Male rats exposed to CBD in the womb developed glucose intolerance by 3 months of age, with altered liver gene expression affecting circadian rhythm and metabolic processes, despite no apparent effects at birth.
Prenatal health researchers, CBD consumers, and metabolic disease scientists
Male-specific glucose intolerance at 3 months after prenatal CBD
What the researchers found
Daily prenatal CBD (3 mg/kg from gestational day 6 to birth) produced no observable changes in maternal or neonatal outcomes. However, by 3 months, male offspring exhibited glucose intolerance despite no changes in pancreatic cell mass. Liver transcriptomic analysis revealed altered circadian rhythm clock machinery gene expression and disrupted hepatic developmental and metabolic processes.
Why it matters
CBD is increasingly used during pregnancy, perceived as safe because it is non-psychoactive. This study reveals that prenatal CBD, even at modest doses, can have delayed metabolic consequences that are not apparent at birth but emerge in adulthood.
The numbers in context
CBD dose: 3 mg/kg/day. GD 6 to parturition. No neonatal changes observed. Male-specific glucose intolerance at 3 months. Altered circadian clock genes in liver. Disrupted hepatic developmental and metabolic gene expression.
How the study worked
Pregnant Wistar rat dams received daily IP injections of vehicle or 3 mg/kg CBD from gestational day 6 to parturition. Offspring were assessed for glucose tolerance, pancreatic cell mass, and liver transcriptomics at 3 months.
What this study cannot tell us
Rat study with IP administration that does not reflect typical human oral CBD use. Only one dose tested. Only male offspring affected. Three-month follow-up in rats does not capture lifetime metabolic consequences. Unclear if this dose is comparable to human CBD use.
How to read the evidence
Well-designed animal study with transcriptomic analysis, but single dose, IP route, and rat model limit clinical translation.
When this study was published
2024 study
The bigger picture
Up to 20% of young women may use cannabis during pregnancy, and many assume CBD products are safe. This study joins others showing that prenatal cannabinoid exposure, including CBD, can program long-lasting metabolic changes that only become apparent later in life.
Questions still open
- Would oral CBD at consumer-relevant doses produce similar effects? Why are only males affected? Do the circadian rhythm gene changes contribute directly to glucose intolerance? Would the metabolic effects worsen with aging?
Common questions
Is CBD safe to use during pregnancy?
How could prenatal CBD cause metabolic problems?
Read the original research
Gestational exposure to cannabidiol leads to glucose intolerance in 3-month-old male offspring.
The Journal of endocrinology, 260(1)
Citation
Vanin, Sebastian R; Lee, Kendrick; Nashed, Mina; Tse, Brennan; Sarikahya, Mohammed; Brar, Sukham; Tomy, Gregg; Lucas, Amica-Mariae; Tomy, Thane; Laviolette, Steven R; Arany, Edith J; Hardy, Daniel B. (2024). Gestational exposure to cannabidiol leads to glucose intolerance in 3-month-old male offspring.. The Journal of endocrinology, 260(1). https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-23-0173
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