Study: 87.5% of IBD Patients Using CBD Report Symptom Relief

A survey-based study published in JGH Open found that a notable portion of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are using cannabidiol (CBD), with most reporting perceived benefits despite limited clinical guidance on its use.

Conducted by researchers from Cornell University, New York University, and University of South Florida, the study analyzed responses from 229 IBD patients in outpatient gastroenterology settings in New York.

Researchers found that 10.5% of participants reported current or prior CBD use. Among those individuals, 87.5% said CBD helped manage their symptoms, although the findings are based on self-reported data rather than clinical outcomes.

The most commonly cited reasons for CBD use were anxiety (54.2%), insomnia (41.7%), and pain (41.7%), indicating that patients are often turning to CBD for symptom relief beyond direct gastrointestinal issues. Other less frequently reported reasons included appetite loss and nausea.

The study also found that CBD users were more likely to have Crohn’s disease and that about one-third were using biologic therapies. A higher percentage of CBD users had undergone IBD-related surgery compared to non-users, although these differences were not statistically significant.

Researchers noted that CBD’s anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic properties may play a role in symptom management, but emphasized that the high rate of perceived benefit should be interpreted cautiously due to the potential for placebo effects and bias. They also highlighted that CBD is not currently recommended in U.S. guidelines for IBD treatment.

Despite the relatively modest usage rate compared to other chronic conditions, the findings suggest growing interest in CBD as an alternative or complementary therapy among IBD patients. The authors conclude that more controlled clinical research is needed to determine CBD’s safety, efficacy, and role in IBD care.