Does CBD Make You Hungry Like THC Does?

It’s no secret that marijuana makes a person hungry. This well-known side effect is referred to as “the munchies” among cannabis enthusiasts. One of the reasons marijuana has become legalized for recreational and medicinal use is because of its strong ability to induce an appetite. For people with cancer or AIDS, weight loss is often drastic, painful, and dangerous. Marijuana can do two things to help treat this issue – induce an appetite, and also reduce nausea. But many people ask, “does CBD make you hungry like THC does?”

According to the DEA and federal government, marijuana is still classified as an illegal schedule one drug. Even if marijuana is legal in a person’s state of residence, they can still be subject to criminal prosecution from the federal government if they grow, purchase, sell, or use marijuana. In contrast, CBD is legal on a federal level. Many states have also decriminalized and legalized the sale and use of CBD, a chemical compound also present in the marijuana or cannabis hemp plant. But can CBD give someone “the munchies?” No, but it can help stimulate appetite in other ways.

Does CBD make users hungry?

Marijuana and hemp plants, which are part of the cannabis family, produce more than 100 different chemical compounds. Known as cannabinoids, these chemical compounds interact with the human body’s endocannabinoid system. This is a neurological system that uses endocannabinoid neurotransmitters to regulate a variety of bodily systems, including appetite. Cannabinoids are like chemical keys that unlock the body’s endocannabinoid receptors and produce a variety of different effects.

THC and CBD are only two of the many cannabinoid chemicals found in marijuana and hemp plants. THC primarily comes from marijuana, while CBD is most often found in abundance in hemp plants. Compared to THC, hemp doesn’t make someone’s appetite increase, at least not directly. Users can thank the hypothalamus for that.

The hypothalamus is part of the human brain that is home to the body’s appetite control center. Neurons in the hypothalamus will signal to the rest of the body when it is full and can turn off the hormones that make someone feel hungry. THC directly impacts the neurological signal that turns off a person’s appetite. The message that says a person is full or otherwise not hungry gets overridden when someone uses marijuana or a product that has large amounts of THC in it. THC does this by binding to the CB1 receptors in the brain. These are endocannabinoid “locks,” and THC is the key. In contrast, CBD will not bind and unlock the CB1 receptors.

Instead, CBD will support someone’s appetite indirectly.

So, does CBD make you hungry? Not really. However, people who are anxious, depressed, in pain, or otherwise under a lot of stress will often have a suppressed appetite. They may also feel nauseous or experience other gastrointestinal distress. Studies on CBD show that the compound can alleviate fear, anxiety, and tension. CBD can also decrease pain signals in the body that can prohibit someone from having a good appetite. Taking CBD can alleviate this tension and distress, and help someone regain an appetite. However, people who need to gain weight and reduce acute nausea and vomiting quickly may benefit more from THC.

Who would want to increase their hunger?

THC’s beneficial attributes for increasing hunger have been acknowledged for decades. The first-ever medical marijuana pill was approved in the 1980s. The medication was used to decrease vomiting and nausea in cancer patients. For cancer patients, THC-therapy is considered a much safer option than other medications for nausea and vomiting, like Zofran. Drugs like Zofran often have unpleasant side effects like headaches, diarrhea, blurred vision, and muscle spasms. A study on children with cancer in 1995 found that doses of THC-8 were effective for lowering the incidences of chemotherapy-based nausea. The most common side effect was irritability. THC-8 is a synthetic version of the natural THC found in the marijuana plant. The difference is THC-8 is designed to induce fewer psychotropic effects than regular THC.

People suffering from many other physical and mental health issues can benefit from THC-therapies. Drugs used to treat AIDS and HIV can induce nausea and vomiting in patients, and these illnesses can also cause dangerous weight loss. Using THC to induce appetite can help patients maintain a healthy weight.

Patients with anorexia or anxiety disorders can also benefit from both THC and CBD therapies. Using both of these compounds can have a multi-pronged approach to treatment. For one thing, THC can stimulate appetite in eating-disordered patients with a dangerously low weight. CBD, on the other hand, can reduce feelings of anxiety and nervousness that can significantly interfere with a person’s appetite.

Can CBD lead to weight gain?

CBD will not artificially inflate a person’s appetite like THC will. The neurons in the brain responsible for turning off the appetite switch are not impacted when someone uses a CBD product like CBD tinctures or even CBD edibles. It’s possible for people who are on a diet to maintain their ideal weight to use CBD and not sabotage their efforts. But if someone is struggling with anxiety and nausea, CBD can suppress these issues and help someone eat without feeling sick.

What legal cannabis products are best for increasing appetite?

On a federal level, it is legal for someone to buy and ship a CBD product across state lines, with some exceptions. CBD products that contain .3% of THC or less are legal to ship. In states where medical or recreational marijuana has been legalized, it is lawful for state residents to purchase and use CBD with THC within their state. Shipping a CBD product that contains more than 3% of THC across state lines can be problematic though. For consumers new to the CBD market, it’s essential to check their state laws before diving in. Also, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor before using a CBD product, because CBD can interact with some prescriptions.