Why shouldn’t you eat edibles on an empty stomach?

Are you new to marijuana edibles? For most people, the consumption of edibles offers a plethora of positive experiences — pain relief, help with sleeping and a groovy time simply kicking it back and relaxing — while for others it can lead to a more negative, paranoid experience. One of the most important questions to ask yourself before deciding to chow down on a bag of weed candy is, “have I eaten today?”

Why should you eat beforehand?

It is highly recommended that you eat first before you consume marijuana edibles. Often when consumers have an empty stomach, they become more paranoid and anxious.

What evidence suggests this?

Although quite a bit of evidence suggests having a full tummy before consuming edibles, these are only considered to be intriguing hypotheses. However, some science supports the idea stating that you should consider eating a meal first because eating beforehand may increase the bioavailability of both the THC and CBD.

Even High Times, a New York cannabis culture magazine, urges edible users to eat properly before any consumption. “Be sure to eat a solid, nutritious meal before taking your THC dose…edibles are much more intense when consumed on an empty stomach.” While the Cannabist, another publication that focuses on cannabis’ medical history, talks about how weed and its properties are a great form of medicine. “Just envision the sticker on your prescription bottle of antibiotics: TAKE WITH FOOD.” Although both of these publications simply state that marijuana edibles should be taken with food, there is an array of research that supports their statements by showing how cannabinoids are absorbed and how food plays a role in this.

Drug absorption does not happen in your stomach, actually most of it takes place in your small intestine. Your stomach stores partially-digested food until your small intestine is ready to digest it. When you consume food, this slows down the process by limiting the movement of how the drug is absorbed into your small intestine. Essentially this means that when your stomach is empty, the cannabinoids from the edibles you consumed will be transported to your small intestine much faster causing a more overwhelming feeling then you probably anticipated.

So, before you whip up a batch of homemade brownies or add a little THC honey to your morning cup of tea, perhaps consider eating a light meal to ensure that you’ll have a wicked experience and a comfortable body high.

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