CBD/THC sublingual spray improved cholesterol and blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients
In a small RCT of 50 type 2 diabetes patients, 8 weeks of a CBD-dominant sublingual spray (10:1 CBD:THC) significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL, and HbA1c compared to placebo with no serious adverse effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After 8 weeks, the CBD/THC spray significantly reduced total cholesterol (treatment difference -19.73 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol, and HbA1c compared to placebo. The treatment was well-tolerated with no serious or severe adverse effects.
Key Numbers
Patients: 50 (25 per group). Duration: 8 weeks. CBD:THC ratio: 10:1. Dose: 2 puffs twice daily. Total cholesterol treatment difference: -19.73 mg/dL. No serious adverse effects.
How They Did This
Phase I randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. 50 diabetic patients randomized 1:1 to receive CBDEX10 spray (100 ug CBD + 10 ug THC per puff, two puffs twice daily) or placebo for 8 weeks.
Why This Research Matters
Type 2 diabetes often involves lipid abnormalities alongside blood sugar problems. A well-tolerated cannabinoid adjunctive therapy addressing both simultaneously could fill a treatment gap.
The Bigger Picture
While very preliminary, this is one of few RCTs examining cannabinoids specifically for metabolic parameters in diabetes, a growing area of interest given the endocannabinoid system's role in metabolism.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (n=50). Phase I study primarily designed for safety. Short 8-week duration. Single-center. Low cannabinoid doses. Abstract truncated, limiting full data assessment.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would higher doses produce greater metabolic effects?
- ?Do these improvements persist beyond 8 weeks?
- ?What is the mechanism linking CBD to improved lipid profiles?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL, and HbA1c vs. placebo
- Evidence Grade:
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design is a strength, but very small sample and short duration limit conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study on Efficacy and Safety Profile of a Sublingually Administered Cannabidiol /Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (10: 1) Regimen in Diabetes Type 2 Patients.
- Published In:
- Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR, 21(1), e132647 (2022)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03651
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBD help with diabetes?
This small trial found a CBD-dominant spray improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients, but larger studies are needed before drawing clinical conclusions.
Was the treatment safe?
Yes. No serious or severe adverse effects were reported during the 8-week trial at the doses used.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- CBD-oil-quality-guide
- anxiety-medication-after-quitting-weed
- cannabis-chemotherapy-nausea
- cannabis-chronic-pain-research
- cannabis-epilepsy-CBD-Epidiolex
- cbd-anxiety-research-evidence
- cbd-for-weed-withdrawal
- cbd-vs-thc-difference
- medical-benefits-of-cannabis
- quitting-weed-before-surgery
- quitting-weed-medication-interactions
- quitting-weed-pregnancy
- quitting-weed-pregnant
- seniors-older-adults-cannabis-risks-medications
- weed-breastfeeding-THC-breast-milk
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03651APA
Afshar, Shima; Khalili, Shayesteh; Amin, Gholamreza; Abbasinazari, Mohammad. (2022). A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study on Efficacy and Safety Profile of a Sublingually Administered Cannabidiol /Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (10: 1) Regimen in Diabetes Type 2 Patients.. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR, 21(1), e132647. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr-132647
MLA
Afshar, Shima, et al. "A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study on Efficacy and Safety Profile of a Sublingually Administered Cannabidiol /Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (10: 1) Regimen in Diabetes Type 2 Patients.." Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR, 2022. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr-132647
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study..." RTHC-03651. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/afshar-2022-a-phase-i-randomized
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.