Low-dose CBD showed improvements in behavioral problems for some children with autism in a Turkish clinic
In a small Turkish study of 33 children with autism, CBD-enriched cannabis at low doses improved behavioral problems in about a third of patients, with no significant side effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 33 children treated with CBD-enriched cannabis (average 0.7 mg/kg/day), 32.2% showed decreased behavioral problems, 22.5% improved in expressive language, 12.9% improved in cognition, and 9.6% increased social interaction. No change was reported in 19.35% of patients.
Key Numbers
33 children; mean age 7.7 years; average CBD dose 0.7 mg/kg/day; median treatment 6.5 months; 32.2% improved behavior; 22.5% improved language; 12.9% improved cognition; 19.35% no change
How They Did This
Retrospective clinical report of 33 children (27 male, 6 female) with autism spectrum disorder treated with full-spectrum CBD (less than 3% THC) at a single center in Turkey from January 2018 to August 2020, with a median treatment duration of 6.5 months.
Why This Research Matters
With no approved drugs for core autism symptoms, families are increasingly turning to CBD. This real-world clinical data, while limited, adds to the emerging evidence base that low-dose CBD may help some children with behavioral aspects of autism.
The Bigger Picture
Multiple small studies from different countries are now reporting similar patterns of improvement in autism-related behavioral problems with CBD, building a case for larger controlled trials.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
No control group, very small sample, unblinded parent-reported outcomes, single center, variable treatment durations, no standardized outcome measures used.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would these improvements hold up in a controlled trial with standardized measures?
- ?Is the low dose (0.7 mg/kg) more effective or just safer than higher doses used in other studies?
- ?What predicts which children will respond?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 32.2% of children showed decreased behavioral problems with low-dose CBD
- Evidence Grade:
- Small uncontrolled case series with parent-reported outcomes and no standardized measures
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021. Clinical trials of CBD for autism are underway in multiple countries.
- Original Title:
- CBD-enriched cannabis for autism spectrum disorder: an experience of a single center in Turkey and reviews of the literature.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 3(1), 53 (2021)
- Authors:
- Bilge, Serap, Ekici, Barış
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03002
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBD help children with autism?
In this small study, about a third of 33 children showed improved behavioral problems with low-dose CBD. However, without a control group, these results should be interpreted cautiously.
What dose of CBD was used for autism?
The average dose was 0.7 mg/kg/day, which is considerably lower than doses used in some other studies (average 3.8 mg/kg/day in the literature). The researchers noted no significant side effects at this lower dose.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03002APA
Bilge, Serap; Ekici, Barış. (2021). CBD-enriched cannabis for autism spectrum disorder: an experience of a single center in Turkey and reviews of the literature.. Journal of cannabis research, 3(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00108-7
MLA
Bilge, Serap, et al. "CBD-enriched cannabis for autism spectrum disorder: an experience of a single center in Turkey and reviews of the literature.." Journal of cannabis research, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00108-7
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "CBD-enriched cannabis for autism spectrum disorder: an exper..." RTHC-03002. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bilge-2021-cbdenriched-cannabis-for-autism
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.