Cbd For Menopause: Can It Help Deal With Symptoms?

Menopause is one of the life-changing moments in a woman’s life. Can CBD help with menopause symptoms? No clinical trial we found shows that it does, though various medications can help you cope with the changes in your body. Cannabidiol (CBD) products are not FDA-approved for menopause, but a 2023 survey of 1,485 Alberta women aged 35 and older found 34% were current cannabis users, most often for sleep.

Here we look at what research says about CBD for menopause and what to know before choosing a CBD product.

Can CBD Help Menopause Symptoms? What Research Shows

Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s lifecycle and generally happens between the ages of 45 and 55. Menstruation stops, and estrogen and progesterone levels drop, signaling the end of a woman’s reproductive years.

While menopause is a natural part of the aging process, it can cause various unpleasant and even debilitating symptoms in some women. These symptoms may include hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, joint and muscle aches, moodiness and irritability, and forgetfulness.

Marijuana and the endocrine system are still being studied together. CBD is thought to exert its effects via interacting with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a set of receptors and neurotransmitters that regulate several physiological processes.

Researchers are still studying the ECS in menopause. The menopause studies we found are surveys, not trials, and none show that CBD restores hormone balance.

Which Menopause Symptoms Has CBD Been Studied For?

Surveys show what women try CBD and cannabis for, which is not the same as showing what works.

In a 2022 survey of 258 women in perimenopause or after menopause, 79% said they used cannabis for menopause symptoms, most often for sleep and for mood or anxiety.

• Mood Changes

Menopause is associated with various mood swings in women, including anger, despair, and anxiety. Hormonal shifts, particularly estrogen, and progesterone, may contribute to these mood swings. CBD has shown antidepressant-like and anti-anxiety effects in animal studies, but we found no trial confirming them for menopause mood changes in people.

• Sleep Disturbances

Menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety, are often blamed for women’s trouble sleeping. Sleepiness is a known CBD side effect, FDA notes, but NIH says cannabinoid effects on sleep in people without other illnesses are uncertain.

• Bone Density Loss

Osteoporosis is connected to a drop in estrogen levels, which plays a role in bone density maintenance. A 2015 study in rats found CBD strengthened healing thigh-bone fractures but did not change the density of the healing bone. We found no study of this in women, and CBD is not a treatment for osteoporosis.

• Period Pain

Painful periods (dysmenorrhea) can occur in the years before menopause, but periods end after it. A 2023 review of cannabinoids for gynecological pain found robust clinical trial data lacking, so evidence on cannabinoids for period pain comes mainly from surveys and other non-trial studies.

• Joint Pain

Joint and muscle aches are common in the menopausal transition, and NIAMS notes that osteoarthritis often develops after menopause. In a 2022 randomized trial of 136 adults who had hand osteoarthritis or psoriatic arthritis, CBD did not relieve pain better than placebo.

• Anxiety

The hormonal shifts and other changes in both the body and the mind that accompany menopause are frequently blamed for the typical symptom of anxiety that surfaces at this time. NIH calls the evidence that cannabinoids might reduce anxiety small, citing a study of 24 people with social anxiety disorder.

• Headaches or Migraine

Menopause is accompanied by an increase in headaches, which can be attributed to several causes, including fluctuating hormone levels and emotional upheaval. Some people try CBD for headaches, but we found no well-designed trial showing it helps migraine, so proven migraine treatments come first.

• Glucose Metabolism

Changes in glucose metabolism have been linked to menopause, which in turn has been linked to increased weight gain and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. In a 2016 randomized pilot trial of 62 adults with type 2 diabetes, CBD did not lower fasting blood sugar compared with placebo, so the trial gives no support for CBD as a weight loss or glucose aid.

How to choose a good CBD product for menopause?

Many CBD products are sold, and FDA testing found that many did not contain the amount of CBD they claimed.

To help you decide, here are some options:

• Sublingual

Sublingual products are meant to be administered sublingually or beneath the tongue for absorption through the oral mucosa. Products of this class are commonly found in tincture or oil form, and we found no menopause study of how quickly either form acts.

• CBD edibles

These products may be eaten like candy, baked goods, or other sweets. The effects may not start as quickly as with sublingual products, and this group includes CBD menopause gummies.

• Topicals

CBD topicals include skin-applied formulations such as lotions, ointments, and creams. We found no clinical trial of CBD topicals for vaginal dryness, so ask your doctor about treatments that have been studied for it.

• Oils

Sublingual CBD oils are prepared by diluting CBD isolate with a carrier oil like hemp seed oil or coconut oil, then taking the resulting CBD oil under the tongue. These oils are held under the tongue for a short time before swallowing.

• Dosing

No CBD dose has been established for menopause symptoms. Ask a doctor who knows your other medicines before you try it, and expect results to differ from person to person.

Keep a note of what you take and any side effects to share with your doctor. Hemp CBD sold in Florida must have a lab certificate of analysis showing its tested THC level.

How safe is cannabis for menopause?

CBD has real risks: FDA warns it can cause liver injury and can change how other medicines work. If you take any other drugs, talk with your doctor before using CBD.

Moreover, look for a brand that uses independent third-party lab testing and follows good manufacturing practices, though testing does not show that a product works. Doing so makes it more likely that the product contains what its label says.

Summary

Choosing a good CBD product for menopause requires considering a few key factors. Look for a certificate of analysis from an independent lab, which Florida requires for hemp extract; a lab test checks contents and contaminants but cannot show that a product works.

Menopause itself is not on Florida’s list. Our medical marijuana doctors in Sarasota can explain whether a related condition might be of the same kind or class as, or comparable to, one of the listed conditions other than a terminal condition or chronic nonmalignant pain. We can also walk you through Florida’s steps, from physician certification to the $75 state ID card application.

Contact us to learn more about Florida’s medical marijuana rules and what is known about CBD and menopause.