Why Is CBD’s Grapefruit Rule Very Important?

Those who regularly take medication may be familiar with the grapefruit cautions. While not all drugs are affected by the grapefruit rule, a number of frequently prescribed drugs are not safe to use with grapefruit. When this is the case, using CBD should be done with great caution.

This usually entails giving CBD and medication more time to separate. The best course of action is to always see a doctor or chemist before using CBD when taking normal medication, as some medications may not combine well with CBD regardless of the gap. This article describes the grapefruit rule for drugs and how it relates to CBD.

What Is The Grapefruit Rule?

The term “grapefruit rule” refers to the fact that certain drugs are contraindicated when taken with grapefruit, as indicated by a grapefruit warning. The purpose of this warning is to prevent users of certain drugs from consuming grapefruit or products that contain large amounts of it, including grapefruit juice.

This seems strange, but there’s a very good reason behind it. Studies have indicated that disregarding this caution and consuming grapefruit while taking medication may result in an elevated level of the medication in the blood. Unwanted and sometimes hazardous side effects may result from this.

How Does The Grapefruit Rule Apply To CBD?

Grapefruits contain a particular class of chemical known as furanocoumarins. Furanocoumarins have the ability to block the CYP3A4 enzyme, which aids in the breakdown of vitamins and pharmaceuticals. In a similar vein, CBD is supposed to block this enzyme. As a result, it may have effects akin to those of grapefruit, such as delaying the metabolism of medicine. This implies that a drug is very likely to be affected by CBD if it is extremely likely to be affected by grapefruit.

For this reason, while using CBD and drugs together that are contraindicated with grapefruit, we at Holistic Hemp Scotland propose double the advised interval to four hours. Furthermore, we advise customers to discuss the safety of utilising CBD products with their prescriptions with a doctor or pharmacist.

What If A Medication Doesn’t Have A Grapefruit Warning?

Even if taking a drug with grapefruit is not contraindicated, using it concurrently with CBD may nonetheless have an effect on it. Both still need to be metabolised by the body, and doing so simultaneously can have different effects than doing so one at a time. Therefore, it is still vital to give yourself at least two hours’ notice.

It is nonetheless advised that people inquire with a doctor or pharmacist about the safety of combining CBD with their particular prescriptions. The grapefruit warning in relation to CBD just lists drugs that have a higher chance of interfering with CBD.

Does The Grapefruit Rule Apply To All CBD Products?

Certain CBD products don’t need to be taken after other supplements or drugs. Anything edible, including oils, pastes and capsules, usually needs a gap. This holds true for both drugs that should not be used with grapefruit and those that are; the only distinction is the duration of the interval.

Nonetheless, supplements and drugs can be used concurrently with other non-gastrointestinal treatments like balms. This even holds true for people who shouldn’t consume grapefruit.

Key Takeaways

The following are important things to keep in mind regarding the grapefruit rule and how it relates to CBD:

• Grapefruit should not be consumed by anyone taking some widely prescribed drugs since they are contraindicated with grapefruit.
• Because CBD affects certain enzymes similarly to grapefruit, there needs to be a longer time interval (at least 4 hours) between taking CBD and prohibited drugs.
• Regardless of the grapefruit rule, it is always safer to consult a doctor or pharmacist before beginning any new CBD regimen to find out whether any drugs are safe to take with CBD.
• When taken too soon together, medications that are contraindicated with grapefruit are more likely to interact with CBD.