CBD or cannabinoid is being accessible these days. It is because of the positive health benefits of taking it is
driving people to go for it. Although it’s not yet legal to other countries, CBD oil seems to become the most
sought after drug that is used to treat people with epilepsy and other ailments. It can also be an excellent way
to treat some medical conditions more naturally.
However, some conditions may be needed a different medication for you to be relieved from it. But what if you are using CBD oil currently? It may have a contraindication to the drug that you are about to take. That’s why most doctors, if not all, will ask you if you are currently taking other forms of maintenance drugs such as CBD.
What Drugs Should Not Be Taken with CBD ?
Vicodin
Vicodin is the drug that is commonly prescribed by most physicians to cure pain. Painkillers are taken n
order to soothe you from painful physical conditions. It can also be habit-forming and also shows some side
effects to the user. The most common side effects of this drug are nausea, dizziness, breathing issues, and
even cognitive impairment.
Opioids can interact with CBD that may harm your body. Since painkillers may contain codeine, the effectiveness will be neutralized by CBD, so it’s like you didn’t take any painkillers at all. It will mean that when youre suffering from excruciating pain, your medication will not have any way of being active, so you will end up suffering from a lot of pain.
Simvastatin
If you are suffering from high cholesterol levels, you will be prescribed Simvastatin. It’s the most widely
prescribed medication since it’s also known as statins. Most doctors advise their patients to take this regular
medication to make their cholesterol levels to normalize. If you were unable to do that, it could lead to some
serious health effects such as heart ailments and even stroke.
Since this drug can be metabolized by CYP3A4, taking CBD oil with it can decrease its effectiveness. It may also prolong the side effects of this drug that may lead to medication toxicity. That’s not a very good contraindication since not only will it not be as effective as usual, but it can even create health concerns, and it can also be fatal.
Lisinopril
Lisinopril was prescribed as a maintenance medicine for people who suffer from kidney failure, high BP,
diabetes, and also for congestive heart failure. These conditions are severe enough to be taken for granted.
You will need to make sure not to mix it with other medicines since it can lose its potency, which will not be
a good thing.
The good news is, CBD may not have a significant impact on this drug if ever you have taken them both. Although it’s considered as angiotensin-converting enzymes, it doesn’t contain CYP3A4. It’s also not classified as a prodrug, so this may not have an adverse effect, but it’s still best to ask your doctor about it before taking any CBD product while having this medication.
Levothyroxine
Levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone that is used for treating people with hypothyroidism. It’s the generic
form of the medication called Synthroid. It inhibits CYP450, so it is most likely to affect when taken with
CBD. It’s best not to use CBD for this medicine and wait until the treatment is over.
The side effects of this drug in case you have more than enough of this hormone are chest pain, headache, sweating, anxiety, weight loss, and rapid heart rate. Since Levothyroxine can inhibit the effects of CBD oil, it’s best also to avoid using CBD while you have this administered to you.
Azithromycin
Its another form of an antibiotic that treats, throat, sinus, and ear infections. Another use of this medication is
to treat bronchitis, pneumonia, and also bacterial infection or sexually transmitted disease. There are also
side effects when it comes to this drug, such as vomiting, bloating, gas, and even diarrhea.
Compared with erythromycin, it can be metabolized by producing some CYP450 enzymes. It looks as if this medicine may not have any effects on CBD oil. But it doesn’t mean that you will not ask for some expert advice. You need to have your doctor check this before considering taking CBD il while you have your medications.
Metformin
Metformin is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This drug can control the blood sugar level of a
person who is suffering from this condition. Since this is a critical drug to maintain the blood sugar levels of
diabetics, it’s best not to take it with other medicines that may have a contraindication.
Although Metformin is not the same compared with other drugs, it can be metabolized and change the CYP3A4 if you have taken CBD. It will not be affected even if you take CBD oil, but it’s best not to take them together since it can inhibit the CBD metabolism and may have a different effect compared to taking it as is.
Lipitor
It’s another form of statin that is being taken to normalize cholesterol levels. Lipitor is commonly prescribed
for people who are suffering from coronary heart disease. It is to avoid complications such as chest pain,
heart attack, and stroke. It’s a severe type of ailment, so it’s better not to take CBD with it since it can
decrease the effectiveness of this medication.
If the effect of Lipitor decreases, it can cause the person to even suffer from complications due to high blood cholesterol levels. Prolonged side effects may also happen, such as diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, muscle pain, gas, headaches, or heartburn. It can also lead to medicine toxicity if the use of this medication had been prolonged.
Amlodipine
Amlodipine is the generic version to prevent chest pains and high blood pressure. The most commonly
known name is Norvasc. There are some side effects of taking it as well, such as headaches, dizziness, chest
pains, and swollen extremities. It may also cause medicine toxicity when the drug has been used for a
prolonged period.
Since CYP3A4 is metabolizing this drug, the effect of CBD may not be useful as well. Amlodipine can be less active, which is not right, especially if you need to have your maintenance medicine due to your medical condition. You can ask your doctor if you are thinking of taking CBD products while you have this medication.
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin is one of the most well-known antibiotics around the world. It’s also known as penicillin that
can treat bacterial infections. That includes skin, throat, tonsil, ear, and even urinary tract infection. You may
also want to check with your doctor before taking it since other people are allergic to this type of medicine.
CBD intake while having Amoxicillin is yet unknown. Therefore, it’s best to stay safe than sorry. Since further research was not conducted, however, you can always check with your physician if it’s safe to take CBD while you are being treated with this antibiotic. That’s the best way to ensure that you can have the treatment that you should have.
Hydrochlorothiazide
Hydrochlorothiazide is known to treat high blood pressure. It’s diuretic, and it has some side effects like
some medicines. You may suffer from electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, rash, sensitivity to light, and low blood
pressure. This side effect depends on how you react with the medication, so you also need to be careful of
what you can take while using this medication.
This drug doesn’t metabolize like other medicines out there. Since the CYP3A4 is not being produced, it may not have any massive impact if ever you want to take CBD product of your choice. Just make sure to be careful before taking any medications or supplements.
How CBD Use Can Affect Other Medication
Before taking any form of medication, you should be aware of the effects that it can cause to your body if
you have to mix it with CBD. Always keep in mind that you need to ask your doctor’s advice first so it will
avoid any adverse effect it can do for you. Although taking CBD oil and other forms of CBD product is
generally safe to use, you need to be aware of the other drugs that you should never mix it with.
CBD may have a different effect on your body if you take it along with other medications. It can cause your body to produce CYP450 enzymes, which may have a negative impact on your health. Although medical practitioners cannot tell what it can do to you, it’s best not to find out yourself. Most of the medications aim to have the CYP450 enzymes to be metabolized. So it may lead to losing its effectiveness or even become toxic.
Here are some examples of drugs that you should not take with CBD:
Antiarrhythmics, Antibiotics, Anesthetics, Angiotensin II blockers, Antihistamines Antipsychotics Antidepressants, Anti-epileptics, Benzodiazepines, Beta-blockers, Calcium channel blockers, HIV antivirals, HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, NSAIDs, Oral hypoglycemic agents, PPIs, Prokinetics, Steroids, Sulfonylureas.
What Are Prodrugs
Prodrugs are the type of drugs that needs to be metabolized to make it active. CBD can block the ability of
prodrugs to be metabolized. Therefore, it will lose its effectivity to cure your condition. It’s not a good idea
to have it taken with CBD since it’s not going to be effective anymore. That can be bad if you need urgent
relief for your medical condition.
Prodrugs also include codeine, which can turn into morphine in the liver. Concerta, as well as Vyvanse, are also some examples of prodrugs. These are medication for ADHD patients and should not be mixed with any other forms of drugs, or it will lose its effectiveness. It’s better to inform your doctor about all the medications that you are taking to avoid having contraindication, or youre just wasting your time trying to treat your condition.
Different Ways to Take CBD
The potency of CBD depends on the way you take them. So it may affect the medications that you need to take depending on the strength of the CBD product that you will be receiving. You should be aware of the different ways to take CBD so that you will have an idea about the effect that it can provide to your body.
- CBD Edibles
- CBD Sublingual
- CBD Topical
- CBD Vape or Smoke
Conclusion
CBD can provide many health benefits to your body. However, if you are already taking medications to control your condition, it’s best to ask for advice from your doctor. It’s the best way to go to avoid any complications and contraindication of drugs that you need to treat your condition. If you have decided to start with CBD products, make sure to check every detail first to avoid having further issues with your health.
