CBD intertwines with sex in ultra-modern ways.
Several CBD-infused products have emerged on the adult market, promising to enhance sexual relations and create greater intimacy between partners. There are lubricants, satisfaction-boosting serums, post-coital relief oil, vaginal and anal suppositories, aphrodisiac chocolates… the list goes on.
But what does CBD really do for your sex life?
A recent study by the hemp and CBD supply website Remedy Review explores the effects of CBD on sex. Surveying 5,398 Americans, researchers focused on 502 (9,311,177) who reported taking CBD for sex with a current or former partner. Of the respondents, 541,461 were men and 461,461 were women. 801,461 described themselves as heterosexual, 161,461 as bisexual, and 31,461 as homosexual. The number of milligrams ingested by each person was not tracked, which is a shortcoming of the study. Tighter dosage control and a larger group of respondents would likely allow for more accurate results.
Here's some data from what the 502 adults surveyed had to say about using CBD during sex:
- 72% of men and 76% of women said they experienced stronger orgasms.
- 66% of both men and women used CBD to relieve sexual anxiety.
- Men lasted 31% longer before orgasm.
- Women reported being 33% faster to orgasm.
- 57% reports being “more satisfied” with their relationship.
- 87% both men and women took CBD as a couple.
- 69% is likely still using CBD for sex.
Pain, inflammation, and increased blood flow
The survey found that 26% used CBD to relieve pain and discomfort after sex. Of these, 39% found CBD to be “moderately or very” effective, 59% found it “slightly or somewhat” effective, and only 2% found it ineffective.
“For those with pain and inflammation, CBD may be playing a role,” said Adie Rae (formerly Wilson-Poe), Ph.D., a neuroscientist and scientific advisor at Weedmaps. “We know that CBD can help with pain, and perhaps both systemic and topical CBD could be a treatment for vulvodynia or vaginitis, but we’ll need clinical studies to validate that possibility.”
Growing research shows that cannabinoids are excellent vasodilators, improving blood flow and, in turn, relaxing muscles. These effects are excellent for sex for obvious reasons.
“THC is a well-known pain reliever, and CBD is a well-known anti-inflammatory, so both cannabinoids work beneficially to reduce any type of pain that many people experience,” said Kiana Reeves, Foria’s director of community communications and education. “Even if you’re not experiencing pain, everyone can benefit from the increased blood flow.”
Women's health problems tend to go underreported because there is so much social stigma and shame surrounding them. Hailed as the most comprehensive study of sex to date, the landmark "Sex in America: A Definitive Survey" published in 1994 estimated that approximately 201% of women experience pain during or after sex, and that number increases to approximately 33% after menopause.
Anxiety
Does CBD help alleviate sexual anxiety in a psychoactive sense? From Rae's perspective, it depends on the dose. "Experimentally, for people to have significantly lower anxiety, they need to consume about 400 milligrams of oral CBD," she explained. "I can guarantee that almost none of the 502 adults in this study consumed that much."
Looking at anxiety, the Remedy Review study found that 661% of men and women used CBD to relieve sexual anxiety, with 61% of men and 57% of women saying it helped with “performance concerns.” Additionally, 44% of men and 37% of women said CBD moderately helped with sexual anxieties related to poor body image.
“The brain is the largest sexual organ in our bodies,” Nystrom said. “It’s not the penis, not the vagina, not the clitoris—it’s your brain. CBD has shown that it can definitely help with anxiety. If you have performance anxiety around sex, there are many different reasons for that. It’s worth getting to the root causes. CBD may be a more comprehensive avenue for that, unlike beta-blockers.”
Reeves has heard similar stories from Foria clients over the years. She explained that it's actually "very common" for people to experience mild sexual anxiety, which can manifest as difficulty connecting with themselves or their partner. Extreme sexual anxiety is also common, which can dysregulate the nervous system so severely that it inhibits the desire to have sex at all.
“One of the things your body eliminates when it's in a state of chronic anxiety is its libido,” Reeves said. “One aspect of cannabis and hemp is that they both work with the nervous system to actually reduce stress levels.”
As for CBD's psychoactive effects, especially when taken in small doses, Rae said it's all about the power of the mind.
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