Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained widespread attention for its potential to ease symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, chronic pain, and a host of other health conditions.
While studies are ongoing as to how effective CBD is, many people are giving it a try. Research to date shows that CBD is generally safe and has few,
if any, minor side effects. However, it’s crucial to understand how CBD interacts with other medications you may be taking.

When you take a medication or other substance, your body has to metabolize it, or break it down.
Drug metabolism happens throughout the body, such as in the gut, but the liver does a big part of the job, too.
A family of enzymes called cytochrome P450 (CYP450) does the important work of converting foreign substances so they can easily be eliminated from the body.
But some medications or substances affect CYP450, either by slowing or speeding up drug metabolism.
That change in metabolism rate can alter how your body processes the medications or supplements you take — hence a drug interaction.

CBD is extensively metabolized by CYP450 enzymes in the liver, in particular by the isoforms CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 1.
Furthermore, CBD is able to inhibit CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9, and may inhibit members of the CYP3 family 1,
leading to potential pharmacologic interactions with other drugs 1. Specifically, CYP3A4, an important enzyme within the CYP450 family,
is responsible for metabolizing about 60 percent of clinically prescribed medications 2. But during this process, CBD also interferes with CYP3A4.
If CBD is inhibiting CYP3A4, it can’t work as effectively to break down the medications in your system. The reverse can happen, too. Many medications inhibit CYP3A4.
If you then take CBD while on these medications, your body can’t work to process the CBD as effectively.
If your body is metabolizing a medication too slowly, you may have more medication in your system at one time than intended — even if you’ve stuck to your normal dose.
An increased level of a medication in your system could exaggerate its effects, including unwanted or harmful side effects.

Before trying CBD, it’s crucial to talk to your doctor about all of the vitamins, supplements, and prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re taking.
They may be able to help determine a CBD product, dosage, and schedule that’s safe with your medications.