A recent clinical trial of the effect CBD on the liver was recently reported. The study reports that there is a negligible risk on the liver from typical CBD dosing.
This is an important study for the industry: real data is finally available on a cannabinoid. The industry has stepped up to do the work the government refuses to do. Bravo!
This data should not be surprising. The information GW Pharma obtained in its clinical trials of their CBD isolate Epidiolex was revealing:
Transaminase elevations are generally dose-related. In patients with DS or LGS (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) or TSC (25 mg/kg/day), ALT elevations greater than
3 times the ULN were reported in 17% and 12% of patients taking EPIDIOLEX 20 or 25 mg/kg/day, respectively, compared with 1% in patients taking EPIDIOLEX 10 mg/kg/day. The risk of ALT elevations was higher (25%) in patients with TSC receiving a dosage above the recommended maintenance dosage of 25 mg/kg/day in Study 4.
The measurement of liver function was determined by transaminase elevation (ALT: an indication of liver damage) in GW’s study. The data shows that CBD can damage the liver, but at very high doses. At the 25 mg/kg/day dose, 17% of the patients experienced elevation in ALT. At doses higher than 25 mg/kg/day, more significant ALT elevations were observed. Conversely, only 1% of patients in the 10 mg/kg/day cohort reported ALT elevations, and this was in line with elevations “caused” by placebo.
Dose CBD and the Liver
It is assumed in the medical community that the average adult weighs 70 kg (154 lbs): let’s break this down:
25 mg/kg equals 1750 mg CBD per day.
20 mg/kg = 1400 mg CBD per day
10 mg/kg = 700 mg CBD per day.
From the data, we can see that 700 mg CBD per day has negligible liver side effects, and importantly, the liver toxicity was dose related: higher doses caused more problems. Low doses are fine.
The bottom line here is that CBD is NOT intrinsically a liver toxin, but at very high doses problems may occur.
The takeaway: keep your CBD doses below 700 mg/day. We generally recommend doses no higher than 300 mg/day, providing a large safety margin for your liver.
Everything is toxic at a large enough dose. As they say, everything in moderation. Take the smallest dose of CBD to achieve the desired effect, and escalate the dose as needed, staying below 300 mg/day. The tox data is there, now experience the effects of CBD without worry.