If you’re taking a CBD product regularly to treat a condition, you may be worried about the potential side effects. More specifically, you may be concerned that it will have a detrimental effect on your energy levels, which could lead to feelings of drowsiness, a lack of appetite and irritability.
In this blog, we look at whether your energy levels are likely to change as a result of taking CBD products.
Does CBD oil give you energy or make you tired?
You might be using CBD oil products to treat a skin condition, improve your sleeping pattern or soothe physical pain. But as with certain other products and treatments, is there a risk it will lower your energy levels? For instance, this side effect can be caused by certain antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, anti anxiety medications, muscle relaxants and cancer treatments.
Unlike some other compounds found in the cannabis plant, CBD doesn’t make users drowsy. Instead, it is thought that CBD may improve mood and energy levels through balancing out chemicals in the brain such as serotonin and dopamine. Despite this, it can also help with promoting a natural sleep due its ability to decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.
More research around how CBD could affect energy levels is needed, but the limited results are promising. A 2014 edition of Current Neuropharmacology included an article which questioned whether CBD could be used as a ‘wake-promoting’ agent. The results suggested that dopamine levels and wakefulness were enhanced after CBD was microinjected into hypothalamus activated neurons, which play a key role in many bodily functions, such as the release of hormones.
What is meant by energy levels?
Energy refers to the feeling of power that makes people capable of carrying out daily tasks. All animals need sufficient energy levels to stay alive, keep warm, move and grow naturally.
Although many different factors can play a part in restoring or maintaining energy to the body, it’s mostly supplied by necessary food and drink, as well as spending enough time resting. This is partly why medical experts often encourage a balanced diet, as fats, carbohydrates and proteins are important components towards powering your body to make it work as it should.
By not following simple steps to keep up your energy levels, you will eventually end up feeling weak, tired and unmotivated.
What affects energy levels?
Primary reasons for feeling like you’re lacking energy are dehydration, a lack of food, insufficient rest and an unbalanced diet. Energy levels are different from person to person, and they can be impacted by general factors such as gender, age, body type and your typical level of exercise.
If you already feel like you’ve ticked off all of these potential causes, it could be that you feel drained due to another medical condition and you should seek advice from a healthcare professional.