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Does CBD Oil Break a Fast?

Intermittent fasting involves abstaining from food and being on an empty stomach for a set period of time. An eating and non-eating schedule is provided that you must maintain in order to achieve the best results. Besides, intermittent fasting has been shown to have a number of health benefits.

CBD oil can be an approach that could help make fasting easier. For example, if you’re transitioning from a 12:12 to an 18:6 fasting pattern, it might be useful to adopt additional tools to make the transition smoother. But, does CBD oil break a fast? Continue reading to find out everything you need to know.

Does CBD Oil Break a Fast?

Whether CBD breaks a fast depends on its form. Some fasters follow a 40-50 caloric rule, therefore, a small dose of CBD oil shouldn’t be a fast-breaker.

You should only take CBD oil with olive oil, hemp seed oil, or coconut oil carrier oils, or try out CBD patches. CBD edibles have a greater calorie count and sugar content that will, in fact, interfere with your intermittent fasting period.

Moreover, if you’re fasting to let your gut rest, CBD will break your fast because it activates your digestive system. CBD oils also activate the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

On the other hand, if you’re fasting for weight loss or to boost your metabolic health and stay in ketosis for as long as possible – you are safe to consume CBD.

To be sure that CBD oil fits your lifestyle and intermittent fasting schedule, let’s take a look at what exactly CBD oil is in the first place.

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What Is CBD Oil?

CBD oil also referred to as Cannabidiol oil is created by extracting CBD from cannabis plants and diluting it with a carrier oil. CBD, unlike THC, has no psychoactive properties. The major psychoactive cannabinoid present in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Therefore you can’t “get high” from CBD.

CBD oil can be used to treat pain and other health-related symptoms using a more natural substance rather than pharmaceutical drugs. However, more scientific study is needed to be certain if it does help with health-related symptoms or discomfort.

There is no added sugar in CBD oils and it doesn’t affect glucose levels.

Speaking of CBD and intermittent fasting, taking CBD oil can help regulate appetite and might help make it easier for you to stick to your intermittent fasting process.

Types of CBD oil

There are different types of CBD oil:

  • Full spectrum – features all of the components of the cannabis plant. Therefore, it includes less than <0,3% THC.
  • Broad spectrum – features almost all of the cannabis plant components. Hence, it contains only a hint of THC.
  • Isolatespure CBD without any additional cannabinoids or THC.

Does CBD Oil Support Weight Loss?

One of the most common reasons people start intermittent fasting is to restrict caloric intake and so promote weight or fat loss. Also, a healthy diet along with intermittent fasting has been shown to produce great effects on weight management.

When changing your lifestyle with a goal in mind, it’s critical to keep track of your progress. As a result, you can use extra tools to monitor your weight loss progress, count calories, or check when your fasting window opens or closes.

One of which is a DoFasting app that includes all of these features and additional ones such as educational articles and such.

Taking CBD oil can support weight loss in a way that can help manage hunger pangs. Moreover, CBD products could boost the levels of leptin in the brain which is a hormone that helps you feel full or satisfied.

Aside from that, one study suggests that CBD may help prevent diabetes and obesity by increasing the cells’ ability to absorb glucose.

Even though these studies show promising results, more research is needed on how CBD interacts with weight loss to draw more accurate conclusions. Aside from weight loss, CBD oil also helps intermittent fasting in other ways.

Other Ways CBD Oil Supports Intermittent Fasting

Here we’ll go over how CBD products can support intermittent fasting.

May support mental clarity and mental health

According to some studies, CBD has a positive impact on neurogenesis and offers neural protection.

Moreover, CBD promotes neuronal survival by regulating autophagy, a cell repair process in which the body cleans away damaged cells in order to produce newer ones. It does this for neuronal survival which can have a benefit on mental health.

Additionally, CBD can have therapeutic properties for Alzheimer’s disease.

Intermittent fasting can also regulate autophagy which means that CBD can enhance these results.

During weight loss periods, mental clarity and mental wellness are very crucial. Feeling happy and emotionally calm can help you stick to your intermittent fasting routine, reduce your chance of developing eating disorders, and have a positive relationship with food in general.

May support heart health

High blood pressure can lead to several health conditions such as a heart attack or a stroke. CBD products might lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease from happening.

Additionally, there is some evidence that CBD can reduce arterial stiffness and enhance blood flow via arteries. However, more scientific research on the potential advantages of CBD on heart health is needed.

May improve sleep

A good night’s sleep is essential while trying to lose weight. Getting an 8-hour quality sleep helps to boost energy and motivation.

Feeling exhausted and weak is one of the adverse effects of intermittent fasting. Furthermore, beginner fasters are more likely to experience weakness until they become adjusted to a new routine.

CBD oil might be beneficial for treating insomnia, sleep apnea, and REM sleep behavior. Moreover, it can improve sleep quality overall.

Anxiety can be another factor that disrupts your sleep. Therefore, CBD oil can help ease anxiety and other neuropsychiatric disorders because of its calming effect.

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Risks and Drawbacks to Consider

Even though CBD does have a lot of positive effects that can help intermittent fasting, there are some risks that go with it.

Diarrhea

Even though CBD oil should help with stomach issues, and promote healthy digestion, and healthier metabolism, some studies show that CBD can cause gastrointestinal distress or diarrhea.

This is a rare side effect but keep in mind that it might occur as a result of your body perceiving CBD as a foreign substance. Moreover, the precise reason why this occurs and what specifically in CBD causes this negative effect is unknown.

To avoid having this unpleasant experience make sure to always stay hydrated. Besides, this effect isn’t long-lasting. Hence, your body should adjust to CBD oils after a while.

Fatigue

Fatigue can be a more common side effect when trying out CBD. This is because CBD products are known for their pain relief and relaxing properties. Therefore, some people report feeling so relaxed to the point that they start feeling tired as well.

This side effect is similar to diarrhea in that it should go away after a while as your body adapts to taking CBD.

Incompatible with certain medications

Even though cannabidiol has potential therapeutic effects over several medical conditions, it might be incompatible with certain medications:

  • Anti-epileptic medications
  • Antidepressants
  • Opioid analgesics
  • THC
  • Other central nervous system depressant medications

Many medications are broken down by enzymes in the liver, and CBD may compete with or interfere with these enzymes, resulting in too much or too little drug in the body. This is a condition known as altered concentration.

This can lead to medication not working or an increased risk of side effects.

All in all, it’s recommended that you consult a physician to determine if CBD is suitable for you.

Options for Taking CBD Oil During Fasting

There are several ways you can take CBD oil during intermittent fasting.

Sublingually (or under the tongue)

CBD drops placed under the tongue are referred to as sublingual consumption. It’s one of the most efficient and quick methods. This is because the drops are immediately absorbed by the sublingual glands.

You’ll also need to take only a few drops under the tongue and it won’t interfere with your fasting window. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you decide to take it during your fasting or eating window.

Add to food and drinks

The simplest way to take CBD is to add a few drops to your food and drinks. This is the most fasting-safe option. You can add CBD to your water, black coffee, green tea, or any meal you’re taking during your eating period.

You could also experiment with edibles. However, because they may break a fast, they should only be taken during your eating window.

Take in gummy form

You can also take one CBD gummy per day. Most people consume CBD gummies before bed in the evening to help them obtain that calming sensation and fall asleep faster.

Nutritional value of CBD gummies:

  • Calories – 9
  • Carbs – 2.2
  • Fat – 0
  • Protein – 0

CBD gummies are safe to take during a fast.

Use as a topical

A topical CBD form is when it isn’t ingested internally. Therefore, it can be applied externally through cosmetic CBD products such as creams that stimulate the body.

This method of taking CBD will most certainly not break a fast. However, it does not aid in weight loss like other forms of CBD. But it may benefit other health aspects – skin health, itching, joint pain relief, etc.

Other calorie-free options

There are other possible calorie-free CBD options out there. These can be pills, vapes, or patches. CBD in the form of pills has calories similar to CBD gummies. Therefore, if you follow the 40-50 calorie rule, this won’t break your fast.

However, if you’re sticking to zero calories, you should then choose vapes or patches or take CBD pills on your eating window.

CBD patches have minimal negative side effects, offer a sustained, long-term delivery of CBD, and contain localized pain relief properties.

CBD vapes might reduce anxiety and stress and improve mood. However, it lacks scientific evidence.

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Does CBD Oil Break a Fast: Final Takeaways

CBD oil or cannabidiol oil is an active ingredient found in cannabis. It has a variety of health advantages for mental and heart health and may improve sleep. However, it can cause side effects such as diarrhea or fatigue and should be used with caution.

Moreover, CBD does not break a fast if you only take moderate amounts and in a form of oil, patches, or vapes.

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This is an evidence-based article that includes scientific citations. DoFasting’s professional writers and editors prepared the content, which a team of medical experts verified to be accurate.

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