CBD, Keto, and Fat Burning

Could CBD help you lose weight? Maybe…but don’t get too excited. 

It probably won’t raise your metabolism, and we definitely can’t promise it will melt away fat or make you lose __  pounds in the next two weeks.

But there’s still hope. Let’s say you’re about to start a low-carb diet, like the ketogenic diet. CBD’s potential benefits might make it the perfect compliment to keto! Here are some of them:

• Reduced hunger & cravings
• Improved fat metabolism
• Improved energy balance

In this article, we’ll be going through these three qualities one by one, breaking down exactly how CBD could help you. Especially if you’re doing keto, of course.

CBD CAN REDUCE HUNGER & CRAVINGS

How? One study described CBD as being a potential “intervention for addictive behaviors.” Obviously, that has implications for those dependent on opioids or alcohol…but could it help dieters, too? 

Yes. Let’s face it: many modern foods have crossed the line. They’re not just tasty; they’re addicting.

This is where CBD comes in. Rodent models have demonstrated again and again that CBD may promote neuroplasticity and literally rewire the brain. Other studies say that CBD may also promote neurogenesis or the growth of new brain cells. If you’re trying to begin a new habit, CBD might be just the thing. 

After all, adjusting to a carb-free diet filled with eggs, butter, and heavy cream can be…strange. But CBD might make the transition a little easier.

CBD FOR…….EMOTIONAL EATING?

Just think: did you first learn to emotionally eat in the midst of a stressful or tragic situation? 

If so, there could be a cannabinoid for that. The same pathways that make CBD so promising for PTSD may also help reduce harmful learned behavior of other types — unhealthy eating patterns included.   

Another truth: hunger is ECS-mediated. A healthy endocannabinoid system may positively influence your food cravings; if you’re still trying to get used to keto, this downstream effect could be a godsend. 

How to promote endocannabinoid health? There may not be a better way than consistently taking CBD. 

To summarize, CBD may reduce one’s perception of hunger and even help break dependencies on unhealthy foods. These effects occur through both endocannabinoid and leptin-related mechanisms. (More on leptin later!)

CBD MIGHT IMPROVE FAT METABOLISM

From a metabolic perspective, CBD and the keto diet go hand in hand. Both favor a shift away from carbohydrate burning into fat burning. 

One of the primary hormones related to fat burning is called insulin. Insulin helps shuttle nutrients into cells; so it’s great for athletes who need to recover or for people who want to build muscle. 

Coupling a high carb diet with inactivity, however, spells disaster for insulin. The hormone’s ability to shuttle nutrients backfires — insulin is also very good at shuttling fats and causing rapid weight gain. Eventually, this feedback loop begins to promote inflammation, too. Not good! 

CBD seems to be able to fight this hormonal imbalance. It may impact insulin sensitivity so strongly, in fact, that Israeli doctors are giving it to type-2 diabetes patients. 

We’d theorize that CBD use could improve one’s body composition by making their fat sources more readily available fuel sources than ever before!

CBD AND ENERGY BALANCE

In humans, energy balance is regulated by a hormone called leptin. Once thought to be just another hunger hormone, leptin’s functions are actually incredibly diverse. 

Some of those functions are beyond the scope of this article; for now, just keep in mind that leptin may affect one’s “body weight set point” — the weight at which the body wants to stay. 

Remember how we noted the modern diet’s ability to cause insulin resistance? It can lead to leptin resistance, too. And when that happens… it’s easy for one’s weight to get out of control. 

CBD may help. It may actually promote the formation of a special type of fat — one that burns other types of fat for fuel. Called brown adipose tissue, this unique fat could help one regain their leptin sensitivity.  

While that’s still mostly theory, real-life results seem to say the same thing. According to CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis by Leonard Leinow & Juliana Birnbaum, “several studies have shown that regular cannabis users have a lower body mass index, smaller waist circumferences, and reduced risk of diabetes and obesity.”

If that’s what cannabis does, just imagine the weight loss benefits of CBD. 

Actually, don’t just imagine them — consider leveraging CBD’s value for yourself before embarking on your next diet. When paired with keto, CBD could help you lose weight with a minimum of setbacks and cravings. And there are other factors to consider, too…

CBD FOR AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Some of CBD’s other effects are more subtle. 

The compound’s potential anti-inflammatory effects, for example, go hand in hand with an active lifestyle. And physical activity, in turn, is a form of stress that prompts the body to regenerate and become stronger. 

Just think: if a person can stay active throughout their twilight years, they’ll probably stay healthy, too. An object in motion stays in motion, right?

CBD, ENERGY, AND RECOVERY

Some people on CBD report they have more energy — and that they’re more able than ever to put this energy to good use. The effect can be so noticeable that some users even become less reliant on energy drinks and coffee. 

Where’s this energy coming from? It can probably be traced back to fat burning. CBD promotes this fuel source over burning other macronutrients like carbohydrates, and for a good reason: fatty acids are one of the most stable types of fuel. The slow and steady burn is good for everyone from elite athletes to busy-executive types. 

Even the metabolic byproducts (i.e, free radicals) of fat metabolism are cleaner than that of carbs. You might even say that healthy fats, like fat-soluble cannabinoids, are dietary antioxidants. Coupled with CBD, fat metabolism could make exercise less degenerating — and make regenerating post-workout easier than ever.  

It almost seems like our endocannabinoid systems want us to stay active and in motion. The system produces endocannabinoids in response to activity, after all, and these eCB’s make us feel good.

Now, have you ever implemented CBD and Keto? What were your results?