The findings of a study published yesterday “suggest that combinations of the tested doses of caffeine and CBD do not alter subjective drug effects”, and “no negative effects emerged”.
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The study is being published in the upcoming issue of the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, and it’s been published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine. It was conducted by researchers at the University of Arkansas, James Madison University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“Caffeine and cannabidiol (CBD) are commonly consumed by the general population, particularly among young adults; however, there is little research on the simultaneous effects of caffeine and CBD”, note sthe study’s abstract. “The present study aimed to examine the simultaneous self-reported effects of caffeine and CBD in young healthy adults.”
For the study 54 participants who reported daily caffeine use of at least 200mg a day attended one experimental session via Zoom and were assigned randomly to receive caffeine (200 mg) combined with either a placebo or CBD (25, 50, 80, 160, or 240 mg). Participants completed subjective drug effects measures at baseline and then ingested caffeine and their assigned CBD dose.
Throughout the 140-min session, participants completed self-report measures. The primary outcomes of this study were measures of general drug effects and anxiety. After caffeine and CBD administration, few effects were observed in self-reported measures of general drug effects.
“No negative effects emerged as a result of combined caffeine and CBD administration”, states the study. “The present study findings suggest that combinations of the tested doses of caffeine and CBD do not alter subjective drug effects; further, no negative effects emerged, providing preliminary safety evidence for using these products simultaneously.”
Researchers note that “Further research is needed to examine the simultaneous and/or interactive nature of caffeine and CBD on other caffeine-induced outcomes (e.g., cognition and physiological effects) and will be critical for informing future regulatory decisions regarding caffeine: CBD mixtures.”
