Research Library
CBD & anxiety
Human trials on cannabidiol for generalized, social, and situational anxiety.
Overview
Anxiety is one of the most-studied uses of cannabidiol in humans, and one of the few areas with several controlled trials rather than survey data alone.
Most published trials use single doses in laboratory stress models — public speaking tasks, for example — rather than months of daily use, so long-term evidence is still thin.
What the evidence supports
- Acute doses in the 300–600 mg range reduced anxiety scores in several small controlled trials of public-speaking stress.
- Lower daily doses (25–75 mg) showed improvement in open-label clinic case series, though without a placebo group.
- Side effects reported most often are drowsiness, dry mouth, and loose stools — generally mild.
Where the evidence is thin
- Very few trials run longer than eight weeks.
- Dose-response is not linear in some studies: mid-range doses sometimes outperformed higher ones.
- Product composition varies widely between studies, which makes results hard to compare.
Selected studies
Randomized trial · 2011
Cannabidiol reduces anxiety induced by simulated public speaking
Bergamaschi MM, et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology
A single 600 mg dose significantly reduced anxiety and discomfort during a speech task.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Observational · 2019
Cannabidiol in anxiety and sleep: a large case series
Shannon S, et al. · The Permanente Journal
Anxiety scores fell in about 79% of patients within the first month at ~25 mg/day.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Systematic review · 2020
Cannabidiol as a treatment for anxiety disorders: a systematic review
Skelley JW, et al. · Journal of the American Pharmacists Association
Evidence is promising but limited by small samples and short durations.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)