Hemp Seed

Hempseed · Hemp seed oil · Hempseed oil

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Atopic dermatitis¹ Functional constipation^{2, 3} Knee osteoarthritis pain⁴	Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁵ Ragweed or daisy family allergy⁶ Children under 18⁶

Hemp seed is pressed into an oil rich in linoleic and α-linolenic acids and processed into a protein-rich meal^{7, 8}. People take it as a plant source of essential fatty acids, and patients use it for atopic dermatitis, for functional constipation as the herbal formula Hemp Seed Pill, and for knee osteoarthritis pain in oil-and-terpene combinations.

In functional constipation, a meta-analysis of Hemp Seed Pill found more spontaneous bowel movements and a higher complete response than placebo, mostly in East Asian trials². For atopic dermatitis, a Cochrane review found no convincing benefit of dietary supplements, with hempseed oil tested in a single trial⁹. A 2022 laboratory analysis of hemp by-product oils found linoleic acid the major fatty acid, followed by α-linolenic acid, which is compositional data rather than a human outcome¹⁰. Products listing hemp seed span oil softgels, liquids, and protein powders; see Form comparison.

Hemp seed oil can carry trace cannabinoids, and a pediatric case report described cannabinoid poisoning after weeks of ingestion¹¹. Hemp seed proteins are also allergenic, with possible cross-reactivity to hazelnut¹². Health Canada labels ask for a practitioner's advice before use in pregnancy or breastfeeding⁵.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

56 sources, 40 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources