In this article we’re going to discuss whether using CBD oil can result in a headache.
The science behind cannabidiol is still in its infancy, and there’s still a lot left to be discovered.
A great portion of the currently-unknown relates to side effects, and what’s somewhat surprising is that a miniscule percentage of CBD oil users tends to experience some side effects (like for instance nausea), while other people never have to deal with them.
This comes to show that people react quite differently to CBD. But, the other potential culprit behind headaches caused by CBD oil is the overall quality of the product in question.
Before we get into the factors that determine the quality of any given CBD oil, we should quickly cover the available scientific work that deals with the side effects of CBD.
One of the most comprehensive research to date is this 2018 review, which surveyed 2,409 people who were using CBD. The survey assessed various aspects of CBD use, including effectiveness, types of products used, and of course side effects.
About 30% of people mentioned that they experienced some adverse effects, and the most-frequently reported ones were dry mouth, euphoria, increased appetite, and sedation/fatigue. In this study there was no mention of headaches.
A different 2017 study was also dealing with CBD-induced side effects, and the closest thing to a headache that was mentioned was lightheadedness, which is a completely different sensation compared to an actual headache.
Since there is no scientific evidence showcasing that CBD is capable of causing headaches, let’s check out what are the other important factors that should be taken into consideration.
Overall Quality of CBD Oil
Cannabidiol-based products still aren’t regulated by the FDA, which allows a lot of low-quality products to be openly sold on the market.
This means that the consumers have to take matters into their own hands, and carefully select the CBD products that they’re going to use.
It’s unclear whether low-quality CBD oil is capable of producing a headache, but if you’re experiencing such issues from using CBD oil, these are the main aspects to look out for.
Purity
Consume only CBD oil products that were made through CO2 extraction. Other extraction methods can leave trace amounts of various solvents in the final product, which is unsanitary and potentially hazardous.
Third-party Lab Results
An ingredients analysis performed by an independent laboratory ensures that the CBD product in question doesn’t contain any heavy metals, pesticides or any other types of harmful substances.
Type of Carrier Oil
All CBD oil products contain a food-grade carrier oil. CBD oils are typically made with coconut oil, hemp seed oil, MCT oil and so forth.
It’s possible that your body doesn’t respond well to some of these oils, so if you’re experiencing headaches from CBD oil, you might want to consider switching to a different type of carrier oil.
For more information on how to properly choose a CBD oil product, check out our articles What to Look for in CBD Oil and Why is CBD Oil so Expensive.
