Can CBD Help Reduce A Hangover?

Who bought that last round of shots? What was in that shot? Where did I leave my shoes? Why am I covered in confetti? When did I get home?

All decisions have inevitable consequences. However, for those of us who enjoy a fun night out with friends (or, like me, have difficulty saying no to another round of drinks), the consequences are swift.

The pounding headache. The churning stomach. The dry, scratchy mouth. The post-party anxiety. All common symptoms of the dreaded hangover.

When in the depths of a hangover, it’s only natural to desperately try to clear the foggy mind and try to come up with a quick solution to stop the pain and return to relatively normal functioning capacity again.

Finding a remedy to the hangover is a time-honored tradition passed down from the earliest civilizations.

In the ancient Middle East, people would grind up bird beaks and mix them with myrrh (yes, that myrrh) to help reduce hangovers. In Poland, pickled sheep’s eyeballs did the trick. In Puerto Rico, they would take preventative measures by rubbing a lemon in their armpits before a night of boozing.

I’m sure all the ancient solutions have their benefits. However, our modern-day economy makes it difficult to procure pickled sheep’s eyeballs from your local Trader Joe’s at 9am.

Insert infomercial voice, “There’s got to be a better way!”

Breweries, distilleries, and your hard-partying friend have all begun to tout CBD has a potential solution to the hangover conundrum.

Like most benefits of CBD, the science is still out on the exact benefits of using CBD to counteract the side-effect of alcohol. However, CBD has been shown to rapidly reduce some of the effects of a hangover.

CBD May Help Reduce Nausea

Drinking alcohol activates a very specific part of our brain — dubbed the vomiting center. Scientists are not known for their creativity.

The additional alcohol in our bloodstream triggers actions in the vomiting center that triggers muscle contractions in our stomach, in order to free our bodies of the suspected poison. It’s an action of the body attempting to protect itself by stopping more alcohol from entering the bloodstream by the only means available (out where it came).

This defensive action by the body can be prolonged well into the next morning. Leading to the familiar stomach-churning associated with a hangover.

Luckily for CBD users, the vomiting center is regulated by the endocannabinoid system. The same system that CBD utilizes when activated in the body.

As CBD starts to regulate the endocannabinoid system, it activates the serotonin receptors in our brain. As we begin to produce more serotonin, the sensation of nausea and the urge to vomit may be reduced dramatically.

CBD May Help Regulate Blood Sugar Level

Alcohol has a well-documented effect on lowering the drinker’s blood sugar level. Often, the obvious symptoms of low blood sugar levels after drinking are shaking and severe fatigue.

Consuming drinks that are high in sugar actually worsens the effects of low blood sugar. When the pancreas detects spikes in blood sugar levels, the organ releases more insulin to convert that sugar into energy.

As soon as we stop ingesting the sugars, the crash occurs. This transfer of energy usually occurs while we're sleeping, which is why the hangover effects truly take effect the next morning. Also, this might be the reason people have worse hangovers on fun, fruity drinks (or wine) than other forms of alcohol.

CBD has been known to help regulate blood sugar levels. However, the real benefits of CBD and blood sugar are over a long-term process, not to compensate for one night of boozing.

CBD May Help The Day After Stress

Waking up not feeling like your normal self can be a bit upsetting. That’s where CBD can come in. Using CBD oil to help manage that stress can help take the edge off. CBD works alongside your body’s natural cannabinoids to bring synergy to your ECS. Our response to life’s stressors is supported by our ECS and can be positively influenced by introducing CBD to your post night out routine.

So, can CBD help reduce a hangover? Taking CBD post-drinking may not help much to stop the fatigue, but utilizing CBD as a preventative measure can yield a much more pleasant morning. Overall, there are definite benefits to taking CBD to counteract the less desirable effects of alcohol, but remember these will vary from person to person.