Effects of Cannabidiol on Appetite and Body Weight: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background and Objective Cannabidiol, one of the main components of the Cannabis sativa plant, is a non-psychotropic cannabinoid that has recently drawn the attention of researchers and clinicians for its potential therapeutic applications. In this systematic review, we aim to describe the possible effects of cannabidiol in appetite and body weight. Methods Both authors independently ran a thorough search in both PubMed and Cochrane databases up to 31 July, 2022 and included every peer-reviewed, original randomized controlled clinical trial that reported data on either of the said outcomes. Risk of assessment bias was performed with Cochrane’s risk of bias tool and results were summarized in tables. Results A total of 11 trials were included in this review. Of these, the majority reported on cannabidiol reducing appetite and/or body weight whilst some have found no significant changes and one trial described an increase in appetite. Conclusions This systematic review suggests that cannabidiol has an anorexigenic effect, correlated with a decrease in body weight. However, most of the studies included in the present review raised some concerns in terms of risk of bias. We believe further research is needed in order to clarify potential mechanisms involved in the effect of cannabidiol on feeding/appetite. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40261-022-01205-y.

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