With all the recent excitement around cannabidiol (CBD) and its seemingly endless purported benefits, it's only natural that CBD lube is now a thing. It feels like wherever you look, a new sex company is popping up and selling a different cannabis-infused product promising to take your sexual pleasure to new heights. But does CBD lube actually do anything that regular lube can't?
First, a refresher on what CBD is. There are two major chemical components in the cannabis plant: THC and CBD. THC—short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol—is the stuff that gets you high. CBD doesn't. It can, however, potentially impart feelings of relaxation and calm: While scientists are still in the early stages of CBD research, early animal and human studies have pointed to CBD's anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties, according to NPR. In a recent 2019 study of 72 participants with anxiety and insomnia, four out of five participants reported lower levels of anxiety, and two-thirds reported better sleep after taking 25 milligrams of CBD every day for a month. Additionally, the Mayo Clinic reports that CBD can be an effective anti-seizure medication.
CBD became legal federally when the Farm Bill passed in December 2018, making cannabis products that have less than 0.3% THC legal. That means that across all 50 states, CBD can be infused in pretty much every beauty and wellness product from facial creams to personal lubricants. (Nevertheless, as the New York Times points out, many states haven't changed their laws to match new federal rules, leaving local police and prosecutors confused over what is legal and what is not.)
Now, back to CBD lube!
What are the benefits of CBD lube?
There's still not a ton of CBD research out there, which means that most available info on CBD lube and sexual pleasure is anecdotal. That being said, many folks swear by the positive effects of using it during sex.
"CBD [reportedly] reduces inflammation, so for women who may experience pain or discomfort during intercourse, a CBD lubricant is your best friend," explains Angela Mustone, founder and president of the CBD-infused lube brand High On Love. "Not only does it help reduce pain, but it also may help to relax the muscles and may increase blood flow."
As for men, putting CBD lube on your junk "doesn't do much ... except lubricate," Mustone says. However, you might see some added benefits if you use it on your butt; like the vagina, the anus is lined with mucous membranes, which allows for better absorption of CBD.
"Thankfully, everyone has a butthole," says Sophie Saint Thomas, author of the upcoming book The Little Book of CBD for Self-Care.
What should I look for when purchasing CBD lube?
Given that CBD lube companies are popping up everywhere, how do you know you're buying high-quality CBD lube?
"If you can, find an organic, full-spectrum CBD lube," St. Thomas says. "There is an expression in cannabis, 'the more the merrier.' It means that individual cannabinoids, like CBD, work better when you leave in all the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and other nice plant products."
According to St. Thomas, the second-best option is broad-spectrum CBD lube, "which keeps in most of the other plant compounds." Next on the list after broad-spectrum is CBD isolate, which would only include CBD extract.
How about lubricants with CBD and THC?
Yep, some lubes have both. (You can legally buy 'em if you live in one of these 11 U.S. states.) According to some users, THC-infused lubes have the capacity to heighten sexual arousal even more than CBD lubes. While there's evidence that cannabis can influence female sexual function, more research needs to be conducted to know for certain.
"With THC-infused products, [people report their] orgasms can last longer and be more intense and powerful," Mustone says.
You might be wondering: Does lube with THC in it...get you high? The FAQ section of Foria Pleasure, a sexual wellness brand, answers this question: "The majority of women who try Foria Pleasure topically report they do not get 'high' and their experiences are of a more heightened sensation around sensual acts." St. Thomas says it might happen if you're using it in your anus, as "the lining of the rectum is thin."
Of course, you will get high if you drink THC lube, as proven when writer Mira Gonzalez drank an entire bottle of Foria and briefly lost her mind. Of course, this is something we absolutely do not recommend doing.
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