CBD Oil for Weight Loss: Is It a Scam?

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Have you considered using CBD oil for weight loss or to help achieve a healthier body in general? Read on to find out all you need to know…

We now live in an age where obesity is classified as an epidemic. The United States is one of the most obese  and unhealthiest nations in the developed world, despite the incredible amount of money spent on healthcare. Lack of exercise and poor diet are the twin culprits, although our reliance on prescription medications doesn’t help.

There is an earnest desire for people to lose weight, which is why the weight loss industry is worth an astonishing $66 billion!

Unfortunately, the weight loss industry is probably more sketchy and less regulated than the current state of the cannabis industry. Google ‘weight loss scams,’ for instance, and you’ll get millions of search results! Over the years, there have been some shocking scams, including vibration machines, weight loss pills (containing poisons such as arsenic), and ‘Vision-Dieter Glasses,’ to name a few.

CBD, the non-intoxicating component in marijuana, could decrease chronic pain and alleviate anxiety and depression. Proponents of the cannabinoid suggest it can serve as an ideal weight-loss tool, which has prompted skeptics to claim it is yet another scam.

However, is CBD oil to lose weight a scam like all other quick-fix techniques over the years? Let’s see what the research says.

Don’t Fool Yourself: There ARE CBD Oil Scams Out There

First of all, we must outline that there are CBD oil scams. However, the unscrupulous companies involved in these schemes don’t use high-quality CBD in their products.

Pure CBD oil of the highest quality is extracted from industrial hemp via CO2 extraction. Such organizations that use quality oil also include independent third-party lab testing results of their products to guarantee purity and content.

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Scam CBD sellers tend to manufacture low-grade oils via ethanol (or other solvent-based) extraction. This process is little better than trying to do it yourself in your basement. The result is a liquid that contains minimal CBD (along with some other cannabinoids and terpenes).

However, you don’t get the quantities needed to be effective in terms of any legitimate medicinal function. Moreover, these solvent-based extracts can contain unnecessary and potentially harmful components.

Certain companies are guilty of grossly overstating the possible impact of their CBD oil. Legitimate companies issue disclaimers that acknowledge cannabidiol is not FDA approved and is not guaranteed to work for everyone. On the other hand, scammers give their products grandiose names such as the ‘Hemp Oil Miracle Pill.’

In summation, when purchasing CBD oil for any purpose, try to make sure it follows these basic criteria:

What to look for in a good CBD oilDescription
Product guaranteeThe brand offers a money-back guarantee; usually 30 days.
Independent lab testingThe company posts third-party testing data on its website.
CO2 extractionThe CBD oil is extracted from industrial hemp via CO2 extraction with no chemicals or solvents involved.
Full-spectrum tinctureThe oil is full-spectrum and not an isolate (unless you specifically need or are looking for a CBD isolate. Learn what the difference is between the two here.)
Serving/dosing sizesEach individual serving/dosing size is clearly listed on the bottle or package
Plant material sourceThe hemp is grown on an FDA-compliant farm, or by a reputable firm in Europe (the European Union has excellent regulations for organic hemp farms.)

Does CBD Oil Help with Weight Loss?

CBD is not marketed specifically as a weight-loss tool. However, there is research to back up assertions that you could use it to try to shed a few pounds.

The old cliché that weed gives you the munchies and makes you fat has been comprehensively revisited in recent years. While some forms of marijuana increase appetite, some strains appear capable of suppressing appetite and boosting your metabolism.

A study published in the journal Obesity in 2016, for instance, looked at 786 native Alaskan adults in a community known for a high rate of cannabis use. Just over half of the study population used cannabis, and these individuals had a lower body fat percentage and BMI than non-users.

In a 2016 study, it was shown that 57.4% of cannabis users had a lower body fat percentage than non-users.

Murray Mittleman, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, spoke to Time Magazine in 2013. He explained that cannabis users had lower fasting insulin levels and were less resistant to the insulin produced by the body.

He referred to research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which analyzed 4,600 men and women over five years from 2005 to 2010. Overall, 48% of them used cannabis at least once in their lives, and 12% were current users.

Unlike so many other studies, this one accounted for various factors such as income, sex, age, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and physical activity. After appropriate adjustments were made, those currently using marijuana had a fasting insulin level 16% lower than the rest.

However, the above studies related to marijuana use, including the intoxicating compound THC. Here’s what we want to know: Is CBD capable of producing weight loss effects by itself?

Let’s take a closer look because recent research has suggested that it might. First, let’s learn more about what triggers appetite and how the endocannabinoid system controls it.

How Does Our Appetite Work, in General?

Hunger is one of our basic survival instincts and is thus primarily controlled by the brain. It lets us know when we need to eat and even what we need to eat. When people have an intense craving for certain foods, the body may have a deficiency in a specific essential nutrient in that food.

Although hunger and appetite work side by side, they are not the same thing. Appetite refers to wanting to eat rather than needing to eat. Appetite controls when we eat, what we like to eat, and how much we eat. That said, appetite is similar to hunger in that the brain controls it.

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The release of certain chemicals reacts with neurotransmitters in the brain to tell us when we’re hungry and what we want to eat. These chemicals may directly stimulate the appetite or encourage the production of other chemicals in the body, like ghrelin.

However, other factors can also affect appetite. Mood, feelings, and emotions can all influence whether or not we want to eat, as well as the types of food we crave.

How the Endocannabinoid System Controls Appetite

Cannabinoids such as CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is considered one of the most important physiological systems in the human body. It regulates various important functions, including sleep, mood, and appetite.

There are two types of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. They are located in the body in regions such as the brain and immune system. When an endocannabinoid interacts with a cannabinoid receptor, numerous physiological functions in various body systems are activated. Some of these functions include mood, memory, pain sensation, and appetite.

When people are hungry, the ECS sends signals to the hypothalamus – a part of the brain that helps to regulate appetite.

ECS activity that occurs in the central nervous system regulates food intake. When people are hungry, the ECS sends signals to the hypothalamus – a part of the brain that helps to regulate appetite. This, in turn, lets the limbic system (an area that controls emotion) know it’s time to eat.

Endocannabinoids are responsible for slowing down the process of gastrointestinal emptying and transit. They seem to stimulate the secretion of ghrelin (a hormone that increases appetite and food intake). After eating, the brain is sent satiety signals (through the hormone leptin), which reduces activity in the ECS and lets the body know that it’s full.

A 2012 study published in Psychopharmacology tested the impact of three cannabinoids – CBD, CBN, and CBG – on the appetite of rats. The researchers found that only CBN increased the appetite of the rats, while CBG and CBD both decreased it.

Now, let’s see how CBD could speed up your metabolism and potentially help you burn fat quicker.

CBD Could Boost Your Metabolism

Another study, published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry back in 2016, showed that CBD played a major role in the ‘fat browning’ process. Brown fat is a specialized deposit of fat that can produce heat and increase energy expenditure.

cbd for appetite

There are two types of fat in our bodies: white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue. While babies have brown fat, it usually disappears as they get older. By the time we all reach adulthood, our bodies are almost entirely composed of white fat. This is a shame because brown fat is thermogenic and helps you burn calories.

In any case, the study involved researching the effects of CBD on immature fat cells known as preadipocytes. Overall, the research team came to the following conclusions:

RESEARCH DATA ON CBD FOR WEIGHT LOSS

WHAT DOES IT DO?THE SCIENCE, EXPLAINED…
Promotes metabolism of fatIt stimulates proteins and fat genes that encourage the oxidation and breakdown of fat.
Increases mitochondrial activityIt increases the activity level and number of mitochondria in the body’s cells, which helps burn more calories.
Reduces selective protein expressionIt reduces the expression of proteins involved in the generation of fat cells (a process known as lipogenesis).

Furthermore, a study published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology has suggested that the ECS can stimulate specific areas of the body involved in metabolism such as the skeletal muscles and GI tract. This happens due to anandamide and 2-AG, two naturally occurring compounds in the body that interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors.

As CBD stimulates the same receptors, it could help metabolize the compounds absorbed from food during digestion. In other words, it may help us lose weight.

Overstimulation of the CB1 receptor may lead to symptoms such as high blood pressure and abnormally high cholesterol levels. However, CBD is a CB1 antagonist, so it is not likely to cause such issues. Furthermore, the World Health Organization has recently issued a global report on CBD, claiming that the cannabinoid has a good safety profile and minimal adverse public health effects.

Proper Dosing of CBD for Weight Loss

Due to the uniqueness of everyone’s endocannabinoid system, CBD does not affect any two people the same way. There are a host of factors that influence its efficacy. Such factors include genetics, previous history of use, general health, weight, ethnicity, etc.

Therefore, one person may find that 15 mg of CBD a day works wonders for suppressing appetite and boosting weight loss. Meanwhile, another may require up to 100 mg (or more) to achieve the same results (or they may not experience any results at all).

In terms of properly dosing CBD oil for weight loss, it is always wise to start small and adhere to the old medical mantra of start low and go slow.

cbd for weight loss

In this instance, we recommend beginning with as little as 1-2 mg of CBD and maintaining the dose for several days. Increase your CBD intake as necessary, and continue upping the dosage every few days if you don’t feel any different. It is normal to take up to 30 days to feel the full range of CBD’s effects.

Also, please note that CBD should not be misunderstood as a miracle cure. No reputable CBD seller or manufacturer should ever claim otherwise. Furthermore, if you use CBD for weight loss purposes, it won’t work if you eat fast food regularly and don’t exercise.

Any effort to lose weight should be built upon a well-balanced diet and an active, healthy lifestyle. Using CBD oil by itself will certainly not make you start shedding pounds on its own. It may, however, help speed up the process tremendously if you take steps to improve other facets of your daily life.

CBD Weight Loss Results

We’re now at a point where a growing number of people associate CBD and weight loss. The fact it isn’t FDA-approved is irrelevant to its army of fans. Apart from its potential for weight gain, CBD could enable you to lose weight.

We have heard countless anecdotal tales of CBD users losing a significant amount of fat. Many of them find that the cannabinoid suppresses their appetite and controls their urge to consume junk food. Most pertinently, a large majority of people who used CBD for weight loss said it helped them achieve a better physique. There’s a good reason why fitness enthusiasts keep CBD besides protein powder in their cupboards!

In general, the greatest level of success came when combining CBD with a healthy exercise regime and diet. Also, the level of CBD usage was consistent.

What’s clear from CBD weight loss results we have seen is that the cannabinoid only represents part of the process.

Final Answer – Is CBD Oil for Weight Loss a Scam?

With a relative degree of confidence, we would say that CBD oil for weight loss is not a scam. There is enough evidence of CBD’s positive effect on weight loss to suggest that it should warrant further clinical and scientific investigation.

While research is ongoing, studies have already shown that CBD could help curb appetite, boost metabolism, and control insulin levels in people with diabetes. Also, CBD could assist with other things like chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

If combined with a proper diet and an active lifestyle, it is somewhat realistic to believe that CBD oil can help you lose weight. Want to invest in a great quality oil? Don’t settle for second best; take a look at the market’s most popular oils below.

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