Science shows us that we can take CBD daily for an indefinite period of time without worrying about ill effects. Cannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol) are nontoxic to the human body, and even large doses are well tolerated due to the way in which these compounds are processed by the body’s endocannabinoid system.
If you’re the type of person who likes to unwind with a glass of wine or a cold beer after a long day, you might be wondering if cannabidiol and alcohol can mix. Despite CBD being deemed generally safe, what happens when you combine it with an alcoholic beverage?
Can Cannabinoids and Alcohol Mix?
The good news is that there has been no evidence of a negative interaction between cannabinoids and alcohol. Cannabinoids have been widely studied by medical researchers, and this is especially true of CBD due to its dominant presence in the chemical composition of the hemp plant. No studies have found cannabinoids and alcohol to lead to ill effects.
This shouldn’t be too surprising, as about 14 percent of Americans use hemp products regularly, and 55 percent of Americans drink at least once a month. One could assume from these numbers that a lot of hemp users are at least occasional drinkers. If there was a risk of a serious interaction between the two substances, we would likely have known by now from various anecdotal instances. Some people use CBD to help with Alcohol addiction and withdrawal. This usually happens as stress and anxiety is relieved when taking CBD.
One thing to note is that some studies suggest that alcohol can raise the level of THC in the blood. In the hemp plant, THC exists only in a trace amount, which is about 0.3 percent. Therefore, drinking alcohol would not cause the THC in the hemp plant to become psychoactive, because the amount that already exists in the chemical composition is simply too low. But, marijuana, which has a high level of THC, is different. Consuming alcohol and smoking marijuana could cause a person to become higher, so to speak.
One thing that we absolutely do not recommend is mixing together alcohol, cannabinoids, and prescription medications. Hemp has been found to have the potential to inhibit CYP3A4, an enzyme that breaks down many commonly prescribed drugs in the body, which means that it can cause the effects of the drug to last longer in the system. Meanwhile, many of these drugs negatively interact with alcohol. Therefore, cannabidiol may increase the window during which a negative interaction between alcohol and a prescription drug could occur.
How To Take CBD And Alcohol Together
As you will find out more in this article, there is no perfect formulation or mix for taking CBD and Alcohol together in the most beneficial way possible. However, we have many customers who use our Binoid CBD Water-Soluble Drops in their beers because our CBD Drops are alcohol soluble. In fact, we have specific customers who told us our Ginger CBD Oil Drops work perfectly in their beer. Who knew! However, as a general reference. One dropper of our Binoid CBD Oil is our usual suggested dosing of CBD.
Additionally, as far as pure experience goes, regular CBD oils do not mix well in Alcohol. Because they are oily, they separate and look gross in liquids. In contrast, our Binoid CBD Drops mix very well into any beverage or drink. That is why we designed them the way we did. As far our experience goes. Our Water-Soluble CBD oil mixes the best in Alcohol, as our CBD is alcohol soluble and they are made with nanotechnology. Our nano CBD mixes perfectly into Alcohol. Unlike regular CBD oils.
Alcohol and Cannabidiol (CBD) Mix
CBD is the dominant compound in hemp, and so it interacts with alcohol more than the other compounds if you’re taking a whole plant or full spectrum product. There are no known interactions between CBD and alcohol. In fact, there is anecdotal evidence that CBD may help Alcohol addiction and withdrawal.
Alcohol and Cannabigerol (CBG) Mix
CBG is a cannabinoid that occurs in lower levels than CBD, but high-CBG products are becoming more and more popular, which extract CBG and add it to the end product to increase its level in the chemical composition. Again, there haven’t been any reports of CBG negatively interacting with alcohol.
Alcohol and Cannabinol (CBN) Mix
CBN occurs less abundantly than the two cannabinoids listed above, but like the others, there are CBN isolate and high-CBN products on the market. Like the other two, there are no known interactions between CBN and alcohol. But, anecdotally, CBN seems to enhance sleep by slowing down the nervous system. Alcohol, as we know, is a depressant. Therefore, consuming alcohol with high levels of CBN in the body may make you feel drowsy.
How Much CBD To Take With Alcohol?
What we can say is that combining CBD and alcohol could give you a unique type of experience, as both of these substances cause particular effects in the body, primarily relating to the nervous system. But, as you might assume, the way in which you experience these two substances together largely depends on how much of each you take.
It should go without saying that binge-drinking after taking a small dose of CBD could affect you one way, while having a single beer after taking an unusually high dose of hemp could cause different effects to occur. In the case of alcohol addiction and withdrawal, you may want to use CBD in different doses until you find what works best for you.
As Does the Timing
For instance, drinking a glass of wine four hours after eating a hemp gummy is different from having a cocktail immediately after vaping a lot of CBD e-liquid, because each of these delivery methods causes a unique peak in the body. Pay attention to when you’ve taken your dose of hemp when you’re planning to drink, and note the delivery method as well, as each delivery method has its own unique length of time before it peaks after administration. The more spread out your dose of each is, obviously, the less likely they are to interact with each other in the body.
What Does CBD And Alcohol Do?
First off, we all process CBD and all other cannabinoids with alcohol differently. Also, note that each person’s body is unique when it comes to how they process various substances. Some people, for instance, find that cannabinoids actually energize them, and so this energizing effect could change the way in which you experience alcohol.
CBD and Alcohol Could Potentially Work Together To Reduce Alcohol Addiction And Withdrawal.
It’s possible that taking hemp before drinking could give you a different type of alcohol experience. CBD could help ward off common symptoms of drinking too much, including dizziness, nausea, and anxiety. Also, many people consume CBD when they have a hangover, due to the endocannabinoid system’s ability to regulate various bodily processes that can be affected by alcohol consumption.
Additionally, CBD may help people with alcohol addiction and withdrawal. There are patients all around the United States who have stood behind the use of CBD with alcohol withdrawal as well as addiction. However, there are not many studies that have shown definitive proof of this. We will likely see many studies soon that will look into these CBD and Alcohol benefits, as well as side effects.
What Side Effects Happen When You Take CBD And Alcohol? You Might Get Sleepy
A possible side effect of mixing CBD with alcohol is you might get sleepy. Very sleepy. Alcohol is a depressant, and CBD oil has found to help many people fall asleep. Note, however, that both CBD and alcohol can lead to drowsiness if consumed in relatively high amounts.
So, be mindful of how much of each you consume, because taking both of them in particular quantities could cause you to feel sleepy. Therefore, it’s wise to combine them for the first time when you’re in an environment when you don’t have to drive or rely too heavily on motor skills.
Combining CBD and Alcohol: What to Know
Ultimately, we at Binoid CBD are not authorized to provide medical advice to our customers. All we can do is share what scientific research has to say. However, your doctor can give you more insight into the relationship between alcohol and cannabinoids. Therefore, if you are on a hemp routine, we do recommend that you speak to your doctor about whether or not it is advisable to drink alcohol while cannabinoids are in your system.
Obviously, you should drink responsibly and safely regardless of whether or not you’ve consumed hemp. We all know that high doses of alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, and that you should never drive if you’re feeling the effects of alcohol. Taking CBD along with alcohol will not change the impairing side effects for which the substance is known.
This One is On the House
If you’re a regular hemp user who wants to have an alcoholic beverage after a long day, you’re likely free to do so without having to worry about a bad interaction. But, obviously, you should continue to consume alcohol in a way that’s responsible, for the sake of your own health and safety. Remember that ultimately, your experience will be unique because of what you took, when you took it, how much of each you consumed and how your body processes both of these substances.
