Cannabis and Liver Metabolism (CYP450) Explained

In plain English, CYP450 is a family of enzymes that helps your body process many drugs. A useful comparison is grapefruit: the FDA explains that grapefruit can block intestinal CYP3A4, which can let more of certain oral medications enter the bloodstream and stay there longer. That is why some labels warn patients to avoid grapefruit. Cannabis is not grapefruit, but the analogy helps: if a product changes the enzymes or transporters involved in drug handling, blood levels can shift up or down.