Researchers gave 15 healthy adults a single dose of CBD (a compound from cannabis) or a fake pill and then watched what they ate. People who took CBD ate about 193 extra calories at lunch compared to those who took the fake pill. Surprisingly, this happened even though CBD actually lowered levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry. The study found that CBD didn’t change how the body processes blood sugar or fats. This is the first study showing that CBD can increase how much people eat, but scientists still don’t fully understand why this happens.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Does taking CBD (a non-intoxicating part of cannabis) make people eat more food and change how their body handles blood sugar and fats?
- Who participated: 15 healthy adults (11 men and 4 women) with no major health problems. Each person participated in two separate test days where they either took CBD or a placebo (fake pill).
- Key finding: People ate about 193 extra calories at lunch after taking CBD compared to placebo. This is a meaningful increase—roughly equivalent to an extra sandwich or snack. Interestingly, their hunger hormone (ghrelin) was actually lower after CBD, not higher.
- What it means for you: If you use CBD, you might notice yourself eating more than usual, even if you don’t feel particularly hungry. This could be important if you’re trying to manage your weight. However, this is just one small study, so more research is needed before making any major decisions about CBD use.
The Research Details
This was a carefully controlled experiment where each of the 15 participants came to the lab twice. On one day they took 298 mg of pure CBD (about the amount in some CBD products), and on another day they took a placebo that looked identical but had no CBD. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew which was which until the study ended—this is called a “double-blind” design and helps prevent bias.
Thirty minutes after taking CBD or placebo, everyone ate a standardized breakfast. The researchers then took blood samples at different times to measure hunger hormones, blood sugar, and fats. Three hours after taking CBD, participants were given unlimited access to lunch and could eat as much as they wanted. The researchers weighed the food to see exactly how much people ate.
Throughout the day, participants also answered questions about how hungry they felt and how much they wanted to eat. The researchers used a special machine to measure how many calories each person was burning.
This study design is strong because it controls for many factors that could affect eating behavior. By having each person participate twice (once with CBD, once without), researchers could compare how the same person responded to both conditions. The double-blind approach prevents people from eating more just because they think CBD should make them hungry. Measuring actual food intake (rather than just asking people) gives more reliable results than surveys alone.
Strengths: The study used a rigorous double-blind, crossover design which is considered high-quality for this type of research. Researchers measured both actual eating behavior and biological markers. Limitations: The sample size is quite small (only 15 people), which means results might not apply to everyone. The group was mostly men (11 out of 15), so results might differ for women. Only one dose of CBD was tested, so we don’t know if different amounts would have different effects. The study only looked at healthy young adults, so we don’t know if similar effects would occur in older people or those with health conditions.
What the Results Show
The main finding was clear: people ate significantly more food after taking CBD. On average, participants consumed 979 calories at lunch after CBD compared to 786 calories after placebo—a difference of 193 calories. To put this in perspective, that’s roughly equivalent to an extra apple with peanut butter or a small bag of chips.
One surprising result was that ghrelin (the hormone that signals hunger to your brain) was actually lower after CBD than after placebo. At 2 hours after taking CBD, ghrelin was 93 units lower, and at 3 hours it was 107 units lower. This is counterintuitive because you’d expect lower hunger hormones to mean eating less, not more. This suggests CBD might be affecting eating behavior through a different mechanism than simply making people feel hungry.
Despite eating more, participants didn’t report feeling hungrier. When asked about their appetite, hunger, and desire to eat, there were no differences between the CBD and placebo conditions. This means people ate more without consciously feeling more hungry—an important distinction that suggests CBD might be affecting eating behavior at a level below conscious awareness.
The study measured several other important markers that did NOT change between CBD and placebo conditions. Blood sugar levels (glucose) were the same in both conditions, meaning CBD didn’t affect how the body processes carbohydrates. Triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) and free fatty acids also didn’t change. Insulin levels were similar, and so was a hormone called GLP-1 that helps regulate blood sugar. The amount of calories the body burned (energy expenditure) was the same in both conditions, as was the proportion of carbohydrates versus fats being used for energy. These findings suggest that while CBD increased eating, it didn’t disrupt the body’s normal metabolic processes.
This is described as the first human study directly examining whether CBD affects eating behavior, making it novel research. Previous studies had shown that the endocannabinoid system (a biological system in the body) plays an important role in controlling appetite and eating. However, most research on cannabinoids and appetite had focused on THC (the intoxicating compound in cannabis), which is known to increase appetite. CBD was thought to have different effects, but this hadn’t been tested in humans before. This study fills that gap by providing the first direct evidence that CBD can increase food intake in people.
The sample size of 15 people is quite small, which limits how much we can generalize these findings to the broader population. With such a small group, the results might not apply to everyone. The group was predominantly male (73%), so we can’t be sure if women would respond the same way. The study only tested one dose of CBD (298 mg), so we don’t know if smaller or larger doses would have different effects. All participants were healthy young adults, so results might differ for older people or those with medical conditions like diabetes or obesity. The study only looked at the effects of a single dose, so we don’t know what happens with regular, long-term CBD use. Finally, the mechanism behind why CBD increases eating despite lowering hunger hormones remains unclear, which limits our ability to predict who might be most affected.
The Bottom Line
Based on this single study, there are no strong recommendations to change behavior. However, if you currently use CBD or are considering it, be aware that it may increase your appetite and food intake. If you’re trying to maintain or lose weight, you might want to monitor your eating more carefully when using CBD. This is a preliminary finding that needs confirmation in larger studies before making definitive recommendations. (Confidence level: Low—based on one small study)
This finding is most relevant to people who use CBD products and are concerned about weight management. It may also be of interest to people with eating disorders or those trying to gain weight, as CBD might be helpful in those contexts (though more research is needed). Healthcare providers treating patients with appetite issues might find this relevant. People without specific health concerns probably don’t need to change their behavior based on this single study. Those with diabetes or other metabolic conditions should note that this study found no changes in blood sugar or fat metabolism, which is reassuring.
In this study, the increased eating occurred within 3 hours of taking CBD. If CBD affects your appetite, you’d likely notice changes in eating behavior relatively quickly—within a few hours of taking it. However, this was a single dose, so we don’t know if effects would be the same with regular daily use or if the body might adapt over time.
Want to Apply This Research?
- If you use CBD, track your daily calorie intake or food portions for one week without CBD and one week with CBD (if applicable). Use your app’s food logging feature to record meals and snacks, then compare total calories between the two periods. Look for patterns in portion sizes and snacking frequency.
- Set a reminder to log your meals within 30 minutes of taking CBD (if you use it). This helps you become aware of eating patterns. You could also set a goal to eat a measured snack before taking CBD, which might help prevent overeating at the next meal by providing some satiety.
- If you regularly use CBD, establish a baseline of your normal eating patterns first. Then, if you start or change your CBD use, continue logging food intake weekly to detect any changes in total calories or eating frequency. Track not just what you eat, but also your hunger level (1-10 scale) to see if eating increases without feeling hungrier, as this study found.
This research represents a single small study and should not be considered definitive medical advice. CBD is not approved by the FDA for appetite control or any other indication. If you are considering using CBD, especially if you have diabetes, weight management concerns, or are taking other medications, consult with your healthcare provider first. This study was conducted in healthy adults and may not apply to people with medical conditions. Individual responses to CBD may vary. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical guidance.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.