CBD has many benefits for heart health. But what about the negative side effects? Can CBD make your heart race?
Based on the current research, no, CBD won’t make your heart race or cause heart palpitations. In fact, CBD may actually help reduce heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). However, there are things related to CBD that can cause an elevated or irregular heart rate.
In this article, we’re going to discuss why CBD won’t raise heart rate, and what might be causing your heart to race after taking CBD.
How CBD Affects Your Heart: What Science Says
CBD has a variety of scientifically confirmed indirect and direct effects on the heart, and they’re nearly all positive.
How CBD Works: The Endocannabinoid System
Before we discuss how CBD affects the heart, let’s explore how CBD works in the body.
There’s a transmitter system in the human body called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), and its purpose is to maintain homeostasis, or balance. It regulates an extensive list of bodily functions, among them sleep, mood, inflammatory response, and body temperature.
Normally, it produces its own cannabinoids (which are called endocannabinoids) and functions on its own, but during times of bodily stress, the ECS can become overworked.
When this happens, consuming cannabinoids such as CBD can bolster your ECS and help it keep your body functions in homeostasis — normal states of health without discomfort or other issues.
CBD and other cannabinoids can interact with the ECS in a variety of ways. However, the way CBD specifically influences heart health is by blocking activity in the CB1 receptors in your ECS. As CB1 is responsible in large part for the inflammatory response, this blocking function induces vasorelaxation, or relaxing of the blood vessels.
You’ll see in a moment why this is so critical.
The Good: CBD’s Benefits for Blood Vessel Inflammation
A major cause of heart problems is vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels. Vasculitis can cause problems such as high blood pressure, damage to organs and tissue, and nerve damage.
Research shows that CBD has anti-inflammatory effects — both in general and in blood vessels. This paper states that CBD has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and another article notes that CBD has shown vasorelaxant (or blood vessel-relaxing) properties in both humans and rats.
All in all, research so far shows that CBD can help with vasculitis as well as with hypertension (high blood pressure), which is a key cause of heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and coronary artery disease.
The Bad: CBD Interferes with Heart Medications
So, the effects of CBD on your heart are positive. But are there any negatives?
Not that we know of — CBD hasn’t been shown to negatively interfere with the heart or cardiovascular system.
The only risk CBD poses when it comes to heart health is for heart patients who are on medication, especially blood thinners. CBD may interfere with your liver’s metabolization or certain medications, causing them to build up in the body and potentially result in liver toxicity.
Can CBD Make Your Heart Race?
No, CBD does not make your heart race, though THC, another cannabinoid, does cause an increase in heart rate.
There has been scientific inquiry into whether CBD converts to THC in the stomach, because this would cause your heart to race.
However, it was later shown that CBD is still CBD after it’s consumed, so this possibility was eliminated — therefore, all the research we have suggests that CBD does not increase heart rate.
On the contrary, CBD’s vasorelaxant properties actually help it reduce the increase in heart rate caused by THC.
You won’t find weak, ineffective, or dangerous products here. Only high-strength, American-made CBD products that have been 3rd-party lab tested. You deserve better.
Is CBD Safe for Heart Patients?
Yes and no. CBD by itself won’t cause any problems for heart patients, but if you’re taking medication, CBD may cause drug interactions that can lead to liver damage. To avoid this, be sure to speak to your doctor before taking CBD if you’re on heart medications.
Factors that May Influence Heart Rate After Taking CBD
As we covered before, CBD by itself won’t increase your heart rate, rather, it can lower it. However, there are some related factors that can cause an increase in heart rate that aren’t due to CBD itself.
THC Content
Unlike CBD, THC causes your heart to race — and this is true of THC in hemp-derived products (like we sell), as well as THC in marijuana, because it’s the same thing.
The reason we’re mentioning this is that THC is present in some CBD products. And if you use one of these products, you may experience an increase in heart rate.
There are three types of CBD:
- Full Spectrum CBD — Contains CBD, cannabinoids that naturally occur along with it (including small amounts of THC), and terpenes
- Broad Spectrum CBD — Is the same as Full Spectrum CBD, but with the THC removed
- CBD Isolate — Just CBD, with nothing else
So if you take a Full Spectrum CBD product, which contains THC, you may experience an increase in heart rate. Though this is a natural side effect of THC, if this is something you’re concerned about, be sure to opt for a Broad Spectrum or Isolate CBD product.
Dosage Size
If you’re using a Full Spectrum CBD product, the amount you take will also determine how much your heart races — if you take a larger dose, you’ll be getting more total THC.
For most uses, the starting dosage of CBD is 10-20mg, taken once per day. At this dose, the THC in Full-Spectrum CBD won’t be very noticeable, but if you take much more than that, it will.
Takeaway: Can CBD Make Your Heart Race?
You can take CBD and rest easy knowing it won’t make your heart race. Just be sure that the product you’re using contains CBD without THC added — choose a Broad Spectrum CBD or CBD Isolate over Full Spectrum CBD.
It’s also important that you speak to your doctor before using CBD of any kind if you have a heart condition, especially if you’re taking prescription medications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about CBD and heart rate.
Does CBD lower heart rate?
Yes. Studies of CBD’s effects in both humans and rats have shown that it lowers both blood pressure and heart rate.
Can CBD gummies make your heart race?
Not unless they are Full-Spectrum CBD gummies, which contain THC. CBD by itself will not increase your heart rate.
Can CBD cause irregular heartbeat?
No — the only known effect of CBD on the heartbeat is that it can lower heart rate. However, THC can cause heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Can CBD cause heart problems?
No — there is no scientific evidence showing that CBD is dangerous for the heart or can otherwise cause heart problems. However, it can interfere with heart medications, so if you use them, be sure to speak to your doctor before using CBD.
Where can I buy Broad Spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate?
We carry it! Natural Ways CBD has a variety of Broad Spectrum and Isolate CBD products that are 3rd-party lab tested, made with American-grown hemp, and backed by hundreds of glowing reviews. Click here to check out our heart-healthy CBD options.
