Harvard Study: CBD Reduces Anxiety Symptoms in Pilot Clinical Trial

The open-label study, published in Biomedicines, enrolled 12 patients with moderate to severe anxiety. Over six weeks, participants self-administered a full-spectrum, hemp-derived CBD sublingual solution containing 30 mg of CBD per day—similar to products currently sold on the market. Patients reported notable reductions in anxiety over the treatment period, along with improvements in sleep and overall well-being. Cognitive performance remained stable or improved across all measures, with no serious adverse events reported. Side effects were minimal and well tolerated.

Researchers concluded that the findings provide preliminary support for the use of hemp-derived CBD as a potential therapeutic option for anxiety. However, they stressed that larger double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.

This trial marks one of the few human studies testing a commercially comparable hemp-derived CBD formulation, underscoring the growing interest in scientifically validating claims surrounding CBD’s therapeutic effects.