CBD (cannabidiol) has attracted growing interest among people looking for natural ways to support their health and wellbeing. One area receiving particular attention is the relationship between CBD and Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers have investigated whether CBD and other cannabinoids could influence symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, including sleep problems, anxiety, pain and changes in quality of life. However, research is still at an early stage.
So, can CBD help with Parkinson’s disease? And what does the scientific evidence actually tell us?
In this article, we take a closer look at CBD, the endocannabinoid system and current research into CBD and Parkinson’s.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that primarily affects movement.
It develops when nerve cells in an area of the brain involved in movement become damaged or die. These cells normally produce dopamine, an important chemical messenger involved in controlling movement.
As dopamine levels decrease, characteristic Parkinson’s symptoms can develop.
Common motor symptoms include:
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Tremor
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Muscle stiffness
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Slower movement
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Problems with balance and coordination
Parkinson’s can also cause non-motor symptoms. These may include sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain and cognitive changes.
There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Existing treatments therefore primarily focus on controlling symptoms and maintaining quality of life.
This has contributed to growing scientific interest in complementary approaches, including cannabinoids such as CBD.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the naturally occurring cannabinoids found in hemp (Cannabis sativa).
Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD does not produce the intoxicating “high” normally associated with cannabis.
CBD interacts with several biological systems within the body, including the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS is involved in regulating numerous processes, including mood, sleep, appetite, pain perception and movement. Because of these functions, researchers have become interested in whether cannabinoids could have applications in neurological conditions.
However, an important distinction needs to be made:
Biological mechanisms and promising laboratory results do not automatically mean that CBD is an effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Human clinical research is still limited.
CBD and Parkinson’s disease: what does the research show?
Research into CBD for Parkinson’s disease includes laboratory studies, animal studies, observational research and a relatively small number of human clinical trials.
A 2024 scientific review concluded that preclinical research has produced promising findings, but that the limited number of clinical trials makes it impossible to draw definitive conclusions about CBD’s effectiveness for Parkinson’s disease.
In particular, clinical studies examining motor symptoms have so far not demonstrated a clear improvement in overall motor symptom severity.
This means CBD should currently not be considered a treatment or cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Nevertheless, researchers continue to investigate several areas where CBD could potentially be relevant.
1. CBD and Parkinson’s motor symptoms
Tremor, muscle stiffness and slow movement are among the most recognisable symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Because the endocannabinoid system is involved in neurological processes associated with movement, researchers have investigated whether cannabinoids could influence these symptoms.
So far, however, results have been inconclusive.
Existing clinical trials examining CBD and motor symptoms have generally failed to demonstrate meaningful improvements in overall Parkinson’s motor severity.
This is an important distinction from some early laboratory and animal studies, which produced more encouraging findings.
Therefore, there is currently insufficient evidence to say that CBD reduces tremor, stiffness or movement difficulties caused by Parkinson’s disease.
2. CBD, Parkinson’s and sleep
Sleep problems are common among people with Parkinson’s disease.
These can include:
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Difficulty falling asleep
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Waking frequently during the night
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Excessive daytime sleepiness
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REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD)
CBD has been investigated for its potential effects on sleep and certain Parkinson’s-related sleep disturbances.
Some small studies and observational research have reported potentially interesting results. However, these findings need to be confirmed in larger, well-controlled clinical trials.
At present, it is therefore more accurate to say that CBD and Parkinson’s-related sleep problems are an area of ongoing research, rather than that CBD has been proven to improve sleep in people with Parkinson’s.
3. CBD and psychosis in Parkinson’s disease
Some people with Parkinson’s experience hallucinations, delusions or other psychotic symptoms, particularly as the disease progresses.
This has become one of the more interesting areas of CBD research.
Small preliminary studies have investigated CBD in people with Parkinson’s-related psychosis and produced results that justified further investigation.
Larger clinical research is therefore being conducted to determine whether CBD could eventually have a role in managing these symptoms.
These studies are important because they may provide much stronger evidence than the small trials available in earlier years.
Until those results are established, however, CBD should not be described as a proven treatment for Parkinson’s psychosis.
4. CBD and quality of life
Parkinson’s disease can affect much more than movement.
Sleep difficulties, anxiety, pain, fatigue and changes in independence can all influence a person’s overall wellbeing.
Some small clinical studies have suggested possible improvements in measures of quality of life among people with Parkinson’s who received CBD.
However, these studies involved relatively small numbers of participants.
The results are interesting, but they are not strong enough to conclude that CBD improves quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Larger clinical trials are needed to determine whether the observed effects can be reproduced consistently.
5. Could CBD slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease?
This is perhaps the most important—and most misunderstood—question surrounding CBD and Parkinson’s disease.
Laboratory and animal research has explored CBD’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential neuroprotective properties.
These mechanisms have led researchers to investigate whether CBD might help protect nerve cells from certain types of damage.
The results of some preclinical studies are promising.
But there is a major difference between demonstrating a neuroprotective effect in cells or animal models and showing that CBD actually slows Parkinson’s disease in humans.
There is currently no convincing clinical evidence that CBD can slow, stop or reverse the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
This remains an area for future research.
Does CBD help with Parkinson’s disease?
Based on current scientific evidence, there is no simple yes-or-no answer.
CBD has several biological properties that make it scientifically interesting, and early research has identified areas worth investigating further.
However, clinical evidence remains limited.
The Parkinson’s Foundation states that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence showing that cannabis or cannabinoids improve Parkinson’s disease itself. Research into potential effects on individual symptoms is ongoing.
Therefore, CBD should not replace established Parkinson’s treatments or prescribed medication.
Is CBD oil safe for people with Parkinson’s?
CBD is often described as non-intoxicating, but that does not mean it is completely free from potential side effects or interactions.
Possible side effects can include:
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Drowsiness or fatigue
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Dizziness
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Changes in appetite
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Gastrointestinal discomfort
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Interactions with medications
This is particularly important for people with Parkinson’s because they may already take several medications.
CBD can influence the way certain medicines are metabolised by the body. Anyone with Parkinson’s considering CBD should therefore discuss it with their doctor, neurologist or pharmacist first.
Do not stop or change prescribed Parkinson’s medication in favour of CBD without medical guidance.
CBD vs THC for Parkinson’s
CBD and THC are both cannabinoids, but they have very different effects.
CBD is non-intoxicating and does not normally produce a high.
THC, on the other hand, is psychoactive and can affect perception, coordination, memory and cognition.
These differences are particularly relevant for Parkinson’s disease because problems such as dizziness, balance difficulties, hallucinations and cognitive impairment may already occur.
For this reason, research specifically investigating purified CBD should not automatically be used as evidence for cannabis or THC-containing products—and vice versa.
The future of CBD and Parkinson’s research
Scientific interest in CBD and Parkinson’s disease continues to grow.
Researchers are particularly interested in understanding whether CBD could influence certain non-motor symptoms and whether mechanisms observed in laboratory studies translate into meaningful effects in humans.
Future research needs to establish:
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Which Parkinson’s symptoms, if any, respond to CBD
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What doses would be required
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How long potential effects last
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Which patients might benefit
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Possible interactions with Parkinson’s medication
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The safety of long-term CBD use
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Whether CBD has any genuine neuroprotective effects in humans
Larger randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trials will be particularly important.
Scientific research & sources
Research into CBD and Parkinson’s disease is still developing. The following scientific publications and organisations provide further information about the studies and evidence discussed in this article.
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Crippa, J. A. S., et al. (2009). Cannabidiol for the treatment of psychosis in Parkinson's disease. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 23(8), 979–983.
A small exploratory study investigating the use of CBD in Parkinson’s patients experiencing psychotic symptoms.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18801821/ -
Chagas, M. H. N., et al. (2014). Effects of cannabidiol in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease: An exploratory double-blind trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 28(11), 1088–1098.
A placebo-controlled clinical study examining CBD, motor symptoms, general symptoms and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25237116/ -
de Faria, S. M., et al. (2020). Effects of acute cannabidiol administration on anxiety and tremors induced by a simulated public speaking test in patients with Parkinson's disease. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34(2), 189–196.
A clinical study examining the acute effects of CBD on anxiety and tremor in people with Parkinson’s during a simulated stressful situation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31909680/ -
Peres, F. F., et al. (2018). Cannabidiol as a promising strategy to treat and prevent movement disorders? Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, 482.
A scientific review examining the potential mechanisms and evidence surrounding CBD and movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5958190/ -
Giuliano, C., et al. (2021). Neuroprotective and symptomatic effects of cannabidiol in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(16), 8920.
Preclinical research exploring potential neuroprotective and symptomatic effects of CBD in an experimental Parkinson’s model. Findings from animal studies cannot automatically be applied to humans.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8395391/ -
Parkinson’s Foundation – Medical Cannabis and Parkinson’s Disease.
An overview of the current evidence, possible risks and limitations surrounding cannabis and cannabinoids for people with Parkinson’s disease.
https://www.parkinson.org/living-with-parkinsons/treatment/medical-marijuana
What does the evidence currently tell us?
Taken together, current research shows that CBD is scientifically interesting in the context of Parkinson’s disease, but the available human evidence remains limited. Small clinical studies have explored areas such as quality of life, anxiety and psychotic symptoms, while preclinical research has investigated possible neuroprotective mechanisms.
However, these findings do not establish CBD as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, nor is there currently sufficient evidence that CBD can slow or stop the progression of the condition. Larger and longer-term clinical trials are needed.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.
