Can CBD Cure a Hangover?

If you’ve been lucky enough to experience a hangover… you know what it’s like.

The wallowing, the misery, and the willingness to believe and try anything that claims to provide some relief to get you past that pesky hangover faster.

The bad news is that there is no such thing as a “hangover cure.” The better news is CBD might be able to help. 

Let’s take a look at how CBD can be a viable option for various hangover symptoms.

Can CBD Help With A Hangover?

Well, it depends, but it seems that it can. 

Hangovers will vary in severity from person to person. They also depend on numerous factors, like what and how much you ate, and what and how much you had to drink. We all process alcohol differently, and some of us experience hangovers much worse than others.

Those of us in the “bad hangover” crowd will cry that it’s not fair, but what can you do?

Change your lifestyle? Sure.

Never reach that point? Absolutely.

But hey—it happens. And we’ve all been there.

And when we’re there, in the midst of a hangover, it would be nice to have something that can reliably help you feel better and get over your symptoms faster. This is where CBD seems to be able to step in. 

To be clear, CBD will not eliminate your hangover and help you feel back to normal immediately. Nothing can. But CBD may help treat some of the symptoms that are commonly associated with hangovers.

The best hangover remedy maybe some combination of CBD, hydration (water and electrolytes), a meal, and, unfortunately, time. Curious how CBD oil can function as a hangover remedy? Let’s dig in.

How Does CBD Help My Hangover?

As we mentioned, CBD might assist with hangover recovery because of how it helps with the symptoms of a hangover. 

Nausea

This is the single biggest way CBD is able to help with a hangover. We feel nauseous when we have a hangover because alcohol increases the acid in our stomach and creates an inflamed stomach lining. 

CBD’s cannabis cousin, marijuana, has long been used to treat nausea. The problem is, marijuana comes with its signature high. Meanwhile, CBD does not since it is non-psychoactive. But it does have some of the same nausea-curbing qualities as THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. 

Directly and indirectly, CBD interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) to provide a variety of benefits. A 2011 study showed that the endocannabinoid system can regulate nausea and vomiting. 

While CBD does not directly impact our stomach acid, it can support the vomit signal center in our brains. This vomit center is regulated by our ECS, and CBD can lower the release of serotonin, thereby blocking the urge to vomit. 

Dehydration

The source of that migraine (and many other hangover-related symptoms) are due to dehydration. When we are dehydrated, it causes an imbalance to our ECS, which causes the trickle down effect and leads to other problems. 

Alcohol is also a diuretic, which makes us frequently urinate and lose fluids. CBD isn’t able to help with dehydration, but it may help remedy the symptoms that rise up as a result. 

Low Blood Sugar

Alcohol directly reduces our blood sugar levels, leading to hypoglycemia—a condition where there isn’t enough sugar in the blood to assist the function of our internal organs. When this occurs, we get those signature muscle shakes, fatigue, and become a bit irritable. Drinks high in sugar like many cocktails, beer, and wine, make this worse. 

There is evidence to suggest that CBD can help with blood sugar control—but, unfortunately, this is more of a long-term effect than after a night of drinking. However, this may give way to CBD being a viable treatment option for long-term alcohol abuse. Further study is required.

Migraines

The relationship between CBD and our endocannabinoid system allows cannabidiol to help with migraines as well as nausea. How?

CBD can manipulate the level of anandamide in our body. When CBD inhibits the uptake of anandamide, this eases the intensity of a migraine. 

Focus

According to a 2013 study, large amounts of alcohol cause severe neurodegeneration. But the study found that the transdermal application of CBD can decrease neurodegeneration by nearly 50 percent. 

Anxiety & Depression

Increased cortisol levels in the brain and other alcohol-induced symptoms are what causes anxiety and depression to creep in after a night of drinking. CBD has known anti-anxiety properties, which can help ease the brain’s response to stress and help manage cortisol levels. This can keep negative thoughts at bay during a dreaded morning after. 

Toxin Flush

We need a boost when we’re feeling hungover, and CBD oil is a powerful antioxidant. When we have CBD after a night of drinking, some would say that CBD does an even better job than Vitamin C and E to put vitamins back in our body. This helps flush out toxins and reduce the free radical damage that leaves us feeling down. 

How Much CBD Do I Need To Cure My Hangover?

The key to taking CBD to help cure a hangover is knowing how much to take. You can’t take too much, technically, but there is a sweet spot that will provide you with relief and keep you from feeling even more lethargic.

CBD comes in a variety of products, such as tinctures, oils, edibles, capsules, vapes, and more. Each of these options provides different strengths of CBD and speed of release. These can all factor into how effectively the product works to help treat your hangover.

Vaping delivers an almost immediate effect, while taking CBD oil sublingually (under the tongue) takes roughly a minute. Edibles and capsules take a bit longer, and the strengths will vary widely depending on the product in question. 

To answer the question quickly, it depends on how you’re feeling. If you have a minor hangover, you’ll likely be okay with an edible or other product that has a slower release. But if you need some immediate relief, vaping or CBD oil is the way to go. The rule of thumb is always to start small and raise your dosage until you achieve the desired effects.

Summary: Can CBD Help With A Hangover?

Thanks to CBD’s relationship with our endocannabinoid system, CBD might be a good addition to your hangover remedy kit. However, it cannot “cure” a hangover on its own. And nothing can.

The best hangover remedy is prevention. Drink plenty of fluids, including electrolytes, and try to avoid alcohol on an empty stomach. 

But if you have a migraine coming on or you’re feeling nauseous, in particular, CBD may be a good option to help deliver some relief.