A two-stage, phase 2 clinical trial shows CBD helps with anxiety

These clinical trial results were published in the journal Communications Medicine in November 2022. 

The study "assessed efficacy and tolerability of four-weeks of 1 mL t.i.d. treatment with a full-spectrum, high-CBD sublingual solution (9.97 mg/mL CBD, 0.23 mg/mL Δ−9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in 14 outpatients with moderate-to-severe anxiety, defined as ≥16 on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) or ≥11 on the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS)".

The full spectrum CBD oil was administered for 4 weeks, 3 times a day in a sublingual tincture (under the tongue). The daily total dosage of CBD was about 35mg. However, because it was a full spectrum product, it also contained THC (0.8mg/day), CBC (0.97mg/day), CBG (0.38mg/day), and CBN (0.21mg/day).

This stage of the study was small (14 patients), but its purpose was to determine if there is enough solid evidence to justify continuation to the double-blind, placebo controlled stage. The authors agree that there is:

Findings suggest significant improvement on primary outcomes measuring anxiety and secondary outcomes assessing mood, sleep, quality of life, and cognition (specifically executive function) following treatment.

Anxiety is significantly reduced at week 4 relative to baseline Clinically significant treatment response (≥15% symptom reduction) is achieved and maintained as early as week 1 in most patients

Patients quickly achieve and maintain symptom reduction with few side effects.

Results provide preliminary evidence supporting efficacy and tolerability of a full-spectrum, high-CBD product for anxiety.

A definitive assessment of the impact of this novel treatment on clinical symptoms and cognition will be ascertained in the ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled stage.

The full text article is here at Nature.com.