How safe it is to mix alcohol with CBD?

CBD and alcohol. With the growing popularity of CBD products, people seem to be mixing it with everything, including alcohol. A bar in Los Angeles is famous for offering CBD-infused cocktails. Some breweries sell beers infused with CBD cannabinoids. But is it really a good idea to mix CBD and alcohol?

For those who don’t know, cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid compound that is famous for its relaxing effects but does not have psychoactive substances compared to THC. CBD can be found in the oil, food products, pills, liquids used in vapes, and even alcohol.

According to James Giordano, a professor of neurology and biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center, combining CBD products and alcohol can be tolerated if you consume them within a gap of four to eight hours between each other.

Since alcohol and CBD, both work as relaxing and calming substances, mixing them together may have a particularly strong and long-lasting effect.

‘If CBD oil makes you feel calm and relaxed, then alcohol can make this effect even stronger’ states Giordano. ‘Some people find CBD oil and alcohol very calming.’ For these reasons, the use of these two products is not recommended.

Giordano explains: ‘If you increase the dose of CBD or alcohol, you’re more likely to have a bigger issue. The more you drink, the more CBD you consume, and automatically you increase the ongoing effect. The degree of intoxication will also be greater: increased loss of control, calmness, and loss of coordination.’

Such a combination depends on the person you are after using alcohol. Giordano says: ‘If you become happy after drinking alcohol, then CBD can make you even happier. However, if you become angry or violent after drinking alcohol, then CBD may enhance your mood to a greater extent.’

However, combing both CBD and alcohol may have positive outcomes. This statement is supported by a physician based in New York – Soyona Rafatja. Research by ‘’Psychopharmacology’’ states that people who combine CBD pills with alcohol had lower alcohol percentages in their bloodstream compared to those who used alcohol only. Although, they experienced the same cognitive and motor coordination impairments. Another study in the field of pharmacology, biochemistry, and behaviour found that rodents experienced less alcohol-infused neurodegeneration after being exposed to CBD gel while consuming alcohol.

Although these are only studies exposed to animals, experts believe that these results reveal great information.

Rafatjah explains: ‘Alcohol reduces autophagy (damaged cell division) which causes fat to accumulate inside the liver. This can lead to the appearance of fatty liver spots, inflammation, and hepatitis.’ CBD products operate differently, they encourage damaged cells to regenerate which can counteract the effects of alcohol.

On the other hand, the president of the medical cannabis practice “InhaleMD” and the Association of Cannabis lead Jordan Tishler states that there is not enough evidence to prove any interaction between alcohol and CBD. He’s more interested in the people who mix alcohol and THC. He states that such phenomena increase THC levels in the bloodstream by eightfold.

If you’re going to use CBD oil or any other form of CBD and combine them with alcohol, Giordano recommends at least starting with a lower dose. And try both substances separately so you know how your body reacts to them.