Over the past couple of years, many people have experienced the benefits of CBD for the first time. Its beneficial properties and ability to improve many areas of a person’s life make it a great supplement to a wellness routine. While research has allowed us to explore the various benefits and effects of CBD, there’s a new curiosity that many consumers want to know: can CBD help with weight loss? Though research on this topic is limited, CBD shows great potential because of how it interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Let’s take a look at why.

CBD for Weight Loss

Many of the benefits of CBD are a result of how it interacts with the endocannabinoid system. This is because the ECS regulates and controls many of our most critical bodily functions. This system works by producing endocannabinoids, but as stated in our previous article:

Like other bodily systems, the endocannabinoid system can malfunction. Hemp and cannabis cannabinoids can imitate those that are produced naturally by the human body. Even though the research dedicated to this process is limited, there is a promising trend of cannabinoids regulating bodily functions such as inflammation, mood, chronic pain, appetite, sleep and more.

In other words, CBD can help the ECS function properly and continue regulating important parts of the body. While there may not be much research on how this directly reflects weight loss, we do know that thanks to this interaction, CBD helps users reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep, and manage chronic pain—all things that can contribute to weight gain if not properly managed. Let’s take a closer look at why these things can lead to weight gain and how CBD plays a role.

1. CBD helps reduce anxiety and stress
   There are multiple ways that stress and anxiety can lead to weight gain, but we first have to introduce cortisol, the naturally occurring hormone that affects many functions of the body. Cortisol is released when a person is stressed, sending the body into flight-or-fight mode, and slowing your metabolism as a result. An excess of this hormone can also increase your appetite and cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty foods. Even more, depression and anxiety may cause a person to stop doing the things they used to enjoy. This could cause them to stop going to the gym, hanging out with their friends and family, and ultimately live a more sedentary lifestyle, which can directly lead to weight gain.
   
   Now let’s return to the endocannabinoid system, which also helps regulate our emotions. When CBD is introduced to the body, it impacts the receptors in the ECS and regulates serotonin levels in the brain, making for a great long-term solution to both anxiety and stress. By helping reduce these two things, CBD is indirectly helping a person live a healthier life and better maintain their weight.

2. CBD helps improve sleep
   Many people in the United States have turned all-nighters or sleeping for only a couple of hours into a normal thing. This, unfortunately, can have a huge impact on our health (and our weight). This is because inadequate sleep can slow your metabolism, resulting in unwanted weight gain. And not to mention that a bad night’s sleep often affects a person’s decisions about food and physical activity the following day. Think about it: a person only gets 5 hours of sleep. The next day they’re too tired to work out, they may grab a sweet treat to give them a burst of energy, and they may choose to order takeout rather than spend the time to cook a healthy meal. This isn’t to say that everyone who isn’t sleeping well will make these decisions, but it does play a role in unhealthy lifestyle choices.
   
   CBD helps by acting as a natural supplement that can improve your sleep. This isn’t to say that CBD makes you sleepy, but rather that it works to fix the root of the problem. It does so by fighting some of the common factors that affect your quality of sleep: stress, pain, and a bad sleep-wake cycle. To learn more about when and how to take CBD for sleep, read our previous blog.

3. CBD helps manage chronic pain
   Chronic pain affects every aspect of a person’s life. This can have a direct impact on a person’s weight because it can affect their ability to partake in physical activities, reduce their quality of sleep, and cause them stress. If they’re taking medication, then weight gain can also be a side effect of their treatment plan.
   
   CBD helps relieve pain by reducing inflammation and relaxing the muscles, therefore, helping a person return to their normal routine. In fact, CBD may be helpful for pre- and post-surgery recovery, as we explain in a previous article. 

Final Thoughts

At Vitality, we’re thrilled to see how both consumers and researchers are interested in discovering the full potential of hemp-derived products. While research is limited on how CBD and weight loss are connected, its ability to fight against some of the factors that cause people to gain weight shows us that it has great potential for a long-term solution. As more research is done on the subject, we’ll continue publishing up-to-date content on our blog. If you want to learn more about our products, please reach out to us or visit our blog to learn about a variety of CBD-related topics.