Motion Sickness & CBD Oil: Research on Nausea & Buying Tips

Written by Jason Brett — Edited by Cathy Rozyczko on September 24, 2021 — Reviewed by Dr. Rosie Carey, GP

If you’ve ever been seasick on a boat ride or nauseated while attempting to read in the car, you’ve felt the effects of motion sickness. Motion sickness is a condition related to your senses, particularly your balance and equilibrium, and it most frequently occurs when what you see doesn’t sync with what your body feels. It is an unpleasant experience but CBD oil may be able to help.

Given its reported ability to reduce nausea, CBD oil may present an effective option for people looking for a more natural solution to their motion sickness symptoms.

If you’re considering giving CBD oil a try before your next cruise or road trip, here’s what you need to know.

Benefits of Using CBD Oil for Motion Sickness

People who suffer from motion sickness have a few different treatment options available to them. Medications like Benadryl, Dramamine, and Marezine are all commonly used to help prevent symptoms of motion sickness.

While these medications are all fairly effective in stopping motion sickness from occurring, they can cause unwanted side effects.

For those looking for an alternative option to prevent or treat their motion sickness, cannabidiol (CBD) may be perfect. If you’re considering trying CBD oil alone or in combination with your current motion sickness medication, talk to your doctor first, and keep this chart handy.

Studies on CBD oil have highlighted its anti-nausea properties, making it a potentially effective treatment for motion sickness with minimal side effects.

Effectiveness of Using CBD Oil for Motion Sickness

There is a lot of evidence, both anecdotal and scientific, which may support the claim that cannabis and CBD oil are effective treatments for motion sickness.

Research on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system found that they both play an important part in regulating nausea.

CBD oil appears to be successful in minimizing nausea because of its ability to regulate serotonin receptors in the brain. An overabundance of serotonin can trigger nausea. Specifically, cannabidiol (CBD) was found to bind to 5HT1A receptors, causing a signal to be sent to reduce the production of serotonin, stopping nausea at its source.

The exact causes of motion sickness are unclear but there is some evidence to suggest that impaired activity in the endocannabinoid system could play a role. Because CBD works within this system by creating balance and enabling the function and production of natural cannabinoids, it makes sense that it could work for motion sickness.

However, there is still very little research to suggest CBD is a 100% effective treatment option for motion sickness specifically. In fact, a 2008 study tested the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on shrews with motion-induced nausea and vomiting. The researchers found that THC was effective in preventing vomiting, while CBD had no effect on the animals.

As more research is conducted, especially via clinical trials on humans, a clearer picture will emerge as to how effective CBD oil is for preventing motion sickness.

How to Take CBD Oil for Motion Sickness

CBD oil can be found in a variety of different forms, all of which have their own benefits depending on your situation.

For example, CBD drops or tinctures can provide quick and discreet relief. You simply place the CBD oil under your tongue, wait about 30 minutes, and the effects, which typically last 2 to 4 hours, start to kick in. If you know you’re going to be going on a long car or boat ride, for example, taking CBD oil drops ahead of time could be helpful. This format also allows for easy dosage control. If it is necessary to take a higher dose, a tincture can be adjusted by the drop enabling you to hit a sweet spot.

If you’re in a situation where you experience a sudden bout of nausea, a CBD vape oils or CBD flower will provide the fastest relief. Because the CBD goes directly into your bloodstream by way of your lungs, the effects come on almost immediately. The biggest disadvantages to using CBD vapes or flower are their effects typically wear off in an hour, and it’s not always acceptable to vape or smoke.

CBD oil capsules and edibles are effective products, but they can take a while to kick in. Because the cannabidiol has to pass through your digestive system, it can take up to an hour for the effects to set in, but they typically last 4 to 6 hours!

Finally, if you’re going on a multi-day cruise, for example, and know you’ve had issues with motion or sea sickness, a CBD transdermal patch may be what’s best. Similar to other products for preventing sea sickness, you simply attach the patch to your skin and it releases CBD slowly into your system over the course of 24 to 48 hours.

Before you take CBD oil for motion sickness, it is best to talk to your physician. While CBD oil is generally safe, it can interact with some medications. By running things by your doctor first, you can be sure that you are using CBD oil as safely as possible.

CBD Oil Dosage for Motion Sickness

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all dose of CBD oil for motion sickness. What works for one person will not be what works for another. Getting things right can take a little trial and error.

However, it’s always a good idea to start low and slow when first trying CBD oil. Begin with the lowest recommended dose on your CBD product. Once you have a sense of how your body will respond, you can adjust up or down from there.

If you’re looking for further guidance, at CBD Oil Review, we’ve analyzed hundreds of products and have found that 25mg of CBD taken twice a day is a good starting dosage. If you do not find the results you are after, slowly increase the dose by 25mg every 3-4 weeks until you find relief.

For more information on CBD oil dosage, check out our dosage guide, or speak with a naturopathic doctor for personalized advice.

While the scientific understanding of both nausea and motion sickness is still evolving, it appears that CBD oil, and cannabis in general, may be able to offer some help. If you suffer from motion sickness and would like to try CBD oil, make an appointment with your doctor and go from there.

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