How To Prevent & Fight Feeling Too High - Periodic Edibles

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• Possible Side Effects of Edibles

• Can you Die from Side Effects of Edibles

• How to Stop Nausea Side Effects from Edibles

• How to Stop Feeling Dizzy Side Effects from Edibles

• What is Edible Vertigo?

• Shortness of Breath as a Side Effect of Edibles

• Conclusion.

Date Updated: June 2023

Author: Wayne Schwind

Bio: Founder of Periodic Edibles and Lead Cannabis Scientist Wayne is a chemical engineer and host of our cannabis science and business podcast, Periodic Effects.

It’s common (unfortunately) for new edible consumers to overconsume and experience a racing heart rate, nausea, dizziness, or feelings of anxiety, paranoia, or dread. But don’t worry; there are two things to bear in mind:

1. If you’re yet to try edibles, you can reduce the chance of side effects by finding a dosage that’s right for you.

2. If you’ve already taken the edible, it’s possible to reduce the side effects using the techniques described in this article.

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If you experience an elevated heart rate, nausea, or feeling dizzy from edibles, the culprit is likely a THC dose that is too high for your tolerance level. That being said, it’s important to be aware of symptoms if they might be a result of a medical condition or drug interaction. In this case, you should consult with a physician if you have a medical condition or use prescription medications.

“Edibles” and “THC” will be used interchangeably in this article. When negative side effects are experienced from edibles, it is likely the THC dose in the edible that causes the negative side effects.

“THC” is one of many cannabinoids found in full-spectrum edibles. This is the cannabinoid most responsible for psychoactive effects, while other cannabinoids (like CBD, CBN, CBG, or CBC) have a much higher dose tolerance window and are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Learn more about THC, CBD, and Cannabinoids here.

Possible Side Effects of Edibles

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Whilst consuming edibles in the correct dosage should not lead to any side effects, there are a few possible side effects from the overconsumption of CBD-based products. These might be:

• Light-headedness or dizziness

• Nausea or feeling sick

• Increased heartbeat

• Shortness of breath or quicker, erratic breathing patterns.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important not to panic.

Below you’ll find ways to control your edibles experience, with tips for reducing any side effects you might feel.

Can you Die from Side Effects of Edibles

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An edible (or THC) “overdose” is not like an overdose from other drugs with life-threatening implications — while the experience can be uncomfortable, there has never been a confirmed death caused by THC.

This is because THC is not able to bind (or interfere) with regions in the brain that control automatic life-sustaining functions (like breathing and heart rate) to the point they malfunction and result in death.

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It is true your heart rate may increase due to THC’s ability to open blood vessels, requiring an increased heart rate to maintain consistent blood flow.

Breathing may also be impacted by this circulatory opening, but these symptoms will not escalate to the point of death.

Learn more about finding the correct dosage of THC here.

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How to Slow Down Heart Rate after Edibles

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If you experience an increased heart rate as a side effect of edibles, there are steps you can take to slow down your heart rate:

1. Water — dehydration can contribute to an increased heart rate, so make sure you're hydrated and drink plenty of water.

2. Breathe — slow rhythmic breathing or deep breathing techniques (such as box breathing) can be very effective in quickly slowing heart rate.

3. CBD — there is a study showing CBD may reduce your heart rate under stressful conditions. An increased heart rate is stressful, so this may work. Just remember there is a delayed CBD-onset effect depending on how you consume it.

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I’m Experiencing an Increased Heart Rate. Does This Mean Edibles Won’t Work for Me?

If you experience an increased heart rate and the tips above don’t work, it doesn’t necessarily mean edibles won’t work for you. The first step is to lower your edible dose, try a different edible, or try a full-spectrum edible.

Most hemp edibles on the market today are infused with a cannabinoid isolate (or distillate), which is a stripped-down form of the plant. This impacts the therapeutic efficacy by removing most of the beneficial compounds, which can lead to adverse side effects.

It’s best to buy full-spectrum edibles infused with more of the beneficial compounds found in the plant. We’ve been making full-spectrum edibles since 2015, with free shipping to most States.

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How Do I Know If I’ll Experience This Side Effect of Edibles?

The sensation of a racing heart rate can be scary and unpleasant. There is no hard science to tell us who is susceptible to this side effect or to what degree individuals may experience it.

How the edible is infused, the edible dose, your hydration, diet, and stress levels, amongst other factors, can have a significant impact on increasing your heart rate. The methods above should help slow down your heart rate if you over-consume edibles.

Everyone reacts differently to edibles, so the effects you experience may vary. If you're concerned about your heart rate or other symptoms, talk to your doctor or seek medical attention.

How to Stop Nausea Side Effects from Edibles

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Do you feel Nausea after eating edibles? Below are steps to alleviate symptoms:

1. Water — nausea can often be caused by dehydration, so drink plenty of fluids.

2. Over-the-counter medication — antihistamines such as meclizine or Dramamine can help. Talk to your doctor about whether they're a good option for you.

3. Aromatherapy — certain scents, such as peppermint or ginger, can help reduce nausea and dizziness. You can try using these essential oils in a diffuser to help.

4. Ginger — food and drinks containing ginger can provide quick relief.

5. CBD — the research study below shows CBD may be clinically effective for treating nausea.

The options above are tools to help alleviate nausea if you experience it from edibles. However, if the symptoms are reoccurring, you can test a different edible to see if the issue is product specific.

Learn more about micro-dosing edibles here.

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What Causes Nausea Side Effects from Edibles?

Edible nausea can be caused by:

• THC dosage

• Certain cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, etc.)

• Specific terpenes

• Dairy or sugar in an edible. We offer a vegan caramel edible for specific dietary needs.

• There is anecdotal evidence suggesting that people with a history of strong motion sickness could experience feelings of dizziness when using edibles.

It’s important to track these experiences and determine if the cause is a specific edible product, cannabinoid, or terpene that you may have an allergic reaction to.

Learn more about terpene effects in this article we wrote.

How to Stop Feeling Dizzy Side Effects from Edibles

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Causes of Dizziness from Edibles

Do you feel dizzy after eating edibles? Below are potential causes:

• Dehydration — this can make you feel light-headed; combine that with edibles, and you may feel dizziness.

• Blood pressure — some people experience changes in blood pressure after consuming edibles, which can cause dizziness.

• Anxiety or stress — feeling anxious or stressed can sometimes cause dizziness, and edibles can exacerbate these feelings.

• Other medications — could potentially interact with edibles; though it is not common. Consult your physician about potential drug interactions if you’re taking prescription medication.

Everyone reacts differently to edibles, so the effects you experience may vary. If you're concerned about your symptoms or are experiencing other side effects, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor or seek medical attention.

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Steps to Counteract Dizziness from Edibles

If you’re already feeling a dizziness side effect of edibles, follow these steps:

1. Water — drink plenty of fluids to prevent light-headedness

2. Ginger — food and drinks containing ginger can provide quick relief

3. Aromatherapy — certain scents, like peppermint or ginger, can help reduce dizziness

4. CBD — may help reduce nausea and dizziness, as shown in the studies above.

It’s important to know what’s in the edible you’re consuming. Dizziness (and nausea) can stem from multiple factors, and those side effects could be caused by a specific cannabinoid, terpene, or low-quality infusion method that you’re having a reaction to.

We make microdose edibles with the cannabinoids and terpenes listed on the label. You won’t find a “proprietary blend” on our ingredients label, as that label is often used to hide low-quality (or questionable) ingredients.

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What is Edible Vertigo?

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What is Edible Vertigo?

Edibles can cause dizziness as a side effect in some people. However, it is not clear whether they can directly cause vertigo.

It’s possible those with underlying vertigo issues could experience similar episodes when consuming edibles.

Some of the negative side effects discussed in the sections above can be similar to the effects felt by vertigo. However, at this point in time, there isn’t enough evidence available to show a correlation.

Skip to vertigo-like symptoms of edibles, here:

↥ How to Stop Nausea from Edibles

↥ Feeling Dizzy from Edibles

Shortness of Breath as a Side Effect of Edibles

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Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of pulmonary hypertension or high blood pressure. Therefore, if edibles (with THC) can cause an increase in blood pressure, then it would make sense they could cause feelings of shortness of breath as well.

The good news is that THC is not able to bind (or interfere) with cells in critical regions of the brain.

Even though THC (a cannabinoid) can interact with your sympathetic nervous system, which may trigger your “fight-or-flight” response and affect breathing patterns (as discussed above), THC does not impact brain regions responsible for controlling automatic life-sustaining functions (like breathing while you sleep), to the point they malfunction and result in death.

Can Edibles Cause Shortness of Breath?

This short answer is — it’s possible.

Shortness of breath is normally a symptom of an underlying condition, like asthma, heart problems, or respiratory infections, but in rare cases, it has been reported as a side effect of edibles.

More research is needed to understand the relationship between edibles and shortness of breath, but there are a few things we do know (discussed below).

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THC and the Sympathetic Nervous System

Have you found it hard to breathe after consuming edibles?

If you feel shortness of breathe, and it’s caused by edible consumption, it’s likely because THC (found in full-spectrum edibles) can interact with the bodies sympathetic nervous system, which can cause changes to heart rate and blood pressure.

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What Is the Sympathetic Nervous System?

From the Cleveland Clinic, “Your sympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that helps your body activate its “fight-or-flight” response. This system’s activity increases when you’re stressed, in danger, or physically active. Its effects include increasing your heart rate and breathing ability, improving your eyesight, and slowing down processes like digestion.”

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THC Proven to Act as a Bronchodilator

It’s actually been proven that THC can act as a bronchodilator. Bronchodilators are a medication that help lung muscles relax and widen the airways, making it easier for people with respiratory issues to breathe. THC is being studied for its potential to help asthma patients. This is a sign that some cannabis products (at the proper dose) could help support the respiratory system.

Why did the scientists use Delta-1-THC (in the study above) instead of the more common forms of THC, like Delta-9-THC?

It is likely because of the times. It was hard to do cannabis research in the 1970s, researchers would create synthetic derivatives of cannabinoids, like THC, so they were using slightly different molecules in their research to minimize governmental red tape.

Conclusion

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Can edibles cause nausea, dizziness, or an increased heart rate? The short answer is yes, it’s possible. But the symptoms will pass.

At the end of the day, prevention is the best medicine, and you should always take caution when consuming edibles. Scientific research shows no life-threatening risks when healthy adults consume edibles. While there is research showing edibles may work as a bronchodilator, that could help asthma patients.

Consider starting an edible journal and keep track of the products you try. Track how edibles make you feel at different doses — this will help you find your ideal dose for different use cases.

You can also track elements such as:

How minor cannabinoids (like CBC, CBG, CBN) make you feel, and what terpene effects (like limonene, myrcene, pinene) do you like?

Approach your edible journey in a scientific fashion, and pay attention to the different cannabinoid levels (dose) in your edibles and how you respond to them. This will lead you to the best experience while getting consistent results every time you consume edibles.

Periodic Edibles has gathered our own understanding (using a lot of scientific methods and testing) of different doses and their effects to develop our range of edibles — all of which are clearly displayed on the label. These measures should help you take control of your edible experience. You can shop our effects-focused edibles with cannabinoids and terpenes listed on the label.

Citation links are below.

Do you have more questions?

Message us or leave a comment below.

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Citations

1. Neuropsychopharmacology, (2011), Bergamaschi et .al, “Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naive social phobia patients” https://www.nature.com/articles/npp20116

2. Scientific Reports, (2021), Bowen et .al, “The impact of extraction protocol on the chemical profile of cannabis extracts from a single cultivar“ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01378-0

3. British Pharmacological Society, (2010), Parker et .al, “Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids“ https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.01176.x

4. Science, (1973), NG et .al, “Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Ethanol: Differential Effects on Sympathetic Activity in Differing Environmental Setting“https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.180.4093.1368

5. British Pharmacological Society, (1978), Hartley et. al, “Bronchodilator effect of delta1-tetrahydrocannabinol“https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1978.tb01667.x

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