In the majority of States, the use of medical cannabis is now legal. Marijuana has been present in people’s lives for centuries and has been used not only for medical purposes but also for entertainment. CBD oil is now available on the market and it has many long-overlooked powers when it comes to our health.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is usually made from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Leaves and stalks are used for making this oil and its name comes from cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is an active compound in the plant marijuana. What’s more, CBD has no psychoactive properties, contrary to THC, but it has a lot of advantages for our well-being.
One of the most popular compounds in marijuana is THC, which is also the most active cannabinoid in cannabis. Marijuana has CBD and THC, but these two have different properties and effects. Most people will say that THC is the compound that gets us “high” when we smoke marijuana or cook it into food. On the other hand, we have CBD which is not psychoactive and it doesn’t change our state of mind. But it’s not useless, as CBD has many medical benefits that can influence our health.
When it comes to CBD used for medical purposes, it is found mostly in hemp, which is the least processed form of the cannabis plant. Both marijuana and hemp come from cannabis Sativa, but they vary in many ways.
CBD – how it works?
CBD, as well as other cannabinoids, attaches itself to certain receptors in the human body in order to produce its effect. Our bodies produce cannabinoids, too, and have two receptors for these: CB1 receptors, which are found not only in our brain but also all around our bodies, and CB2 receptors – which are mostly found in our immune system.
CB1 receptors are important because of their influence on our coordination, movement, emotions, pain, appetite, memories, and mood. The cannabinoid that attaches to these receptors is THC.
However, CB2 receptors have a great influence on inflammation and pain. People used to think that CBD affects these CB2 receptors, but it’s more like CBD influences our bodies to use more of its own cannabinoids.
CBD and its health benefits
CBD has a wide range of potential uses, whether it’s taken orally or inhaled through vapour.
Pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties
People often overdose on prescription drugs when they have to relieve stiffness or chronic pain. Studies have shown that CBD pills can lower pain more naturally. Journal of Experimental Medicine published a study showing that CBD reduced chronic pain and inflammation in rats and mice. Scientists and researchers suggest that CBD, as well as other non-psychoactive compounds in cannabis, maybe the key to a new treatment for chronic pain. People are already using CBD oil for conditions such as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. Nowadays we can purchase lots of balms, lotions, and preparations with CBD oil and use it for pain management. CBD oil can reduce inflammation, which makes it the best product for dealing with chronic and inflammatory pain.
Dealing with addiction
Addictive Behaviors posted a study saying that CBD may help people to quit smoking. Researchers found that people who inhaled themselves CBD were able to smoke fewer cigarettes and didn’t have any cravings within that change.
Neurotherapeutics published a study that may be promising for people who abuse opioids. Researchers found that some symptoms of substance use disorders may be eliminated when using CBD. These may differ from mood symptoms, and pain, to anxiety and insomnia. Although these findings are early, they show that CBD may have a positive effect on our health and bodies.
Mental health disorders
Researchers are still looking for a great possible role for CBD in treating neuropsychiatric disorders. Epilepsia published a review which says that CBD has almost no risk of side effects when it comes to treating people with epilepsy, and it has anti-seizure properties, too. Scientists found that CBD may also help to treat many of diseases and disorders linked directly to epilepsy. Many studies have shown that there is a strong connection between the reduction in the severity and frequency of seizures and the use of CBD oil.
Current Pharmaceutical Design published a study saying that CBD may be helpful in treating patients suffering from schizophrenia, as it is more safe and more effective than antipsychotic drugs while having the same or even better effects.
Fighting cancer
Most people are wondering whether or not CBD can be used as an anti-cancer agent. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published a review about CBD and how it blocks cancer cells from invading the entire body. This review indicates that CBD tends to promote the death of cancer cells while suppressing the growth of healthy cells. Moreover, CBD has been connected to inhibiting cancer cell growth with lots of tumour types.
Nausea Reduction
This is one of the most popular reasons that lead people to medical marijuana and CBD, which works amazing when it comes to controlling nausea and vomiting.
Anxiety disorders
People who suffer from chronic anxiety usually don’t want to think of using cannabis, as it’s often linked to paranoia and amplified anxiety in some people. However, there are many strains available that are high in CBD and low in THC, and the first cannabinoid may be helpful in reducing the anxiety of a person with this disorder. Neurotherapeutics also posted a review about it. Anxiety behaviours may be present in disorders such as general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder. The researchers point out that CBD hasn’t shown any bad effects in treating these disorders, and they say it should be studied as a potential treatment method.
Alzheimer’s disease
The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease published research showing that CBD is able to prevent people from losing the ability to recognize people they already know. People who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may be able to prevent the development of social recognition deficits. It means we have evidence showing straight that CBD may be able to prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Acne
When it comes to acne, there is some promising news about CBD, which is now a new treatment for acne. The Journal of Clinical Investigation published a study saying that CBD has an anti-inflammatory effect on our health, so it helps to lower the amount of sebum produced by our bodies.
Better Sleep and Mood Balance
Studies have shown that CBD oil may be used for dealing with depression, as it has anti-depressant properties. Also, CBD has an important role as a sleep cycle regulator, which makes it therapeutic when it comes to effective sleeping and sleep disorders.
Although there were some studies that looked deeper into the safety of using CBD oil, it has been found that this cannabinoid is perfectly tolerated across a wide dose range. If there is one side effect you can experience during CBD oil treatment, it may be tiredness. There are still many tests to be taken and new treatment options to discover, but CBD oil is, for now, one of the most complex and all-in-one products you can find.
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