Everything you need to know about CBD and fertility
How CBD affects fertility and contraception
Today, many couples are interested in the link between CBD and fertility. After all, humans have always experimented with methods and other natural remedies to improve their chances of conception... But what about cannabis? Does CBD really have an effect on fertility? Or is it just a new trend? Let’s review this together.
The effects of CBD on fertility
Fecundity and endocannabinoid system
CBD produces most of its effects by interacting with the endocannabinoid system, and fertility is no exception. Composed of neurotransmitters and receptors, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is responsible for maintaining harmony within the body.
To learn more about the endocannabinoid system and its link to Cannabidiol, feel free to read our articles on the benefits of CBD and its effects on the brain.
Regarding fertility, many studies have highlighted the role of two components of the ECS: anandamide, a neurotransmitter, and 2-Arachidonylglycerol (2-AG for the intimates), a cannabinoid. By balancing the levels of anandamide and 2-AG, CBD would therefore help boost fertility.
But beyond these two components whose names you probably won't remember - and frankly, we can't blame you - being fertile implies having an organism in optimal conditions to welcome a baby. Anxiety, sleep quality, medication use are all factors to consider. And since Cannabidiol improves the functioning of the ECS in a global way and influences these parameters, it contributes to making the body more welcoming.
CBD and fertility for women
By interacting with the endocannabinoid system and in particular anandamide and 2-AG, our favorite molecule acts as a mediator that mobilizes these different elements to boost ovulation, but also to prepare the egg for fertilization.
Being fertile also means being able to carry a pregnancy to term. And that's good, because CBD is a great ally during this particular period. Thanks to its analgesic and relaxing virtues, it allows the mother-to-be to approach the gestation more serenely, and contributes to reduce the risks of miscarriage.
CBD, male fertility’s best ally?
For those with a male reproductive system, fertility is primarily based on the ability to produce enough viable sperm.
Despite urban legends, CBD seems to have a positive influence on male fertility and especially on sperm quality. This is demonstrated by a study conducted by Harvard researchers, who collected the sperm of 662 hemp users. They discovered with astonishment that the patients had a much higher than average spermatozoon concentration: 62.7 million spermatozoon per milliliter, against an average of 45.4 in men who do not use cannabis. And with a richer sperm, you have more chance to enlarge your family ...
How hemp can indirectly affect fertility
But Cannabidiol also affects other aspects of sexuality, which indirectly affect fertility.
CBD and libido
It's not the effect we most often talk about, but CBD also has aphrodisiac virtues! Thanks to its action on mood and anxiety, our favorite molecule is ideal to put you in the mood. Stimulating, it brings the necessary energy to show all your passion to your partner. It also improves the blood circulation, facilitating the excitation and intensifying the feelings, while alleviating the pains, for more fluid and thus more pleasant moments...
After all, the more desire you feel, the more sex you have, the more likely you are to conceive!
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Effects of Cannabidiol on contraception
Because the impact of CBD on fertility is not just for those who want to conceive ... For those who want to avoid pregnancy, it is equally important to know if CBD can affect contraception.
And it is precisely a field of action for which scientific studies would be particularly useful: indeed, Cannabidiol could well prevent certain means of contraception from functioning normally.
The cause? Its effects on the CYP450 enzyme, which is present in the liver. By slowing down its action, CBD would therefore increase intermenstrual bleeding - between periods, which reduces the effectiveness of IUDs and birth control pills. That said, studies also suggest that the best way to avoid these negative effects would be to take the pill with great regularity, which allows more time for the contraception to pass through the liver.
The molecule could also interfere with the action of estradiol, an estrogenic hormone produced in the body, by substituting for it and therefore, getting in the way. It could therefore present a risk for people taking an estrogen-based birth control pill.
However, these leads are to be taken with great caution, however, and there is no reason to be alarmed by stopping CBD completely in case you take the pill.
On the one hand, researchers are not yet sure of the exact amount of CBD to take for it to cause these kinds of effects. On the other hand, as we explained in our article on the dosage of CBD, the molecule acts differently on everyone, and the optimal dosage is specific to each person. Also, we can only advise you to take your time and not to increase your doses too quickly, to be able to observe the way your body reacts. And if in doubt, never hesitate to consult a health professional.
As you could see, CBD has a very interesting potential to improve fertility and is not done surprising us... If you want to know more about the action of cannabis in other areas, do not hesitate to visit our blog and join us on instagram or on TikTok!
Cake it easy,
Joséphine