The Use of Cannabidiol Suppositories for Sexual Pain

January 23, 2026 updated by: London Metropolitan University

The Use of Cannabidiol Suppositories for Sexual Pain: A Randomised Controlled Study

Research aim: To determine how cannabidiol suppositories might reduce sexual pain during intimacy. Outcomes are also hoped to increase sexual functioning, well-being, and quality of life.

Research intention: If cannabidiol suppository intervention reduces sexual pain and increases general well-being, then this research would be repeated on a larger scale, targeting psychosexual services.

A brief overview of the intervention:

Quantitatively, randomisation of cannabidiol suppositories will be into dose-specific groups. The intervention will be delivered over a period of one month, with follow-up scheduled at 12 weeks. Qualitatively, participants were asked approximately eight open-ended feedback questions throughout the study.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Sexual pain is a constellation of biopsychosocial disorders which affects men, women and their partners.

Cannabidiol is one of approximately 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis, alongside tetrahydrocannabinol. Cannabidiol is non-intoxicating and regarded as a safe product to use. Cannabidiol has many applications, including in sexual health. Two studies have examined cannabidiol suppositories for supporting sexual function and reducing sexual pain. In both studies, outcomes suggested the pain relieving qualities of cannabidiol oil for both men and women.

This research aims to establish the effectiveness of varied doses of cannabidiol oil to minimise sexual pain and increase well-being. This research is a preliminary study looking at how cannabidiol suppositories aim to reduce pain and support sexual function, wellbeing and quality of life among those experiencing sexual discomfort or pain during intercourse or masturbation.

There will be four groups, where cannabidiol will be randomised to dose-specific groups, approximately 30, 50, and 100mg, under the guidance of a medical practitioner. There will also be a care as usual group.

It is hypothesised that:

Higher levels of sexual functioning, quality of life and wellbeing with lower levels of sexual pain will be reported among those using cannabidiol suppositories at the follow-up after intervention compared to care as usual group.

It is further hypothesised that higher doses of cannabidiol suppositories will have higher levels of sexual pain-reducing outcomes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

50

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Has previously used cannabidiol in any capacity and has not experienced any allergic reaction
  • Is experiencing sexual pain
  • There will be an absence of co occurring difficulties
  • Has attempted sexual intercourse in the last month
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Read and write English
  • Patient Health Questionnaire 9 screening score range between 0-9 mild
  • General Anxiety Disorder 7 screening score range between 0-9 mild
  • There are no restrictions on sex, gender, sexuality, or disability

Exclusion Criteria:

Has experienced an allergic reaction to cannabidiol in any capacity

  • Has not attempted sexual intercourse in the last month
  • Has co occurring difficulties
  • Aged below 18 years old
  • Are not experiencing sexual pain
  • Patient Health Questionnaire 9 screening score range between moderate to severe - 10-27
  • General Anxiety Disorder 7 screening score range between 10- 21.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cannabidiol 30mg
This will be a dose specific suppository of 30mg, which will be used for one month. Frequency will depend on how often the participant engages in sexual intimacy.
Dietary supplement: Cannabidiol suppository intervention 1
Cannabidiol suppository dose specific 30mg
Experimental: Cannabidiol 50mg
This will be a dose specific suppository of 50mg, which will be used for one month. Frequency will depend on how often the participant engages in sexual intimacy.
Dietary supplement: Cannabidiol suppository intervention 2
Cannabidiol suppository dose specific 50mg
Experimental: Cannabidiol 100mg
This will be a dose specific suppository of 100mg, which will be used for one month. Frequency will depend on how often the participant engages in sexual intimacy.
Dietary supplement: Cannabidiol suppository intervention 3
Cannabidiol suppository dose specific 100mg
Active Comparator: Care as usual
This is the care as usual group, which will be the control for comparative outcomes with sexual function, sexual pain, well being and quality of life.
Other: Non cannabidiol group control
Care as usual group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Female Sexual Function Index
Time Frame: 0, 4 and 12 weeks
This is a 19 item measure of sexual pain, sexual desire, orgasm, lubrication, and sexual satisfaction with five response categories. The score range is 2.0 to 36.0 with 26.0 being the cut of for sexual dysfunction. Example questions include, Over the past 4 weeks, how often did you experience discomfort or pain during vaginal penetration? and Over the past 4 weeks, how would you rate your level of discomfort or pain during or following vaginal penetration? Cronbach alpha for this questionnaire is .820 and higher.
0, 4 and 12 weeks
The Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale
Time Frame: 0, 4 and 12 weeks
This is a 7 item questionnaire with 5 response categories looking at functioning and feeling aspects of well-being. The response categories include 1=none of the time to 5=all of the time. Cronbach alpha for the questionnaire is 0.89-0.91. There is no reverse scoring. Scores range from 7 to 35 where the latter is the highest level of wellbeing.
0, 4 and 12 weeks
Brief Quality of Life Scale
Time Frame: Weeks 0, 4 and 12
An 8 item questionnaire with five response categories looking at satisfaction with self, friends, family and creativity. This scale is scored by transforming the individual item scores from a 1 to 5 scale to a 0 to 100 scale. Example responses include how I view my life as necessary for my quality of life, and I am satisfied with my friends and friendship: The Cronbach alpha is .760 for this questionnaire
Weeks 0, 4 and 12
Changes in levels of anal pain taken
Time Frame: Weeks 0, 4 and 12
The frequency and severity of pain during anal sex, this is a 5-point Likert-type scale which ranges from never (5) to all the time (1) and no anal pain (5) to severe anal pain (1). The Cronbach alpha in this study= 0.70.
Weeks 0, 4 and 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

London Metropolitan University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Samantha Banbury, London Metropolitan University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 16, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 25, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 25, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

December 8, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 23, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • LondonsMUSB

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Quality of Life

Clinical Trials on Cannabidiol suppository intervention 1

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Tunisia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe