Cannabidiol (CBD) and anxiety

What 7 graded rows on cannabidiol (cbd) agree on for anxiety, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.

Consensus finder Rows from the Cannabidiol (CBD) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides

What the rows agree on

Each block and row is one graded row from the Cannabidiol (CBD) page, with its PubMed record.

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Anxiety7 Sleep2 Pain2

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Cannabidiol (CBD) and anxiety

7 rows · 760 people

Split. 4 rows found an improvement and 3 had mixed results.

Mixed

Improved

Each block is one evidence row, sized by how many people it enrolled, with its grade inside. Outlined: mixed results.

Grade C× 1
Grade D× 6

Rows: 7
Trials: 7; At least: a review without a trial count
People: 760; Pooled reviews may count some twice

What the rows share

From the rows

The best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 316 people (2024) and found an improvement.

The rows run from 24 to 316 people, published from 2011 to 2024: 1 pooled review and 6 single studies.

The rows

4 improved · 3 mixed

Grade CAnxiety symptoms across anxiety disorders · Improved
Meta-analysis · n 316 · 2024 · People with generalized anxiety, social anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (8 studies)
Varied across studies · Varied across studies
Pooled analysis found a large reduction in anxiety with CBD (Hedges g -0.92, 95% CI -1.80 to -0.04); the authors urge caution because the samples were small.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 38924898 (opens PubMed)
Grade DAnxiety scores in mild to moderate anxiety disorders · Improved
RCT · n 178 · 2024 · Adults with mild to moderate anxiety disorders (multicentre phase 3 trial, India)
Daily dose not stated in the abstract · 15 weeks
GAD-7 scores fell 7.02 points more and HAM-A scores 11.9 points more than with placebo; no serious adverse events.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 38797087 (opens PubMed)
Grade DAnxiety and sleep scores in a psychiatric clinic · Improved
Observational · n 72 · 2019 · Adult psychiatric outpatients with anxiety or poor sleep (US)
Nearly all patients 25 mg/day (range 25–175 mg/day) · Monthly follow-up
Anxiety scores fell in the first month in 79% of patients; sleep scores improved in 67% but fluctuated over time.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 30624194 (opens PubMed)
Grade DAnxiety during a simulated public speaking test in social anxiety disorder · Improved
RCT · n 24 · 2011 · Never-treated adults with generalized social anxiety disorder (Brazil)
600 mg once, 90 minutes before the test · Single dose
CBD reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort during the speech compared with placebo.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 21307846 (opens PubMed)
Grade DWorry and anxiety symptoms in high trait worriers · Mixed
RCT · n 63 · 2023 · Adults with elevated trait worry (US)
300 mg or 50 mg daily · 2 weeks
No effect on worry after a single dose or after 2 weeks; 300 mg lowered anxiety symptoms over the 2 weeks compared with placebo.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 37552290 (opens PubMed)
Grade DAnxiety during a simulated public speaking test at different doses · Mixed
RCT · n 57 · 2019 · Healthy men
150, 300 or 600 mg once · Single dose
Only 300 mg reduced anxiety during the speech versus placebo; 150 mg and 600 mg did not differ from placebo.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 30328956 (opens PubMed)
Grade DAnxiety before a cancer scan · Mixed
RCT · n 50 · 2024 · Women with advanced breast cancer and clinical anxiety (US)
400 mg once · Single dose
The primary outcome (change in fear score) did not differ from placebo; fear scores 2–4 hours after the dose were lower with CBD. No grade 3 or 4 side effects.
Row on the Cannabidiol (CBD) page · PubMed 39680411 (opens PubMed)

Read onRead the full evidenceThe full evidence chapter on its page, with every outcome and its sources.