Jadoon KA, Tan GD, O’Sullivan SE. A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study. JCI Insight. 2017;2(12):e93760. doi:10.1172/jci.insight.93760
The Study
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a plant-based cannabinoid used to treat uncontrollable epilepsy and some symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Preclinical studies have shown CBD has many positive effects, including cardiovascular benefits. CBD lowered stress-induced blood pressure (BP) in preclinical studies. Human study data on CBD’s health benefits are gaining momentum. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study evaluated the effects of CBD on BP in healthy volunteers.
Study Findings
During this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, nine healthy male study participants received 600 mg of CBD or a placebo. A finometer (i.e., measurement of finger blood pressure) and laser Dopplers were used to monitor cardiovascular data (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, and stroke volume).
Study subjects who took CBD had lower resting systolic BP and lower BP before and after stress. Volunteers in the study also experienced decreased stroke volume with increased heart rate and stable cardiac output. After exposure to cold, those who took CBD had a favorable response to cold-induced stress with a blunted BP, increased heart rate, and lower total peripheral resistance (i.e., the force required to maintain blood flow).
Conclusion
The study data revealed that short-term CBD administration lowers resting blood pressure as well as stress-induced BP in healthy adults. The study authors concluded that more research is required to discover how CBD may be used to treat cardiovascular disorders.
Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.93760
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