If you are taking prescription medication, then it would be wise for you to step back and take expert opinion before you jump into CBD. Prescription medications react with one another, with the effects ranging from nulling the effects of reducing the efficacy of the drug to potentially making it dangerous. This is something that you must understand before using any prescription medication or supplement.
Metabolism
You must understand that drugs undergo metabolism which means that they are broken down by the liver and the enzymes. The body makes use of enzymes to breakdown everything. This includes the likes of foods, drinks, medications, and supplements. Once you disrupt the enzyme activity, you will affect the drug’s potency.
The health benefits of CBD are well known, documented and there is research that is still looking into the vast potential that this life-saving drug holds. However, interaction with a certain class of enzymes can cause CBD side effects to arise.
Effect Of CBD On Enzymes
CBD has been documented to inhibit certain liver enzymes, namely cytochrome P450. These are used to metabolize and breakdown certain drugs. Effectively this means that the interaction between the drug and the metabolizing enzyme is disrupted.
The Effects Can Vary In The Case Of CBD
The question popping in your mind must be that CBD affects certain medications that are metabolized by P450 enzymes, so will the potency remain unchanged? Will it increase or decrease?
There is no one-word answer to this particular question. The medication potency is affected by CBD in either way- increase or decrease. The effect of the medication can be weaker or stronger. However, the research to determine what the dosages of CBD that impact the metabolism of the medications are still incomplete, for the most part. There are studies that point to the blocking of proper metabolism of certain epilepsy class of drugs.
What Can You Do?
Before jumping in head-first, it would be wise for you to consult the expertise of a medical professional. They would be able to properly guide you and advise the best course of action. In certain situations, your doctor may want to monitor the blood levels and your general health, to make sure that you are neither getting too much nor too little of the prescription drug during CBD therapy.
Sticking to good quality CBD products will also reduce the chances of adverse reactions taking place when on other medications.