammation throughout your body (especially when it’s paired with anti-inflammatory curcumin!), whereas the topical form will help soothe pain in specific problem areas. Thanks to this dynamic duo, you’re likely to be able to train for a longer time than usual, and to recover more quickly, which makes your goals much easier to reach!
TL;DR: CBD does NOT make you hungry, THC does! On the contrary, CBD can help you lose weight in many ways. It aids in preventing overeating, converting “bad fat” into good, and can also boost your exercise routine. With CBD, you can work out for longer and recover faster, especially if you use a combination of oral and topical CBD. Now your fitness goals seem much more attainable, don’t they?
Yesterday offers a full-line of hemp derived CBD oil, containing broad-spectrum hemp extract and zero THC. Feel free to check out our full selection of oils and softgels to help bring a sense of calm to your daily life. To learn more about the CBD basics, we recommend reading more from our CBD 101 articles, available here.
Does CBD Make You Hungry?
CBD is a non-intoxicating but psychoactive cannabinoid present in all varieties of cannabis, including hemp and marijuana. Unlike THC, CBD does not make you hungry. Instead, it indirectly stimulates your appetite by preventing sickness, nausea, and stomach complaints caused by anxiety, stress, depression, and gastrointestinal imbalances. Conversely, CBD is also a potential appetite suppressant and metabolism booster, which might help with weight loss and prevent obesity.
Does CBD give you the munchies?
No, CBD doesn’t make you hungry, nor does it give you the munchies like THC or its other variants like delta-8, delta-10, and THC-O.
THC directly induces hunger by activating cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors in your brain’s olfactory bulb and hypothalamus, two regions responsible for hunger, thirst, smell, taste, energy, and body temperature.
THC’s activation of CB1 also releases the hormone ghrelin, a hunger hormone produced by gastrointestinal cells. When your stomach is empty, ghrelin lets your brain know you need food.
CBD doesn’t activate CB1 receptors or release the ghrelin hormone. However, it interacts with other receptor sites to indirectly boost your appetite and hunger.
How does CBD increase your appetite?
As mentioned, CBD doesn’t directly boost appetite or hunger the same way as THC and other cannabinoids that bind to cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors.
Instead, CBD indirectly promotes appetite stimulation by alleviating nausea and promoting gastrointestinal health. It does this by interacting with various receptor sites separate from your endocannabinoid system, a complex biological network responsible for regulating hunger and appetite and sleep, pain, stress, immune response, and inflammatory response.
CBD alleviates nausea to boost appetite
Nausea is a common but uncomfortable physical sensation characterized by the urge to vomit and a reduced desire to eat. There are many causes of nausea, including anxiety, stress, digestive disorders, medications, or chemotherapy treatment.
CBD can reduce nausea symptoms, stimulate appetite, and increase food intake.
Studies on animals show CBD activates serotonin receptors. Activation of serotonin receptors promotes calm and balance while helping to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and stress, which can both cause mild-to-moderate nausea.
CBD improves gastrointestinal health to stimulate appetite
Cannabis and its compounds—including CBD—have been used as a viable gut remedy treatment for thousands of years. However, only recently have scientists taken a keener interest, suggesting CBD improves gastrointestinal health with the potential to alleviate inflammatory bowel diseases and gastric inflammation.
CBD’s gut protection qualities result from its ability to agonize GPR55 receptors, which controls the inflammatory response and activates enteric glial cells, thus inhibiting inflammation. The researchers note that PPARγ mediated the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects.
Does CBD help with weight loss?
CBD could help weight loss, but the research is limited to preclinical studies, mostly animal test subjects.
One particular study on rat test subjects shows CBD significantly reduced appetite. Cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG) increased appetite and induced no changes, respectively. The researchers note that CBD’s ability to decrease appetite could mean a viable future treatment for obesity.
CBD converts white fat into brown fat
CBD might also stimulate the breakdown of fat molecules. Research shows CBD might also encourage the conversion of white fat into brown fat. CBD causing noticeable weight loss through white-brown fat conversion in humans is inconclusive.
There are two types of fat within your body: white and brown fat. White fat is “bad fat”, while brown fat is “good fat”. White fat stores energy and extra calories. Too much white fat can lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
On the other hand, brown fat breaks down fat molecules and burns calories to encourage heat and maintain body temperature. Many believe the burning of brown fat cells could lead to weight loss.
Conversion of white to brown fat occurs when the body is exposed to colder temperatures, exercise, and adequate sleep.
CBD could increase your metabolism and reduce food consumption
CBD might also increase your metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories and turns them into energy. The higher your metabolism, the better it is for weight loss.
CBD potentially increases metabolism by influencing CB1 and CB2 receptors present in your brain and lymphoid tissue. These receptors are responsible for appetite and hunger.
A 2015 study on obese mice shows CBD specifically targeted CB2 receptors, producing “a profound reduction in bodyweight gain”, even when food intake was reduced.
CBD regulates insulin levels
Preclinical research suggests CBD might balance insulin levels in mice test subjects. The researchers discovered the incidence of diabetes was only 30% in mice treated with CBD. In comparison, the incidence of diabetes in mice not treated with CBD was 86%.
Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas and is responsible for regulating your blood sugar (glucose) level and metabolism. When you eat a meal, glucose levels start to rise, signaling your pancreas to produce insulin and remove it from your bloodstream. Too much insulin can prevent fat burning, leading to weight gain.
However, research on CBD and its effect on human insulin levels is limited.
Does CBD reduce your appetite and act as an appetite suppressant?
Interestingly, cannabis strains higher in CBD caused appetite reduction, even with the presence of THC. There’s one possible explanation for this.
CBD is a negative allosteric modulator of the CB1 receptor, meaning it attaches to a different region on the receptor separate from THC. CBD’s modulatory behavior reduces THC’s effects, including its ability to increase your appetite.
Does marijuana promote weight loss?
There is little research to suggest marijuana use causes weight loss. However, evidence indicates marijuana users typically weigh less than those who don’t consume marijuana.
A compelling 2011 review shows cannabis users have lower obesity rates than those who don’t smoke cannabis.
The report includes two surveys with a total of 50,736 participants. Only 16.1% of cannabis users were obese, while the prevalence of obesity among non-cannabis users was 22%.
Likewise, an earlier 2020 research paper indicates obesity among young adults who use cannabis is lower than non-cannabis users.
Does the link between cannabis users and lower obesity rates mean marijuana is a decent tool for losing weight? No. Not necessarily. Both studies above indicate an essential connection between marijuana users and lower body weight, but they don’t conclusively illustrate why.
Should you use CBD for weight loss?
Unfortunately, we can’t recommend CBD for weight loss. The research isn’t conclusive.
However, plenty of anecdotal stories from users claiming CBD, along with a healthy diet and exercise, helped them lose weight. We imagine this is primarily down to diet and exercise, but CBD could be a secondary contributing factor.
Does CBD cause stomach bloating?
No. CBD in itself won’t cause stomach bloating, but other ingredients in a CBD product can. If you’re using CBD oil, the carrier the extract is diluted in can affect your stomach. The most commonly used carrier oil is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT).
Medium-chain triglyceride carrier oils are sourced from natural coconut oil or palm oil and primarily contain the fatty acids caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).
Consuming too much MCT oil can cause gastrointestinal pain, burning, and discomfort. It might also cause diarrhea, loose stools, and anal burning. These gastrointestinal problems result from too much C6, C8, and C10, which the body finds more challenging to digest.
If you value a balanced gut and consider your anus a best friend, limit the amount of MCT you consume, whether it be in CBD oil or as a cooking ingredient. If you do consume MCT oil, make sure you eat beforehand.
Side effects of CBD
CBD is well-tolerated, and its side effects are mild, temporary, and non-life-threatening. There are no reports of adverse health problems from consuming CBD products unless they’re manufactured by shady, unscrupulous companies with no consideration for your wellbeing.
Common side effects of CBD include:
- Tiredness
- Fatigue
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Stomach complaints
- Nausea
CBD can also negatively interact and interfere with prescription and non-prescription medications, preventing them from metabolizing correctly in your body and negatively altering their effects. In rare cases, significant health problems or overdose can occur.
We recommend speaking with a doctor or healthcare physician before taking CBD oil.
Conclusion: More research is needed to uncover CBD’s effects on your appetite
CBD has conflicting effects on your appetite. Some research suggests CBD can increase your appetite, while other studies show it decreases your appetite. Conflicting research like this is why it’s difficult to recommend a product for weight loss, weight gain, or general appetite problems.
Does CBD Make You Hungry?
Since CBD and THC are both compounds found in cannabis, many people incorrectly assume that they cause similar effects. In fact, it has been proven over and over again that, unlike THC, CBD doesn’t make you high. But does CBD make you hungry?
Does CBD Make You Hungry?
If there’s one thing THC is known for, other than making you high, is its ability to make you hungry. Often called the “munchies,” most people are aware that consuming THC often makes you want to consume copious amounts of food. even if you weren’t particularly peckish in the first place.
However, THC is just one of over 100 cannabinoids contained in cannabis. Research suggests that CBD may influence the metabolism, but can it make people ravenous like THC typically does? To get a better understanding of this, let’s first take a look at why consuming THC stimulates appetite.
It all deals with how each cannabinoid interacts with the endocannabinoid system. As with most things, there’s actually science behind the munchies. Check it out below:
Why Does THC Stimulate Appetite?
It’s not a new fact that humans have used cannabis for thousands of years. There are even records that indicate that people were aware that cannabis could cause hunger as early as 300 AD!
THC is the most abundantly found cannabinoid in cannabis and is also the cannabinoid that’s responsible for stimulating the appetite. The reason people get the munchies is because THC binds to and activates the cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors in the endocannabinoid system.
CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain, but are also in smaller concentrations in some other areas of the body. These receptors play a significant role in hunger and appetite.
CB1 receptors are found in a few areas of the brain that are involved in the way we feel about and perceive food. For one, they’re present in the hypothalamus, which is considered the primary regulator of appetite and controls biological functions like hunger and thirst. CB1 receptors are also present in the basal ganglia, which is associated with your internal reward system and may stimulate the pleasure we get from eating.
THC also stimulates the appetite by increasing the levels of a hormone known as ghrelin, which causes an increase in appetite. Ghrelin is a hunger hormone and when the stomach is empty, you produce more of it, which in turn signals the brain to create a feeling of hunger. Since THC increases ghrelin, it can cause you to feel hungry even if you’re not.
Overall, there’s some serious science behind getting the munchies when THC is consumed. CBD, however, doesn’t interact with CB1 receptors in the same way as THC. This is why CBD doesn’t get you high. and also why it likely won’t lead to the munchies.
The Influence of the Endocannabinoid System on Gut Health and Digestive Function
It’s likely you’ve heard that gut health is important for maintaining your overall health and well-being. The gut isn’t just where our food is digested; it also communicates directly with the brain and is connected to immune function, inflammation management, mood level and more. Did you know, for example, that 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut?
Obviously, diet affects gut health, but so does stress, lack of sleep and excessive alcohol consumption. So how do you know when your gut health is suffering? The following are some clear signs that the health of your gut could use some fine-tuning:
- Digestive issues like bloating and cramps
- Constipation
- Loose bowel movements
- Food allergies
- Brain fog
- Weight gain
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling exhausted
Controls Inflammation
Gut inflammation can manifest in several ways. Irregular menstrual periods, fatigue, unexplained nausea, bloating, constipation, mood swings and more are all potential indicators of an inflamed gut. Both CB1 and CB2 receptors can help regulate inflammation.
Moderates Digestion
Like we mentioned earlier, healthy digestion is crucial for overall health and well-being. When the food we eat moves freely through the digestive tract, we are better able to absorb the nutrients it contains and mitigate issues such as nausea, upset stomach, constipation and excess stomach acid. Stimulation of cannabinoid receptors in the gut might have a positive impact on the gastrointestinal tract.
Improved Gut/Brain Communication
The gut and the brain have an intimate relationship. When the brain isn’t functioning properly due to stress, lack of sleep or anything else, the gut is affected. Likewise, when the gut isn’t functioning as it should, the brain is also affected. What’s responsible for communication between the two?
Because the endocannabinoid system is responsible for the communication between your gut and your brain, by maintaining homeostasis of the endocannabinoid system, this communication is notably improved.
CBD Might Not Make You Hungry, But It Might Make You Feel Like Eating
If you’re looking for a cannabinoid to help increase your appetite, CBD likely won’t be your best bet. While many people think that CBD will have the same effect on their appetite as THC, the cannabinoids influence the body in clearly different ways.
Notably, CBD can support homeostasis in the body, which in turn could help improve gut health and balance out your appetite.
While CBD doesn’t have the same effect on one’s appetite as THC, it may help the body maintain its digestive health. If you’re still wondering if CBD makes you hungry, the short answer is no. It could, however, help your body maintain homeostasis, which in turn might support a regular appetite. For many, fine-tuning and balancing out the endocannabinoid system is precisely what it takes to achieve optimal metabolic health.
Thanks for reading! To show how much we appreciate you, we’re going to give you 16% off your next order. Just use code READER16 at checkout! And, as always, feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. We want to ensure your CBD experience is a positive one, and we’re always here to help!
Hannah Smith is Joy Organics Director of Communications. She is driven by her passion for providing clear and accessible wellness and CBD education. In 2015, she received her BA in Media, Culture and the Arts from The King’s College in New York City and before Joy Organics, worked as writer and photographer in the Middle East and North Africa. Her work has been featured on Forbes, Vice, Vox, Denver Post, and the Coloradoan.