On its own, CBD is a safe substance – but it can interact with other pharmaceuticals for unintended effects. Taken in higher dosages, CBD can deactivate cytochrome P450 enzymes. In plain English, that means it can affect how our body processes and metabolizes pain killers, blood thinners, insulin injections, and more. If you’re taking anything of the sort for an existing health condition, consult your physician before jumping into CBD.
These CBD-drug interactions aren’t fully understood, which can make them dangerous. If you’re taking pharmaceuticals, be sure to monitor changes in your blood levels and adjust dosages accordingly. Problematic interactions more often occur when a person is consuming very high doses of CBD isolate products, which are usually near- or 100%-pure CBD.