Is CBD Toxic to Liver? (Explained Recent Mice Study)

You must have seen CBD making the headlines lately. With these headlines, the concerns regarding the harmful effects of CBD have spiked more than anything else has. 

The most prominent concern that has arisen in the CBD consumers after this news is regarding liver toxicity. If this news has grabbed your attention as well and you want a clarification based on the scientific evidence, then this article is for you. 

We are going to share a brief overview of the study itself along with some of the conditions when CBD could actually be toxic. So, there is going to be a lot of information here, just stick around.

Study-related to the death of four and a half mice:

The study that has been the major reason behind CBD making the headline is the one about the death of four and a half mice. Yes, four and a half mouse! 

The researchers should have at least reviewed their study once. This is all we can say about it. In this study, 6 mice were taken as subjects, out of which 75% died because of the overdose of CBD. 

These results were assumed to impact humans similarly because of the allometric scale of CBD used, which hasn’t been scientifically backed up. 

Up till now, it was all about the study. Don’t assume it to be our stance because we can’t actually support something this PECULIAR. Why are we calling it peculiar?

This is because the attributions of a mice study to humans, the quantity of CBD used, and the sources used for proving the statements made all seem dubious and specifically inclined towards highlighting the negatives of CBD only. 

It is in this study, that CBD has been claimed to be toxic to the liver. So, you don’t have to be cautious about the findings of this study and we aren’t saying it without evidence. We are sharing some of the facts related to the usage of CBD in the next section. 

Non-biased research related to CBD:

I am not claiming that CBD is very safe but it is definitely not as dangerous as the study regarding the mice claims it to be. 

It is an established fact that high dosages of CBD usually up to 20-50 mg/kg can actually create some issues in the human liver. But these dangers have been highlighted numerous times and are nothing new.

Overconsumption of CBD:

CBD has the ability to inhibit the drug-metabolizing enzymes, which are actually produced by the liver. Such a condition usually occurs when you are consuming thousands of milligrams of CBD each day. 

This isn’t the recommended amount of CBD. Anything consumed more than the recommended quantity is obviously dangerous. We guess we all realize this aspect.

Drug-drug interaction:

Another negative impact of CBD has been observed in children. An analysis of the entire population showed that 5-15% of the kids reported increased liver enzymes. 

All of the kids in the population were undergoing Epidiolex trials. All the patients under trial were also consuming valproate. The drug-drug reaction is the primary cause of the increase in liver enzymes. 

The reason for consuming both of these drugs together is the effectiveness of the combined drugs on epilepsy according to neurologists. 

You can consider a side effect of the drug interaction rather than a direct side effect of the CBD Consumption. One of the other facts that you should keep in mind is that the impact caused by the elevated liver enzymes would cease when the consumption of the combined drug would be ceased.

Quality of the CBD:

If you are new to CBD or aren’t much aware of different qualities available in the market, then you would easily fall into trap of the campaigners either propagating in favor or against the CBD. 

But here is an important fact that you need to know before analyzing any argument in this regard. CBD has multiple qualities. The lower the quality of CBD; the higher the risk of potential damage would be there. 

This seems pretty common sense and has nothing to do with research. Even your consumption experience depends on the quality element a lot.

Role of pesticides, insecticides, etc.:

You might not have given this aspect much importance but just have a look at CBD as one of the plants. 

Like any other plant, this plant would also be infected by insects and pests for which insecticides and pesticides could be the best possible solution. 

So, in the end, product, there are chances of pesticides and insecticides present. These pesticides have their own drawbacks, which can be reflected in the form of the drawbacks of CBD.

Extraction Process can have its role:

The extraction process can also determine the toxicity of the CBD for the liver. If the extraction process involves any contamination of any kind, then there can be some chances that consuming CBD could be toxic. 

A pure extraction process would have lesser of such chances involved. Again, the culprit could be something other than CBD. This is another reason why the extraction processes are given high importance in determining the quality of CBD.

All these factors combined highlight that the use of CBD is not dangerous, considering its consumption in the normal quantity. The normal quantity is often recommended based on individual metabolism and needs. 

The use of CBD can provide multiple benefits including relief from pain, depression, and anxiety. You might not like consuming it but calling it a sheer harmful product isn’t justified as well and we have proved that by highlighting all these aspects. 

Thus, the news about CBD making the headlines these days can be called biased and nothing else. You can consult your doctor to find the specific benefits or harmful impact that the use of CBD can bring in for you. Only then, you can declare it useful or harmful and even that for yourself only. Such a statement can’t be generalized.