Are Edibles Actually Known To Be Capable Of Causing Seizures?

With the increasing legalization and popularity of cannabis, various concerns regarding the use of edibles are coming to the surface, the risk of seizures being one of them. Although studies have been conducted, people have conflicting opinions about this issue.

Just like any other medical condition, whether an individual will experience a seizure after eating edibles depends upon various factors and not just the cannabinoids present in the product. Read on to uncover facts about seizures, cannabinoids and any potential links between them.

What Causes Seizures?

Before diving into the possibility of edibles causing a seizure, it is important to understand what causes seizures in the first place.

Anything that interferes with the connection between nerve cells and the brain can cause a seizure. Common causes are:

- Head injury

- Brain infections and brain tumors

- Other types of infections

- Epilepsy

- Some prescription medicines

- Excessive consumption of drugs

- Withdrawal of drugs

- Lack of sleep

- Extremely high or extremely low blood sugar

- Extreme stress and high fever

Edibles And Seizures

Medical marijuana which contains two cannabinoid components, THC and CBD, has been shown to treat epilepsy and seizures. The cannabinoids in medical marijuana are obtained by cannabis plants and are added under professional supervision, with the amount of CBD considerably greater than THC.

CBD is known to bind to certain receptors in the brain which emanate the central nervous system which may cause relief from the seizure. But with edibles, the amount of THC is usually higher than that of CBD.

Now because THC is intoxicating and may cause problems like chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and addiction, it is safe to say that edibles may cause seizures depending on the amount and type of cannabinoids present in them. But there is more to the picture.

What Studies Suggest?

Research was conducted on male mice by Malyshevskaya and team where they gave the natural version of cannabinoid (THC) as well as the synthetic version (JWH-018) to the rodents.

The mice experienced seizures with the induction of both these compounds however the regularity of seizures with JWH-018 was more than that of THC. The researchers also noticed that induction of the cannabinoid receptor-1 contender, AM-251 prior to the experiment prevented the mice from having seizures.

This study clearly shows that the abuse of cannabinoids with higher potency can definitely put you at risk of seizures.

How To Eat Your Edibles The Right Way?

The fact that CBD, the less intoxicating type of cannabinoid, is actually helpful for controlling seizures means that if taken right, edibles may give you the potential benefits and keep the risks at bay.

Here are some best practices you can follow to avoid the negative side effects of cannabinoids:

Keep An Eye On The Label

As stated earlier, the type of cannabinoid present in the edible plays a huge role in determining whether or not it will cause seizures. So, it is important to educate yourself on the types and learn to read the labels.

If the main cannabinoid present in the edible is THC, amounts lower than 2.5mg are the best starting place for first-time users. Even for experienced cannabis users, going over 100mg of THC is considered abuse of cannabis and may cause problems.

If the main component is CBD, the edible may actually help prevent seizures. So, always prefer a product with higher amounts of CBD instead of THC.

Practice Your Patience

If you want to enjoy the health benefits of cannabis through edibles, make sure that you start off on the right foot. For first-time cannabis users, going over the amount of 2.5mg of THC is not recommended.

Unlike smoking weed, edibles don’t take immediate effect. It may take up to several hours for the cannabinoids to interact with the brain receptors. More often than not, people take this delay as a sign that the amount is not working for them which puts them at risk.

If you are eating gummies, start by taking just one. In case the edible is in the form of baked goods, make a conscious effort to measure out the smallest amount of THC depending upon the label of the product and make sure to give it time to absorb.

Always consult with a medical professional first and avoid making edibles a habit. If your condition is bearable, try to stay away as there is always a chance of becoming addicted.

Understand The Root Problem

If you are taking edibles for their medical benefits, make sure to understand the root problem of your situation first.

For example, if you have insomnia and you are thinking of turning to edibles for this, you might want to ponder upon what is causing the sleepless nights. Maybe it’s just stress from work, or maybe you need to change your eating and sleeping habits. Jumping directly to edibles may do more harm than good in this situation.

Same goes for seizures. While CBD has shown to treat epilepsy, it doesn’t treat all types of seizures. In fact, there are some types that CBD makes even worse. So, it is important to consult a professional and understand the type of seizures you are facing before consuming edibles.

A Word of Caution

While edibles may have potential benefits, letting it go out of hand can cause life-altering problems. Amounts of THC higher than 100mg are not recommended to people with mental health issues.

Depending upon the individual metabolism and immune system, edibles will affect different bodies in different ways. The first thing you need to do is figure out your own routine. It cannot be emphasized enough that the use of edibles without medical consultation is not recommended for anyone.

The Final Verdict

While CBD has shown to help with seizures, most edibles contain higher amounts of THC instead of CBD. Because THC is intoxicating and excessive use of such compounds causes seizures, it is recommended to consume edibles with lower amounts of THC (with medical consultation) and not making it a habit.