Study Finds Elevated Liver Enzymes in Healthy Adults Using CBD

Just because CBD is readily available over-the-counter doesn’t mean it’s safe, according to one doctor.

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Healthy adults who took doses representative of consumer use of cannabidiol (CBD) daily for four weeks showed significant increases in liver enzymes—though no actual liver damage—in the first controlled trial to examine the cannabis compound’s effects on liver function, researchers reported in JAMA Internal Medicine.

CBD is a common chemical compound found in the cannabis plant, specifically in both hemp and marijuana. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another common cannabinoid, CBD does not produce a psychoactive effect, also called the “high.”