The study specifically analyzed metabolic syndrome, which develops when an individual accumulates fat, and causes the body to experience “inflammatory response, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and fatty liver disease.” The condition can be caused by a variety of factors, most commonly due to chronic inflammation caused by fat deposits or eating too many calories and not exercising enough. Ultimately, metabolic syndrome can lead to more serious conditions such as diabetes, and an increased risk of a stroke or heart attack.
The human body’s endocannabinoid system has previously been confirmed to have positive effects on energy homeostasis (the regulation of energy in the body) and appetite regulation, and researchers set out to analyze how the phytocannabinoids THCV and CBD affect metabolic syndrome.
According to the World Health Organization data from 2022, an estimated 2.5 billion people adults over 18 were considered to be overweight, while 890 million were living with obesity. Older data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected between 2017-March 2020 shows that in the United States, 41.9% of adults older than 20 are obese.
This most recent study utilized 31 female and 13 male participants, all with an average age of 51.75 years. Participants were given one of two different doses of THCV/CBD, or a placebo. The lower dose included 8 mg THCV/10 mg CBD, while the higher dose included 16 mg THCV/20 mg CBD, which was taken daily via mucoadhesive oral strips over the course of 90 days.
Researchers shared that there were significant results to report. “Use of the THCV/CBD strip was associated with statistically significant weight loss, decreases in abdominal girth, systolic blood pressure, and total and LDL cholesterol,” researchers explained. “The study was limited by small sample sizes in both the high dose and placebo groups.”
Ultimately, participants who were given both the lower and higher doses of THCV/CBD showed the most improvement. “The 16 mg/20 mg daily dose was superior for weight loss compared to the 8 mg/10 mg daily dose; both sets of results differed from placebo in a way that was statistically significant. The results of this study were congruent with the prior unpublished studies of a hemp extract containing significant percentages of THCV, CBDV, and CBD,” researchers concluded.
THCV is said to have been first discovered by researcher Edward Gill and his team in 1970. At the time, cannabis tinctures were a licensed medicine in the United Kingdom, referred to in the British Pharmaceutical Codex (BPC). Cannabis tinctures were removed from the BPC of 1932, although it remained in the BPC of 1949. One year after Gill discovered the compound, it was studied by Frans Merkus who officially referred to it as THCV.
Although THCV appeared in numerous animal studies over the years, its effects on obesity and its “weight loss” properties came from a study by GW Pharmaceuticals in 2013. Researchers administered various levels of THCV to mice for 30 or 45 days, and then measured food and water intake, weight gain, energy expenditure, and more. The results didn’t show significant food intake or weight gain, but researchers did note increased energy expenditure. “THCV is a new potential treatment against obesity-associated glucose intolerance with pharmacology different from that of CB1 inverse agonists/antagonists,” researchers concluded.
Additionally, another GW Pharmaceutical study in 2016 showed evidence of THCV decreasing “resting state functional connectivity” and increasing “connectivity in the cognitive control network,” leading researchers to suggest positive effects of THCV for obesity.
Other studies, such as one published in 2020, also found that THCV could be a beneficial treatment for those with obesity and diabetes. “However, the uniquely diverse properties of THCV provide neuroprotection, appetite suppression, glycemic control, and reduced side effects, etc.; therefore, making it a potential priority candidate for the development of clinically useful therapies in the future. Hopefully, THCV could provide an optional platform for the treatment of life-threatening diseases.”
Other studies have shown how THCV can benefit those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer, pain, inflammation, and untreatable epilepsy.
Most recently in February, cannabis genetics company Phylos announced the results of its THCV study using its “Natural Natural™ THCV” product. Phylos Chief Scientific Officer Alisha Holloway, PhD, explained the significance of their findings in a press release. “This study signifies a pivotal moment for the cannabis industry in understanding the effect of THCV in combination with THC,” Holloway said. “The Natural Natural THCV study allows us to leverage our exceptional plants in the advancement of targeted cannabis products, and to chart new territories in understanding the efficacy of natural cannabinoids.”
Had too much THC and need to reduce its effects? Generally, science and cannabis professionals say take some CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, to balance it out. But new research indicates that may not be a good idea.
A recent study in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that CBD can actually increase the psychoactive effects of cannabis. This news may surprise many, as CBD has been touted as a substance that can block or reduce the psychoactive aspects of too much THC. The theory goes that CBD, due to its unique engagement with endocannabinoid receptors, can block the activity of THC, the most abundant cannabinoid and main driver of cannabis’ psychoactive effects.
Can CBD reverse your high?
The idea that CBD can block THC’s effects comes from a 2006 study by cannabis researcher Dr. Ethan Russo. Russo’s theory made sense at the time, based on the data available; the study discusses the advantages of the entourage effect, and noted that in clinical trials, “CBD is demonstrated to antagonize some undesirable effects of THC including intoxication.”
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But follow-up research has found mixed results in CBD’s efficacy for consistently reducing THC’s psychoactive effects. Some studies have found benefits to adding CBD to THC, such as reduced anxiety, paranoia and cognitive impairments, while others found CBD had no impact.
This latest study shifts the conversation by providing the first piece of evidence that CBD might actually increase psychoactive effects from THC rather than blocking them.
Can CBD increase THC’s pain relief?
This study aimed to figure out whether adding CBD to THC would reduce psychoactive effects while still complementing its pain relieving abilities. The authors’ interests lay in how to make cannabis more accessible as a pain reliever, since many medical patients and recreational consumers seek out cannabis for pain management, but don’t want psychoactive effects for their day-to-day lives.
To examine the impacts of adding CBD, the researchers designed a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial. Thirty-seven healthy, adult participants ages 18 to 45 took part in the trial. All were previous cannabis users, but had not used cannabis more than once per month in the 6 months prior to the experiment, or at all in the previous 3 weeks.
At each test session, participants were given oral tablets with 9 mg of THC and either a placebo or varying levels of CBD, from 10 mg up to 450 mg. Then standardized tests were performed to determine the psychoactive and pain-relieving effects of the varying treatments, including measures for subjective effects like alertness, mood, depression, paranoia, anxiety, and just “feeling high.”
There were additional recordings of effects on cognition and motor function, like attention, stability, vigilance, and coordination.
Large CBD doses can increase THC’s effects
Surprisingly, the results show no reduction of psychoactive effects with higher levels of CBD. Instead, the highest dose of CBD (450mg) seemed to add to the psychoactive effects, with significantly higher scores on most measures. This enhanced psychoactive high was accompanied by elevated levels of THC and its metabolites in the participants’ blood.
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This suggests that the increased psychoactivity may result from the way CBD can alter metabolization of certain drugs by inhibiting enzymes involved in metabolizing chemicals like THC.
Interestingly, the lower doses of CBD (10mg and 30mg) made no significant impact at all.
Sadly, none of the doses of CBD increased levels of pain relief. Still, researchers point out that this does not invalidate previous research supporting CBD’s pain relieving effects. The fact that the participants were healthy volunteers, rather than patients with chronic pain challenges, could explain why the CBD did not increase pain relief. In patient populations, we may see different results.
Will adding CBD increase your high?
While these results do not support the theory that adding CBD to THC can reduce a psychoactive high or increase pain relief, take the study with a grain of salt. Despite the double-blind and randomized study design, the sample size was still relatively small, and thus limiting how far we can generalize the results.
But before you remove CBD from your cannabis routine (or add it in to make your high even stronger), it’s important to note that the study found increases in psychoactive effects only with very large doses of CBD. These doses are much higher than what most consumers normally use. The study doesn’t suggest that low doses are likely to significantly increase your high—but the authors say it’s possible.
To add to the complications, CBD can have biphasic effects, which means that it can have one effect at a low dose, but a different effect at a high dose. Given this, and previous research suggesting no impact, or a reduction of psychedelic effects with CBD, we still don’t have much evidence to suggest that typical doses of CBD could enhance a psychoactive high.
Based on the totality of the research, it’s clear that CBD and THC might interact in a myriad of ways when it comes to psychoactivity. This study expands the possibilities, suggesting the interaction is even more complex than we originally thought.
The once-booming CBD market is bracing itself for more headwinds as regulatory ambiguity and competition from unregulated products squeeze sales, according to recent earnings reports from major companies in the sector.
Charlotte’s Web (TSX: CWEB) (OTCQX: CWBHF), one of the earliest pioneers in the legal CBD space, posted a 23% year-over-year decline in second-quarter revenue to $12.3 million. The company’s CEO, Bill Morachnick, cited “ongoing headwinds in the CBD market” during the latest earnings call, pointing to the lack of federal regulatory action and the emergence of “inconsistent competitive alternatives, which creates ongoing consumer confusion.”
“As the premium-priced CBD brand, we believe that Charlotte’s Web sales have been impacted more than some of our competitors in the first half of the year,” Morachnick said.
Village Farms International (NASDAQ: VFF), which operates in both the cannabis and CBD sectors, saw similar challenges. Its U.S. CBD sales fell nearly 19% to $4.3 million in the second quarter.
“Our sales continue to be impacted by the proliferation of unregulated hemp-based products, most notably synthetic products,” said Stephen Ruffini, Village Farms’ CFO. By the same token, he noted that increasing state-level restrictions on intoxicating hemp products have negatively affected sales of the company’s CBD offerings.
‘One voice’
The industry’s struggles stem largely from the regulatory limbo that’s persisted since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp production. While that legislation opened the door for CBD products, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to establish a clear regulatory framework for using the molecule in food and dietary supplements.
The vacuum has led to a fragmented market where companies struggle to differentiate themselves from less scrupulous competitors. Village Farms’ CEO, Michael DeGiglio, called for industry-wide cooperation to address all of these issues.
All of the in-fighting and conflicting interests between medical marijuana and hemp “is dividing the industry rather than uniting us,” DeGiglio said on the company’s Thursday earnings call. “We see this currently within the hemp segment, where our subsidiary CBDistillery has developed responsible hemp-based products, yet adjacent businesses are lobbying to ban all hemp.”
He added, “By the way, hemp is the deregulated model that, I would conjecture, we would all like marijuana to follow in the United States, so why are we lobbying against ourselves? We believe these industries can coexist and prosper together, and that both forms of cannabis – hemp and marijuana – have their roles to play in benefiting consumers.”
DeGiglio called for Canadian licensed producers and U.S. multistate operators “to all work together with us to speak as one voice with federal agencies and legislatures.”
And some marijuana companies are taking heed. Big operators such as Curaleaf (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) have opted to hop into intoxicating hemp as well.
Numbers game
The CBD market’s current struggles mark a sharp contrast from the industry’s explosive growth following the 2018 Farm Bill. However, recent data from Brightfield Group, a cannabis and CBD market research firm, paints a more sobering picture of the industry’s trajectory. The firm projects U.S. CBD sales to drop to $3.4 billion in 2024 from $3.8 billion in 2023.
The analysis suggests that the industry’s future hinges largely on federal regulatory reforms. If Congress is able to implement a regulatory framework by the end of 2024, the market could rebound to $4.5 billion in five years. Without it, sales are expected to reach their lowest point in 2026 before recovering to $3.5 billion by 2029.
Executives seem to remain cautiously optimistic about long-term prospects still, particularly if regulatory clarity emerges. However, in the near term, CBD companies face a difficult road ahead.
The greatest creams and balms to melt away pain and leave you feeling your best. These recommendations on the best CBD creams are made by Leafly’s Product Picks team after extensive research, internal debate, and expert consultation. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.
The CBD revolution in the wellness world marches on, bringing relief to millions of Americans who struggle with all sorts of common physical ailments. Creams, gels, balms, and other topicals are some of the most popular CBD products, charming consumers of all types with their ease of use and targeted effectiveness against pain and inflammation.
CBD is one of the primary compounds produced by cannabis and hemp plants, along with THC. But unlike THC, CBD doesn’t produce a feeling of being high. CBD creams, lotions, balms, or gels are infused with CBD to produce skin-friendly products that contain the medicinal properties of CBD. CBD creams are most popularly used for managing pain and inflammation.
CBD creams provide targeted relief and are an excellent choice when you want to focus the healing properties of CBD in a specific problem area rather than feel the effects throughout your body. Headaches, joint & muscle pain, menstrual cramps, and skin issues are some of the most common problems for which CBD topicals can potentially provide relief.
There are a massive amount of brands out there offering CBD creams, lotions, gels, balms, and topicals in fantastic numbers. Separating the crop from the cream of CBD creams is no easy feat—and we should know. We here at Leafly Product Picks are happy to present our picks for the very best CBD creams on the market today, recommended by our extremely well-moisturized squad.
Best CBD creams of 2024: Reviews and recommended products
If all-natural remedies are important to you and your wellness routine, then Papa & Barkley’s CBD Releaf Balm is our team’s pick for you. Papa & Barkley’s unique, chemical-free solventless extraction process does a spectacular job at preserving the cannabinoids and terpenes that make hemp products so effective, but the experts at Papa & Barkley also take particular care to save the hemp’s plant fats, phytonutrients, and chlorophyll. That means that Papa & Barkley’s has much more potent plant power than other CBD creams and balms in their league, and their products have the color to prove it.
• Solventless extraction maintains more of the natural compounds found in hemp
• Time-tested, all-natural formula
• High-strength formula for significant pain relief
This CBD-rich formula relaxed our team and reduced pain in our hands and joints thanks to the high-quality CBD extract. The high-strength formula did a fantastic job at remedying the little injuries we picked up over the course of our research, from cat scratches, sore muscles, aching joints, and even some small burns. In addition to 180mg CBD per 15ml jar or 600mg CBD per 50ml jar, Papa & Barkley rounds out their balm with a slew of natural ingredients including coconut oil, beeswax, and a soothing essential oil blend. Order some today and experience what Papa & Barkley’s solventless special can do for you.
“Papa & Barkley takes us closer to nature and brings us plant-powered relief.”
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The full-spectrum CBD Balm stick is one of the leading products for hemp-based topical relief and relaxation, and our team had no trouble finding out why. Cornbread recommends this product specifically for muscle relief, and our writers certainly felt significantly better after their daily exercise with a little of Cornbread’s best applied. We found that Cornbread’s CBD Balm was a straightforward remedy that helped us with all sorts of skin issues; a member of our team who sufferers from dry skin raved about Cornbread’s balm stick’s power to assist in feeling less like the cracked ground in Death Valley.
• Dedicated to hemp culture & tradition
• Convenient roll-on stick allows for increased portability
• Recently strengthened formula
Cornbread Hemp has recently strengthened their formula, increasing the amount of CBD by 50%, meaning each stick contains a stunning 750mg of CBD total, with around 25mg CBD and 1mg THC per serving. With that much Kentucky-bred CBD (and a touch of THC due to Cornbread’s full-spectrum extraction process) even the most persistent of aches and pains will melt away, inducing a gentle relief that Cornbread’s customers rave about. Peppermint and Arcina root round out the active ingredients in this product, an inspired pairing that helps reduce inflammation and assist in pain relief.
“Cornbread Hemp’s respect for hemp history makes them one of the most authentic groups in the game.”
Meet the new star of your skincare regimen. BATCH’s CBD Cream combines organic aloe and a soothing blend of essential oils, including organic jojoba and peppermint oil with 1500mg of CBD derived from BATCH’s finest Wisconsin-grown hemp. This combo forms a delightfully soothing cream that easily melts into your skin, helping to revitalize tired, dry, or cracked skin all over your body.
• Company culture prizes the efficacy of products
• Mixture of essential oils and CBD leads to a uniquely restorative cream
• Able to be chilled for an even more refreshing experience
We found that BATCH’s cream was well deserving of a new home on our bedside tables and bathroom vanities, but the cream really comes alive after being briefly refrigerated before use. Chilling our CBD cream before we applied it to our dry skin left us feeling doubly refreshed, and gave us a noticeable feeling of relief the second the chilled cream made contact. If you have long struggled to find the perfect cream to help your dry skin, give BATCH CBD Cream a try—it may just be the last thing you need to complete your perfect skincare routine.
“BATCH makes hemp luxurious, a true treat for the senses.”
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A godsend for athletes, or anyone trying to keep active and prioritize their health, Vena’s CBD Cooling Cream is our team’s pick for targeted inflammation relief. Vena’s fast-acting cream contains both arnica and menthol in addition to 750mg of CBD, making it one of the most soothing creams we found in our research. Our team discovered that just a couple pumps of Vena’s formula supplied immediate relief to inflamed skin, the combination of menthol and CBD proving more than a match for our post-workout soreness.
• Active ingredients include arnica and menthol
• Near instantaneous relief
• Specially formulated for post-workout use
Vena’s Cooling Cream isn’t just for post-workout, although it might excel in that role. This cooling cream can also help relieve all your various aches won throughout your life. We found the relief offered by Vena’s product to be near instantaneous—one of our writers strongly recommends the product as an ideal aid for small burns acquired in the kitchen, or from a persistent sunburn.
“We love Vena for helping us take better care of ourselves and feel like divas doing it.”
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We know, we know, this product is billed as a gel (technically a cooling topical), and not a true cream. But, when it comes to pain relief, it doesn’t really matter what you call it—Rare Cannabinoid Company’s Rapid Relief Gel has got restoration and remedy in spades. Each bottle has 1000mg of CBG, 1000mg of CBD, and 400mg of hemp delta-9 THC, in addition to Rare Cannabinoid Company’s unique alchemy of arnica, horsetail, and gotu kola. This fusion of active ingredients left our team completely free from the moderate aches that pain our waking hours, from post-exercise soreness to more significant bumps, without the unpleasant oily residue sometimes left by lesser topicals.
• Features 1000mg of CBD, 1000mg of CBG, and 400mg delta-9 THC
• Incredibly fast-acting, versatile pain relief
• Rubs in easily without leaving oily residue
If you’re unfamiliar, CBG is one of the most promising minor cannabinoids that’s recently gained a newfound level of prominence and a cousin of CBD that has been shown to have a particular skill at reducing inflammation. This means that Rare Cannabinoid Company have truly covered all the bases with their Rapid Relief Gel, and our team could truly tell the difference. For our injury-prone writers, Rare Cannabinoid Company’s Rapid Relief Gel quickly became an essential part of both medicine cabinets and outdoor bags, and it can be your companion as well.
“Rare Cannabinoid Company never stops surprising us. If there’s a next big thing coming, Rare Cannabinoid Company is working on it right now.”
Medterra’s Rapid Recovery Cream is powered by a blend of four active ingredients: arnica extract, coconut alcohol, rice bran extract, and, as you may have guessed, 500mg of premium CBD. This fabulous foursome makes for a real all-star team when it comes to recovering after a period of intense physical activity, and also provides some significant relief from bug bites, burns, and bruises. Our writers found in particular that a dollop of Medterra’s Rapid Recovery cream applied to the back of our hands did wonders for our hard-typing fingers at the end of a long day.
• Subscribe and save with monthly delivery service
• Four active ingredients provide deep, soothing relief
• Available in a variety of sizes and potencies
To make your life even easier and less stressful, Medterra also offers a subscription service that will make sure you’re always well-stocked with CBD relief. The best part? It’s also one of the best deals that Medterra offers; if you subscribe to have Medterra Rapid Recovery Cream delivered to your door once per month, you’ll only pay $27.99 per 500mg can. That is an absolutely ludicrous deal, and one that can only come from the minds that make Medterra special.
“When it comes to consistency, quality, and affordability, Medterra never disappoints.”
Medterra is offering Leafly readers an exclusive discount. When you check out, use code LEAFLY25 to get 25% off your one-time purchase.
Why you can trust Leafly Product Picks
Leafly is the world’s leading cannabis discovery platform and provides a vast library of content from some of the most respected voices in cannabis. Leafly Product Picks prioritizes accuracy and integrity in our selections, working through mountains of research and testimonials to source products you can trust.
Jake Rosendale: Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products
Jake Rosendale is Leafly’s Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products. He’s been with Leafly since 2022, where he spends his time researching the best products in the wide world of weed. Jake’s been writing about cannabis, food, and wine in the Seattle area for 5 years. In addition to Leafly, you can find his work in Seattle Met Magazine and High Times. He loves sci-fi novels, country music, and Super Lemon Haze.
Anna Elliott: Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products
Anna Elliott is Leafly’s Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products. She’s been with Leafly since 2021, managing and editing brand-related content and bringing the best stories on the industry’s top products to life. With a decade of experience reviewing products, covering brands, and editing stories, Anna loves talking up the people & products that make a real difference in readers’ every day. She’s found that Space Mints makes the perfect pairing for enjoying her frankly irresponsible vinyl collection.
Learn more about CBD creams & topicals
Final thoughts
There you have it, our breakdown of the very best CBD creams, balms, and gels available on the market today. If you’ve got a passion for skincare, CBD, creams, or even lists, then check back on this page often and see what new favorites we’ve uncovered. And while you’re here, make sure to check out the rest of our recommendations on the Leafly Product Picks page and make our expertise your own. Be well!
