Using CBD (Cannabidiol) to Treat the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias

What is CBD?

CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a chemical component of the Cannabis plant that has positive medicinal effects but is not intoxicating. In other words, CBD has health benefits and it does not get you “high.” CBD should not be confused with marijuana and its psychoactive component, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which does create an altered feeling in users.

CBD is most often used as an oil, either in a gel cap or a dropper. But it can also be taken through other methods, like vaporizer pens or gummies.

CBD Health Benefits for Dementia

CBD has been shown to help people with Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia and Huntington’s disease. A 2016 study done by the Salk Institute found that that CBD, and other cannabinoids, could help reduce dementia symptoms and increase connections between brain cells. Although other researchers have validated those results, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved CBD for the treatment of dementia, but it has approved a CBD-based drug called Epidiolex for treating epilepsy.

CBD improves the health of dementia patients in several ways. It can reduce inflammation and dangerous oxygen buildup. It works as a brain stimulant and can act as a neuroprotectant. It can eliminate dead brain cells and the protein tangles that are believed to cause brain deterioration and dementia. From a user’s perspective, CBD can improve movement and coordination, reduce stress and anxiety, and slow the loss of memory and other brain functions.

It should be noted that some controversy surrounds CBD due to the claims that some companies have made about its effects. Plus, the FDA warns that CBD can cause liver injury (as shown in some animal experiments with super high doses), and it can affect prescription drugs the user is also taking. The FDA also claims that long-term side effects remain unknown because CBD has not been studied for enough time. However, these objections seem based on political bias and not scientific evidence.

Alzheimer’s Disease

When the brain’s immune cells fail to clear blockages associated with Alzheimer’s disease, the result is inflammation in the brain and a release of oxygen. this excess oxygen negatively impacts memory and other important brain functions. CBD can help these issues because it is both an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant.

Another way CBD can help Alzheimer’s patients is promoting the growth of brain cells. This can combat the rapid decline and destruction of brain cells that is common among with Alzheimer’s disease. CBD’s ability to help grow and develop brain cells was discovered by Australian researchers from the Karl Group and reported in this 2011 study.

More recently, in a 2021 study, researchers from several U.S. universities as well as the European Medical Association in Belgium used CBD to increase levels of proteins in the brain (called IL-33 and TREM2) that maintain cognitive functions by eliminating dead cells and helping clear beta-amyloid plaque tangles associated with the disease. After CBD was regularly injected into mice afflicted with Alzheimer’s, scientists noticed major improvements in their ability to think. Specifically, the mice could better tell the difference between old and new objects. The mice’s movement also improved. Before the CBD treatments, they continuously moved in a tight circle, but after the treatments that behavior stopped.

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia is a general term. This describes problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory, and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to one’s brain. A 2016 study by the National Institute of Health found that activating CB2 (cannabinoid) receptors in the brain was an effective treatment for vascular dementia, and CBD is used to activate those CB2 receptors. Essentially, the CBD helped stimulate blood flow to the brain which reduces the impact of vascular dementia.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals that can lead to problems with thinking, sleeping, movement, behavior and mood. Research has shown that CBD can reduce physical LBD symptoms like tremors, rigidity and bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and it can also help eliminate sleeplessness and sleep disturbances, which are also symptoms of LBD. Unlike most pain, anxiety, or behavior management drugs, CBD does not block acetylcholine, the main chemical that LBD attacks.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a chronic, progressive disease of the nervous system. It mostly affects middle-aged and elderly people. Parkinson’s is linked to decreased dopamine production. It is generally characterized by tremors, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movements. Cannabinoids such as CBD have been shown to contain effective brain protectors, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties which can be beneficial for managing Parkinson’s disease. Read more about Parkinson’s and CBD.

Frontotemporal Dementia / Pick’s Disease

Frontotemporal dementia or frontotemporal degeneration refers to a group of disorders caused by progressive nerve cell loss in the brain’s frontal lobes, which can lead to symptoms of depression and psychosis. Since CBD promotes brain cell growth and development and combats the loss of brain cells, it can help reduce the impact of Frontotemporal dementia. Plus, unlike most antipsychotic drugs, CBD does not have an increased risk of death.

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease, also known as Huntington’s chorea, is a genetic disorder that results in the death of brain cells. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an unsteady gait often follow. According to 2016 research from the University of Madrid, CBD can help manage the symptoms of Huntington’s disease. Experiments with mice have shown that another chemical found in Cannabis plants can help maintain brain health for people with Huntington’s. This other chemical is called CBG, which stands for cannabigerol, and it is detailed in our next section.

What is CBG? (CBG vs. CBD)

CBG is cannabigerol, another chemical compound found in the Cannabis plant that has shown medicinal benefits but is not psychoactive. To put it simply, CBG can be good for your health and it doesn’t get you high, just like CBD.

CBG strengthens the brain cells that are linked to functions like motivation, appetite regulation and sleep. A 2014 study showed that CBG can also protect nerve cells on the brain. This study was conducted in Spain with mice that had an experimental model of Huntington’s disease. There has been little testing on the effects of CBG on humans, especially compared to the testing done on the effects of CBD on humans.

CBG and CBD are both cannabanoids, and there are more than 100 cannabanoids in Cannabis plants. But most Cannabis plants contain just 1% CBG, whereas the CBD content can be as much as 20%. This is why CBG is, on the average, more expensive than CBD. However, researchers have been able to extract more CBG, which is often taken as an oil, from young Cannabis plants.

Risks & Side Effects

The World Health Organization stated that “no public health problems… have been associated with the use of pure CBD.” That includes the potential for dependence or abuse, which is a devastating problem with most of the pharmaceutical alternatives. The most commonly reported side effects of CBD were diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Some dementia patients have reported increased tremors with high doses of CBD. And about 3% of patients in studies reported liver problems and had to discontinue CBD use. As with any new treatment, patients and caregivers should monitor the effects and outcomes closely.

Misperceptions & Myths

Myth: CBD is non-psychoactive and medicinal while THC is recreational and not medicinal.
Truth: CBD is psychoactive, but its effects are not intoxicating like the “high” feeling associated with using marijuana and its THC cannabanoids. Instead, CBD’s psychoactive effects are calming and, in some cases, antipsychotic. And THC has also shown medicinal benefits for patients, particularly those suffering from pain, inflammation and loss of appetite.

Myth: CBD is a sedative and reduces awareness or alertness
Truth: Even in high doses (600mg), CBD has not produced sedating effects in healthy humans. CBD usually makes humans feel more awake and alert without a negative impact on sleeping patterns. What is more likely happening is that cannabis strains being used by a patient that have high levels of CBD also contain a potentially sedating natural oil such as myrcene.

Myth: All CBD sources are the same.
Truth: There are multiple sources of CBD such as hemp, medical cannabis, and isolate. Hemp-based CBD is plagued by mislabeling and recent studies have found that only 31% of 84 tested hemp-based CBD products were accurately labeled. Medical, locally sourced cannabis has consistently produced the best CBD source as it is held to stricter laboratory testing for potency and contaminants. If you’re ordering CBD online, know that mislabeling is common, and look for products that have been third-party tested. This means products that have been tested to show the stated percentages are correct.

Myth: CBD is fully legal in all 50 states.
Truth: CBD is “conditionally” legal in every state and Washington, D.C. In many states, possession of CBD is only legal if it contains less than 0.3% THC, which is a federal guideline set by the 2018 Farm Bill. Many of these states also require users to have a medical reason and a prescription to use CBD. Idaho is even more strict and requires CBD to contain 0% THC. And CBD is still technically illegal in Nebraska, but it has been decriminalized. To find the legal status of CBD in your state, check our chart below.

Forms of CBD Administration

CBD comes in many forms. They range in variety from being consumed orally, inhaled or absorbed into the skin. The most popular are:

• Vaporizer pen
• Gel caps
• Gummies
• Oil (applied on the skin or under the tongue)
• Patches (like Band-Aids)

Legal Status of CBD in the U.S. (as of Feb. 2025)

CBD is widely available and can be found anywhere from local health food stores and tobacco shops to online retailers like Amazon. Because of this, its legality can be unclear. In 2018, hemp-based CBD containing less than 0.3% THC was legalized under federal law through the Farm Bill. However, the final say in CBD’s legality still belongs to the individual states.

The table below breaks down the different requirements by state for CDB’s legality.

CBD can also be used legally in most states by residents of assisted living and memory care communities.  Read more.

FDA Approval Under Consideration

Introduced to Congress in early 2021, H.R.841 would make hemp and its byproducts, including CBD, legal and labeled as a dietary supplement under the FDA’s protection and jurisdiction. This potential law is important for two major reasons. First, FDA approval is the key to making CBD more accessible to patients in all states and all care facilities. Second, FDA-approval could lead to CBD being covered by Medicare and private insurance companies.

Although H.R.841 was first presented years ago, it is still in the introductory phase.

Obtaining CBD

CBD can be legally purchased over the Internet and delivered to all 50 states. One reputable seller is CBDPure. You can visit their website here.

CBD-rich medical marijuana can be obtained from a state-licensed dispensary. These dispensaries can be found by searching on any number of dispensary directories (Leafly, Yelp, etc.) or Google Maps. For those that have trouble with transportation, another increasingly available option includes delivery-based options. However, while convenient for senior patients, these options are not available in every city or town.

Dosage Information

CBD dosage can be challenging, but that’s true of most medications. Plus, many doctors are knowledgeable about the product and can provide dosage recommendations. CBD dosage consultations can be also arranged online with a professional for about $60. This is a preferable approach to proceeding without professional medical input. However, it is unlikely one’s insurance would pay for these online dosage consultations.

Given that many patients with dementia take multiple medications, it is worth researching drug interactions when considering CBD. Patients should start taking CBD in gel cap form. Gel caps offer more controlled dosage than droppers, and the act of simply swallowing a pill is familiar to many.

While many of CBD’s hypothetical benefits cannot be easily observed, loved ones should pay careful attention to behavior changes. People with dementia who appear calmer or experience less severe sundowning symptoms may be benefitting from CBD. Another area in which CBD’s impact may be observed is in reducing sleeplessness.

Finding the Right Dose

It’s a good idea to start small and slowly increase the dosage. Begin with between 1 and 2 milligrams per day for one week, and increase by 2 to 3 milligrams weekly until you notice improvements in symptoms. Base the dosage on body weight – go smaller if your loved one is particularly light, and give a slightly larger dose for a heavier person. A normal dose for an average adult is around 5 milligrams. You may not want to exceed that number. Again, consult a doctor as you would with any other new supplement or medication.

Insurance Coverage of CBD

Since health insurance companies only cover medications that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), most CBD products are not covered. The only exception is Epidolex, a drug that helps reduce epileptic seizures and has been approved by the FDA. If bill H.R.841, discussed above, or a similar bill becomes a law, then insurance companies will likely to start to cover CBD products.

However, when compared to the prices of alternative pharmaceuticals, patients and caregivers may still find that CBD-based products are a more cost-effective and safer option.

Medicaid and Medicare

Neither Medicaid or Medicare cover CBD products, or any Cannabis products, including medical marijuana. Any out-of-pocket costs one would incur purchasing CBD or marijuana for medical use will not count toward any deductibles under Part B or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. If the FDA approves CBD, Medicaid and Medicare coverage could potentially change.