A study focused on people who are highly prone to worry found that taking 300 milligrams of cannabidiol (CBD) did not reduce the severity of their worry, or the cognitive symptoms of anxiety. . This result was consistent with that of placebo treatment, both after a single dose and after a 2-week treatment period. This study psychopharmacology.
Symptoms of anxiety can be categorized into emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral symptoms. Emotionally, people with anxiety may experience feelings of anxiety, concern, or fear. On a cognitive level, common symptoms include persistent worry, mental alertness, and difficulty concentrating. Physical symptoms include restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue, and disrupted sleep patterns. Behaviorally, anxiety can lead to avoidance of certain situations, nervous habits, or seeking reassurance from others.
Standard treatments for anxiety include psychotherapy and medication. However, psychotherapy is expensive and not always easily available. Additionally, existing drugs have negative side effects such as sedation and weight gain. That's why researchers are searching for new, convenient treatments for anxiety symptoms that are accessible and free of side effects.
One promising candidate in this regard is cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a compound derived from the Cannabis sativa plant. Unlike its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) counterpart, cannabidiol does not induce a psychoactive “high.” This has led to increased research interest in its potential therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects.
Study author L. Riley Gournay and colleagues aimed to investigate the effects of cannabidiol on symptoms of worry in anxious individuals. They compared the effects of oral administration of 300 milligrams of cannabidiol, administration of 50 milligrams of the same substance, and placebo treatment both immediately after the first dose and after two weeks of daily administration. They hypothesized that cannabidiol would reduce anxiety symptoms immediately after the first dose, and that after two weeks, participants who took cannabidiol would report lower anxiety levels compared to those who took a placebo. I did.
The study included 63 participants who were highly anxious, assessed using the Pennsylvania Worry Questionnaire. The participants had an average age of 29 years and consisted of 32 women, 30 men, and one person who identified as gender nonconforming. The researchers specifically selected people with a high propensity to worry to avoid a “floor effect” in which treatment fails to reduce anxiety in people who are not initially worried.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Each group received either 150 milligrams of cannabidiol, 25 milligrams of cannabidiol, or a placebo twice a day. This resulted in a total daily dose of 300 mg cannabidiol, 50 mg cannabidiol, or placebo, respectively. The treatment was administered in the form of six softgel capsules, each containing 25 milligrams of either cannabidiol or an inert substance, so that the number of capsules taken by each participant was uniform.
To confirm compliance with the treatment protocol, participants recorded time-stamped videos of themselves ingesting the capsules each time. The researchers advised eating a high-fat snack before taking the capsules to increase absorption. This study was conducted in a double-blind manner. That is, neither the participants nor the researchers directly involved knew which treatment each participant was receiving.
Before the study, after the first day of the study, and at the end of the study period, participants rated their worry severity (Brief Measure of Worry Severity) and anxiety symptoms (Anxiety Scale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale). completed. -21, DASS-21). After the study, they also completed a brief standardized interview about possible side effects of the treatment.
Results showed that, on average, levels of worry decreased over the study period. However, there were no significant differences between the three treatments. The average reduction in worry was similar for the 300 mg and 50 mg cannabidiol doses and the placebo. The effects of the treatment were consistent both after the first day and after the entire 2-week study period.
When looking at overall anxiety symptoms, no differences were found between the three treatments after the first day. However, a comparison of anxiety symptoms at the end of the study revealed that physical symptoms decreased in the cannabidiol group, but not in the placebo group. This decrease was most pronounced in the group receiving 300 milligrams of cannabidiol per day and was statistically significant, so the results were generalizable beyond the sample.
“Taken together, these findings suggest that 300 mg of oral cannabidiol does not reduce cognitive symptoms of anxiety (i.e., worry), both acutely and with repeated doses. Repeated 300 mg of cannabidiol on physical symptoms of anxiety “These findings are consistent with accumulating evidence suggesting that cannabidiol's anxiolytic effects may be associated with specific symptom areas,” the study authors wrote. concluded.
This study reveals the effects of cannabidiol on symptoms of anxiety. However, it should be noted that the study group was very small. Therefore, a very large effect was required to detect an effect. If the treatment effect was weak, it may have remained undetected.
paper, “Effects of cannabidiol on worry and anxiety in high-trait worriers: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial” authors are L. Riley Gournay, Morgan L. Ferretti, Sarah Bilsky, Emily Vance, Anna Marie Nguyen, Eric Mann, Parker Williams, and Ellen W. Leanne Feldner.
