Systematic review of CBD doses and effects in 927 adults across 25 studies
A systematic review of 25 human CBD studies found the most consistent evidence for anxiety, social anxiety disorder, and psychotic disorders, with generally mild side effects but wide variation in dosing.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Across 25 studies (927 patients), CBD showed anxiolytic effects with acute administration and therapeutic effects for social anxiety disorder, psychotic disorder, and substance use disorders. Doses and routes of administration varied widely. Side effects were generally mild, though study quality was often limited.
Key Numbers
25 studies; 927 patients (538 men, 389 women); from 5 countries; doses varied significantly across studies.
How They Did This
Systematic review of 25 human studies (22 controlled trials, 3 observational) from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, published 2000-2019, examining CBD efficacy and safety in adults.
Why This Research Matters
CBD products are sold at wildly different doses with little guidance. This review provides the first systematic look at what doses have actually been tested in humans and what conditions show the most evidence.
The Bigger Picture
The huge variation in CBD dosing across studies reflects how early this field still is. Without standardized dosing protocols, comparing results across studies remains difficult, which is one reason consumer CBD products vary so widely.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Substantial heterogeneity in doses, formulations, and routes of administration; many studies had high risk of bias; limited sample sizes in individual studies.
Questions This Raises
- ?What are the optimal CBD doses for specific conditions?
- ?Can standardized dosing protocols be developed for clinical use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 25 studies, 927 patients: best evidence for anxiety and psychosis
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: systematic methodology across 25 studies, but limited by heterogeneous designs and substantial bias risk.
- Study Age:
- Published 2020.
- Original Title:
- Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials.
- Published In:
- Journal of clinical medicine research, 12(3), 129-141 (2020)
- Authors:
- Larsen, Christian, Shahinas, Jorida
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02672
Evidence Hierarchy
Analyzes all available research on a topic using a structured method.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions does CBD work best for?
The strongest evidence was for acute anxiety relief, social anxiety disorder, psychotic disorders, and substance use disorders. Evidence for other conditions was more limited.
Is CBD safe?
Across 25 studies, side effects were generally mild. However, doses and formulations varied widely, and long-term safety data are limited.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02672APA
Larsen, Christian; Shahinas, Jorida. (2020). Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials.. Journal of clinical medicine research, 12(3), 129-141. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4090
MLA
Larsen, Christian, et al. "Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials.." Journal of clinical medicine research, 2020. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4090
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in..." RTHC-02672. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/larsen-2020-dosage-efficacy-and-safety
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.