Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39940347›Full record

ReviewNutrients2025

Cannabidiol in Foods and Food Supplements: Evaluation of Health Risks and Health Claims.

Barbara E Engeli, Dirk W Lachenmeier, Patrick Diel, Sabine Guth, Maria A Villar Fernandez, Angelika Roth, Alfonso Lampen, Alexander T Cartus, Wim Wätjen, Jan G Hengstler and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nutrients, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Selected Cannabinoids, Cannabimimetic Agents andPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Barbara E EngeliFederal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), Division Knowledge Foundation, Section Risk Assessment, Schwarzenburgstr 155, 3003 Bern, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-9559-8564
Dirk W LachenmeierChemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA) Karlsruhe, Weißenburger Str. 3, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3115-864X
Patrick DielDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
Sabine GuthLeibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
Maria A Villar FernandezLeibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
Angelika RothLeibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
Alfonso LampenRisk Assessment Strategies, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
Alexander T CartusChemservice S.A., 13, Fausermillen, 6689 Mertert, Luxembourg.ORCID 0000-0002-1930-5344
Wim WätjenInstitut für Agrar-und Ernährungswissenschaften, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0955-386X
Jan G HengstlerLeibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
Angela MallyDepartment of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 9, 97078 Würzburg, Germany.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft HE 2509/15-11
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid present in the hemp plant (

methodsThe Permanent Senate Commission on Food Safety (SKLM) of the German Research Foundation (DFG) reviewed the currently available data on adverse and potential beneficial effects of CBD in the dose range relevant for foods.

resultsIncreased liver enzyme activities were observed in healthy volunteers following administration of 4.3 mg CBD/kg bw/day and higher for 3-4 weeks. As lower doses were not tested, a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) could not be derived, and the dose of 4.3 mg/kg bw/day was identified as the lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL). Based on the CBD content and dose recommendations of CBD products on the market, the SKLM considered several exposure scenarios and concluded that the LOAEL for liver toxicity may be easily reached, e.g., via consumption of 30 drops of an oil containing 20% CBD, or even exceeded. A critical evaluation of the available data on potential beneficial health effects of CBD in the dose range at or below the LOAEL of 4.3 mg/kg bw/day revealed no scientific evidence that would substantiate health claims, e.g., in relation to physical performance, the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous system, anxiety, relaxation, stress, sleep, pain, or menstrual health.

conclusionsThe SKLM concluded that consumption of CBD-containing foods/food supplements may not provide substantiated health benefits and may even pose a health risk to consumers.

Indexed as

CannabidiolDietary SupplementsCannabisEuropean UnionFood LabelingFood SafetyHumansLiverNo-Observed-Adverse-Effect LevelRisk AssessmentCannabidiolbeneficial effectscannabidiolCBDfoodfood supplementshealth claimshealth riskhepatotoxicityneurotoxicity

Identifiers

PMID39940347
PMCPMC11820564

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.