The use of vitamins, minerals & naturally occurring compounds as dietary supplements have been in play for humans since before the dawn of civilization when cavemen & women collected marrow from hunted animals. Next, specific plants were collected, not necessarily for nutrition but for medicinal value. We didn’t understand how it worked, we just knew when we consumed certain things we felt better, healed faster, and had an increased chance of survival. As we evolved so did our understanding of how vitamins and supplements affected our bodies. In the modern era, multivitamins and supplement regimens are commonplace for anyone looking to maintain good health. Now that CBD has been federally legalized, combining CBD with vitamins seems like the next logical step. However, the true benefits of this combination leave a lot to be considered.
FDA Considerations for CBD and Supplements
Most vitamin supplements sold on the market today are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a nutshell, this means that they are approved for human consumption and are not considered medicine. The key difference between medicine and supplements is that a supplement is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. CBD has not yet been FDA approved. For reasons why CBD is not FDA approved see our post Why You Can’t Make Claims About CBD.
The only CBD related substance that is approved by the FDA is a medication called Epidilex, produced for the reduction of seizures. This arguably demonstrates that while CBD is not FDA approved with this exception, it lends itself to being more of a medication than a supplement. This means that should the FDA recognize it for human consumption it could require a prescription. This would mean that a dietary supplement containing CBD would also likely require a prescription.
Don’t Mess With Success
Currently, CBD is sold as a supplement, just one that’s not FDA approved. It does not require a prescription to purchase in the US. There are several ways to consume it, all with different attributes. Prior to making the decision to purchase CBD, we recommend doing your research. Make sure what you are purchasing is quality CBD. Side effects of CBD are not completely known but believed to be minimal. While most dietary supplements do not require a prescription, side effects can vary and be severe in some cases. It is always recommended to investigate potential side effects before purchasing or consuming any supplements.
Mixing CBD with other supplements causes the user to be susceptible to any potential side effects of any of the compounds that the mixture would contain. While supplements may have complimentary benefits to CBD, taking them mixed together has arguably little advantage. All supplements should complement the user’s specific dietary needs and lifestyle requirements. There are a lot of supplements out there with specific purposes. If one is right for you it may be better to take alongside CBD to fit your personal needs, rather than taking a premixed, generic combination.
