The short answer
Cannabidiol may add to levetiracetam-related drowsiness or impairment. One uncontrolled study also found higher levetiracetam levels as pharmaceutical CBD doses increased in children, but not adults; controlled evidence was inconsistent, and these findings do not establish an automatic dose change.
What this answer covers
Concentration findings concern purified oral pharmaceutical CBD; unstandardized oils and gummies are not equivalent.
- Supplement or preparation
- Cannabidiol
- Medication ingredient
- levetiracetam
Evidence and practical considerations
Absorption & effectiveness
Increasing purified oral CBD dose was associated with higher levetiracetam levels in the pediatric arm of an open-label program, not adults; effect size and clinical consequence were uncertain and controlled evidence is inconsistent.
- Exact scope
- cannabidiol (CBD) with levetiracetam
- Medication form and route
- oral
- Timing or duration
- During CBD titration and maintenance.
What remains uncertain
- Evidence is for purified pharmaceutical CBD at defined doses, not unstandardized OTC CBD oils or gummies.
- No automatic levetiracetam dose change is established.
Factors that may matter: pediatric age; higher CBD dose; polytherapy; renal function changes.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: open-label expanded-access pharmacokinetic analysis
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Jul 25, 2026
Population: 169 participants with refractory epilepsy, including 80 adults, receiving purified oral CBD with antiseizure medicines.
Levetiracetam levels increased with CBD dose in the pediatric arm only; no adult association was reported.
Open-label, nonrandomized, polytherapy, multiple comparisons, and uncertain clinical significance.
Source 2: randomized dose-ranging pediatric safety trial
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Jul 25, 2026
Population: Children with Dravet syndrome receiving purified CBD or placebo with stable antiseizure medicines.
CBD did not affect concomitant antiseizure-drug levels except clobazam metabolite findings.
Small trial and not powered for every pair.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Side effects & toxicity
Both CBD and levetiracetam can cause drowsiness; pair-specific interaction guidance warns of additive CNS depression, but controlled pair-specific toxicity data are limited.
- Exact scope
- cannabidiol (CBD) with levetiracetam
- Medication form and route
- oral
- Timing or duration
- Most relevant during initiation, titration, dose increases, or other sedative co-use.
What remains uncertain
- OTC CBD dose and purity are variable.
- Additive sedation is plausible and warned about, but incidence for the exact pair is unknown.
Factors that may matter: higher CBD dose; older age; other sedatives; driving or fall risk.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: professional interaction monograph
drugs.com · Source check Jul 25, 2026
Population: People using cannabidiol with levetiracetam.
Warns that sedation and impairment may increase and recommends monitoring for excessive or prolonged CNS depression.
Secondary interaction monograph; magnitude not established in a controlled pair study.
Source 2: FDA consumer safety communication
fda.gov · Source check Jul 25, 2026
Population: Consumers using CBD, including with other CNS-active substances.
FDA warns CBD with drugs that slow brain activity can increase sedation and injury risk.
General CBD guidance, not levetiracetam-specific.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Article prepared | |
| Research summary published |
Article revision: 0cde9f6a45ccf3dc
This guide brings together the evidence records used by our interaction checker. Each finding retains its own preparation limits, research date, and source summaries.
Full citations require verification. Reading this answer and the source summaries does not.
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Open the interaction checkerInformation, not medical advice. Do not change prescribed treatment based on this guide.