Science is really making strides! Lately, we’ve been seeing a new study come out almost every few weeks that highlights the potential healing powers of substances like psilocybin, CBD, LSD, cannabis, or DMT. Two of the most recent studies focus on alcohol abuse—a massive global problem. It turns out that both CBD and psilocybin ( magicmushrooms and magic truffles) could put an end to this… Interesting!
Brain damage
In two separate studies (we previously published an article on one of them), researchers investigated how these substances affect the amount of alcohol consumed by individuals suffering from alcoholism. They concluded that alcohol consumption decreased due to these substances, but also that some of the damage to the brain and liver could be slowed down or even reversed. That sounds great, of course, but how does that work?
To explain that, we first need to take a look at alcoholism itself. In the Netherlands, there are estimated to be around 450,000 people with alcohol addiction. According to the definition used here, these individuals drink more than 8 glasses of alcohol per day. Now, almost all of us enjoy an ice-cold beer or a shot of vodka from time to time, but it’s clear that alcohol consumption can be problematic. The symptoms of alcoholism include loss of control over alcohol consumption and negative emotional reactions when alcohol isn’t within reach.
CBD and psychedelics for alcohol abuse
Alcohol abuse affects both the liver and the brain. The brain, in particular, is an area where cannabis and psychedelics have had a wide range of effects in treating issues like anxiety and PTSD, and now some studies suggest that alcohol abuse might also be combated with these substances. For example, a study in the Journal of Pharmacology has shown that magic mushrooms, truffles, LSD, and other psychedelics can be used to treat alcohol abuse.
The research was conducted as an anonymous online survey. It surveyed 343 people who claimed that a psychedelic experience helped reduce their previous alcohol consumption. Questions were also asked about the experience itself. On average, most respondents reported over seven years of “problematic alcohol use” prior to the psychedelic experience. The result: 83% of them no longer met the criteria for alcoholism after use. Notably, a “higher psychedelic dose” was linked to a “greater reduction in alcohol consumption.”
We’ve previously discussed the effects of psilocybin on alcohol use here on Dutch Smart, but this other study also suggests that CBD could be used to treat alcohol abuse. At least, that’s what the researchers believe is possible. In fact, a study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology showed that in animal studies, CBD reduced the overall level of alcohol consumption. CBD is becoming increasingly popular for many different reasons and is available in numerous forms, including CBD oil, CBD capsules, CBD paste, and even CBD cosmetics.
Clinical Trials
Cannabidiol appears not only to “facilitate reduced drinking,” write the authors of the article, but research also shows that the substance “may offer idiosyncratic protection of the liver and brain, which could reduce the development and impact of alcohol-related liver disease and brain injury.” The authors are now calling for clinical trials in humans—none of which have been published to date—to “pave the way for testing new approaches to harm reduction in alcoholism.”
Researchers in France and Belgium reviewed 26 previous studies published between 1974 and June 2018 that examined the effects of CBD on laboratory animals exposed to ethanol. They found several studies demonstrating that CBD can reduce alcohol consumption. In one study, for example, researchers found that mice given CBD were less motivated to perform a task to gain access to alcohol.
‘CBD protects the liver’
Other studies have also shown that mice regularly administered CBD were less likely to relapse into alcohol use—even in stressful situations. The study also emphasized that CBD may influence alcohol-related liver inflammation. In one study, researchers found that the livers of mice that had received the compound before being given alcohol every 12 hours for five days were less damaged than those of mice that were not exposed to CBD.
It’s important to remember that these studies are all in the very early stages and that more research is needed to definitively link such “benefits” to these compounds. In any case, these studies are a step in the right direction!
