Clinical Trial: Use of CBD Associated with Greater Emotional Wellness

São Paulo, Brazil: The daily administration of CBD is associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression, according to clinical trial data published in JAMA Psychiatry

A team of investigators affiliated with the University of São Paulo in Brazil evaluated the safety and efficacy of CBD treatment in a cohort of 120 frontline health care professionals. Half of the study’s participants received 300mgs of CBD daily for a period of four weeks. Others did not receive the substance.

Those undergoing CBD treatment exhibited fewer signs of emotional exhaustion and burnout as compared to those subjects who did not. CBD consumption was also associated with less anxiety and depression. However, five of the subjects assigned to use CBD had to eventually drop out of the trial after suffering from serious adverse events, including elevated liver enzymes. 

“This randomized clinical trial found that the efficacy and safety of daily treatment with CBD, 300 mg, for 4 weeks combined with standard care was superior to standard care alone for reducing the symptoms of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression among frontline health care professionals working with patients with COVID-19,” authors concluded. “Cannabidiol may act as an effective agent for the reduction of burnout symptoms among a population with important mental health needs worldwide.”

Full text of the study, “Efficacy and safety of cannabidiol plus standard care vs standard care alone for the treatment of emotional exhaustion and burnout among frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Randomized clinical trial,” appears in JAMA Psychiatry.