CBD shows promise for reducing alcohol consumption and protecting the liver and brain from alcohol damage

In animal models, CBD reduced overall alcohol drinking by decreasing ethanol intake, motivation for ethanol, relapse, anxiety, and impulsivity. CBD also reduced alcohol-related liver steatosis and fibrosis, and prevented alcohol-related neuronal loss.

Narrative review of experimental studies examining CBD's effects on alcohol drinking behavior, alcohol-related liver toxicity (steatosis, fibrosis), and alcohol-related brain damage in animal models.

Alcohol use disorder affects millions globally with limited treatment options. If CBD can simultaneously reduce drinking behavior and protect organs already damaged by alcohol, it could represent a dual-purpose intervention unlike anything currently available.

Most alcohol use disorder treatments focus on either reducing drinking or managing organ damage, but not both. CBD's potential to address both simultaneously through multiple mechanisms could open a new harm reduction approach for people with ongoing alcohol use.

All evidence comes from animal models. No human clinical trials for CBD in alcohol use disorder were reviewed. Doses and routes of administration in animal studies may not translate to humans. Narrative review methodology is less rigorous than systematic review.