CBD and Sex: What the Research Actually Says

Can CBD make sex better? Some people say yes: in one US survey, most respondents who used CBD before sex reported more intense orgasms and less performance anxiety. The catch is that the evidence is mostly self-reported questionnaires, so think of CBD as a possible helper, not a proven fix.

People have tried everything to spice things up: toys of every kind, a drink to loosen up, adding more people to the mix, watching videos. But what about the folks who've tried it with cannabis in the picture?

A fairly recent survey-based study looked at how CBD affects sex, drawing on questionnaires answered by 5,398 Americans.

The researchers zeroed in on 502 people (9.3%) who said they'd taken CBD before having sex with a current or former partner; 54% were men and 46% women. As a side note that has nothing to do with the effects themselves, 80% of respondents described themselves as heterosexual, 16% as bisexual and 3% as gay or lesbian.

The results were pretty interesting and surprised plenty of people: 72% of this group said they'd had more intense orgasms, and 66% of both men and women used CBD to ease sexual anxiety. Men also reported lasting 31% longer before climaxing, while women said they reached orgasm 33% faster.

Another study, more numbers

The research in this area is honestly impressive, and the market research firm Technavio didn't want to be left out.

It recently published a report called Global Sex Toys Market 2019-2023, which suggests that the popularity of sex toys will open up huge growth opportunities in the sector.

You can already see it in some of the big players in that market, like Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Doc Johnson Enterprises, LELO, LUVU BRANDS and Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, which have been quick to cash in on CBD's appeal in the bedroom.

Plenty of products have been marketed for sex, but the best sellers so far include lubes, serums meant to boost satisfaction, post-sex relief oils, vaginal and anal suppositories, and aphrodisiac chocolates, among others.

CBD and sex: possible benefits for pain and other conditions

According to cannabis industry sites such as THC Remedy Review, CBD could be a useful tool for easing pain caused by endometriosis (a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it). Many women also report that CBD oil has helped them manage their symptoms.

Pain during sex may be caused by dyspareunia, a condition that mostly affects women. It's defined as persistent or recurring genital pain that happens right before, during or after penetrative sex. Some studies point to cannabidiol having anti-inflammatory effects that may help with this kind of pain.

On the men's side, there's a problem that affects millions of guys worldwide: erectile dysfunction. Here, a review by Nagendra Singh Chauhan published in BioMed Research International suggests Cannabis sativa might improve "ejaculatory function and sexual performance."

Some researchers describe cannabinoids as vasodilators, meaning they may improve blood flow while relaxing muscles. When it comes to painful conditions, Kiana Reeves, director of communications and community education at Foria, put it this way: "THC is a powerful analgesic, and CBD is a widely recognized anti-inflammatory, so both cannabinoids work in a beneficial way to reduce the kinds of pain many people experience."

Patients and users report that cannabis at the "right dose" can heighten sensitivity and improve their sex lives. Still, the evidence is thin: most of the existing research is based on questionnaires, which are heavily skewed toward people who already use cannabis and don't represent the general population, so it's hard to draw firm conclusions.

Either way, it's worth remembering that the most powerful sex organ there is happens to be your mind. CBD and THC products are, at most, a catalyst: a helping hand on the way to the place everyone's trying to get to.