A preliminary investigation of the simultaneous effects of cannabidiol and caffeine.

Abstract

Caffeine and cannabidiol (CBD) are commonly consumed by the general population, particularly among young adults; however, there is little research on the simultaneous effects of caffeine and CBD. The present study aimed to examine the simultaneous self-reported effects of caffeine and CBD in young healthy adults. Participants (N = 54) who reported daily caffeine use (> 200 mg) attended one experimental session via Zoom and were assigned randomly to receive caffeine (200 mg) combined with either a placebo or CBD (25, 50, 80, 160, or 240 mg). Participants completed subjective drug effects measures at baseline and then ingested caffeine and their assigned CBD dose. Throughout the 140-min session, participants completed self-report measures. The primary outcomes of this study were measures of general drug effects and anxiety. After caffeine and CBD administration, few effects were observed in self-reported measures of general drug effects. No negative effects emerged as a result of combined caffeine and CBD administration. These results should be interpreted cautiously given the preliminary nature and variability in outcomes. The present study findings suggest that combinations of the tested doses of caffeine and CBD do not alter subjective drug effects; further, no negative effects emerged, providing preliminary safety evidence for using these products simultaneously. Further research is needed to examine the simultaneous and/or interactive nature of caffeine and CBD on other caffeine-induced outcomes (e.g., cognition and physiological effects) and will be critical for informing future regulatory decisions regarding caffeine: CBD mixtures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).