Have you wondered why the doctor asks you whether you take other medications before prescribing one? This is because medicines and drugs you consume can react with each other. Some of the after-effects of such interactions are severe and can even cause death. Therefore, it is important that you be aware of the different drugs you take to avoid unnecessary results. One such drug you should be wary about is CBD. Are you a CBD consumer? In this article, you will read about CBD and drug interactions.
CBD And Medicine Interactions
Everything that we consume is broken down into particles that can be absorbed by the body. We have a set of enzymes named CYP450 to metabolize the food, drug, and medicines we eat. The enzyme responsible for the metabolism of more than 50 percent of the medicines we take is CYP3A4. This enzyme also breaks down CBD.
One of the effects of CBD is that it slows down the production of CYP3A4 in the body and hence, inhibits the metabolism of medicines that need CYP3A4. This not only prolongs the digestion but also increases the amount of time the medicine or drug stays in the body; consequently, causing adverse side effects.
What Drugs Should Not Be Taken With CBD?
The best thing to do would be to ask your doctor about medicines to avoid while having CBD. However, you can find it yourself too. Since CBD inhibits the CYP3A4 enzyme, you should look for medicines that need the enzyme for metabolism. Some of these medicines are.
- Antibiotics
- Anesthetics
- Antihistamines
- Antidepressants
- HIV antivirals
- Prokinetics
- Steroids
A class of drugs called prodrugs does not react with the body when CBD is taken. Prodrugs are taken in inert form and are not absorbed until metabolized. Let’s have a look at how CBD reacts with common drugs.
How Does CBD React With Common Medications?
Vicodin
This is a commonly prescribed pain killer. It is an addictive opioid and can adversely react with CBD. On the other hand, a pain killer named codeine does not interact with CBD. However, CBD does disrupt its functioning.
Simvastatin
Simvastatin belongs to a class of drugs called “statin” and is commonly prescribed to control cholesterol. CBD prolongs its presence in the body by inhibiting its break down which can eventually become lethal.
Lisinopril
Lisinopril is a medicine prescribed to lower blood pressure and is known to cause kidney failure over time. This drug is not metabolized by the CYP3A4 enzyme and does not interfere with CBD.
The list of medicines that interact with CBD is not short. Therefore, you should always consult a doctor before you take CBD.