CBD & Cannabis Special Episode: How CBD Affects Hormones, Fat Loss, Athletic Performance, Sleep, Recovery & Much More

29 Jan 2026 · 60 min
Episode

29 Jan 2026 · 60 min

0:00

Podcast episode (Ben Greenfield, 2019-06-01) covering CBD/cannabis chemistry, mechanisms, therapeutic uses, dosing, safety, history, and production/quality-control. Key points from this chunk: CBD is non-psychoactive relative to THC and has low affinity for CB1/CB2 but modulates those pathways (antagonist of CB receptor agonists), acts on 5-HT1A, adenosine receptors and cytochrome P450, and shows antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects. Therapeutic areas discussed: sleep (anecdotal and study dosing), anxiety, pain and recovery, gut inflammation/IBD, endocrine effects (reducing cortisol, lowering insulin), and possible benefits for obesity and blood sugar. Practical takeaways: three main extraction methods (hydrocarbon/butane, CO2 super/subcritical, ethanol—cryogenic favored by Dr. Bright), importance of third‑party test reports (pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, microbes), and formulation impacts on bioavailability (oil carriers, emulsions, potential aqueous/isolates). Notable specifics: study dosing ranges for anxiety/sleep reported as ~100–900 mg; Ben and hosts' personal dosing: naps ~40–50 mg, sleep ≥100 mg, Ben has taken up to 800 mg; literature note of ~67–70% mislabeled CBD bottles; FAAH SNP CC variant may predict poorer sleep response to cannabis/CBD. Episode also seeds follow-up episodes on epilepsy, depression, autism and deeper literature reviews.

Questions this episode answers

June 1, 2019.

Hydrocarbon extraction (predominantly butane), CO2 extraction (supercritical/subcritical), and ethanol extraction (cryogenic or room temperature).

Study doses typically reported around 100 mg up to about 900 mg.

Nap doses: ~40–50 mg; bedtime doses: ~60–100 mg (Ben mentions using 60–100 mg prior to bed) and generally ≥100 mg for full-night sleep; Ben has personally taken up to 800 mg.

A FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase) SNP—specifically the CC variant—was mentioned as associated with protection against addiction but with worsening sleep effects when using cannabis (THC or CBD).

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