Know The Benefits, Uses And Side Effects Of CBD Oil
Cannabidiol is the best natural remedy used for many common ailments. It is referred to as CBD, it’s one of the 104 chemical compounds called as Cannabinoids which is found in the Marijuana or Cannabis plant i.e. Cannabis Sativa.
The main psychoactive cannabinoid i.e., Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis and causes the sensation of getting “high” that is associated with Marijuana. However, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive. Due to this quality, CBD becomes an appealing option for the people who are looking for pain relief and other symptoms with any mind-altering effects of Marijuana or some pharmaceutical drugs.
CBD oil is made up of CBD extracts obtained from the cannabis plant and then diluted with a carrier oil like hemp seed or coconut oil. It is gaining momentum in the world of health and wellness. Some scientific studies confirm that CBD helps is treating a variety of ailments like anxiety and chronic pain.
Below listed are seven health benefits of CBD oil that are scientifically approved.
1. Help in Relieving Pain
Since 2900 B.C. marijuana has been used to treat pain. Recently, scientists discovered that some components of Marijuana with CBD are responsible for its effects of pain-relieving.
The human body has a specialized system known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS), that is involved in regulating a variety of functions like appetite, pain, sleep, and immune system response.
Endocannabinoids are produced by the body which are neurotransmitters that helps in binding cannabinoid receptors in your nervous system.
Many studies proved that CBD may help in reducing chronic pain by influencing endocannabinoid receptor activity, reducing interacting and inflammation with neurotransmitters.
For an instance, in a study of rats, it is found that CBD injections help in reducing pain response to surgical incision, whereas in another study of rat, it is found that oral CBD treatment prominently reduces sciatic nerve pain and inflammation.
In many studies on human have found that a combo of THC and CBD is one of the effective ways to treat pain that is related to multiple sclerosis and arthritis.
An oral spray is known as Sativex, that is the combination of CBD and THC and is approved in many countries for the treatment of pain that is related to multiple sclerosis.
A study was undertaken, in which there are 47 people who are suffering from multiple sclerosis. Those people are treated with multiple Sativex for one month. They have experienced a serious improvement in pain, muscle spasms and walking in compared to the placebo group.
In another study, it is found that Sativex helps significantly in improving pain during movement, pain at sleep and rest quality in 58 people with rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Help in reducing depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety are the most common health disorders which are having harmful effects on health and well-being.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), depression is the single largest contributor to disability worldwide whereas disorder like anxiety holds the sixth rank.
Depression and anxiety are generally treated with pharmaceutical drugs that are responsible for the number of side effects including agitation, drowsiness, sexual dysfunction insomnia, and headache.
CBD oil is one of the effective ways for the treatment of both anxiety and depression that can lead several people who suffer from these disorders to become interested in this natural outlook.
A study was undertaken with 24 people who are suffering from anxiety disorder has given either 600 mg of CBD or a placebo before a public speaking test.
The group of people who taken CBD had less anxiety, discomfort and cognitive impairment in their performance of speech as compared to the group of placebo.
Even CBD oil has been used to safely treat anxiety and insomnia in children with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Also, CBD has shown effects like an antidepressant in many studies of animals.
With these qualities, CBD has the ability to act on the brain’s receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps in regulates social mood and behavior.
3. Can help in reducing symptoms of Cancer
CBD can help in reducing the symptoms related to Cancer and side effects of cancer treatment like vomiting, nausea and pain.
The research looked at the effects of THC and CBD in 177 people who are suffering from cancer-related pain and who didn’t relief from pain medication.
Those people treated with an extract which contains both compounds experienced a reduction in pain compared to those who received only THC extract.
CBD also help in reducing vomiting and chemotherapy-induced nausea that are among the most common chemotherapy-related side effects for those with cancer.
Although there are some drugs that help with these distressing symptoms. These are sometimes ineffective leading some people to seek alternatives.
Research is conducted on this, in which there are 16 people whose chemotherapy is undergoing. This study found that a one-to-one combo of THC and CBD administered through mouth spray reduced vomiting and chemotherapy-related nausea better than standard treatment alone.
Some animal and test-tube studies have shown that CBD has anticancer properties. For an instance, in one test-tube study, it is found that concentrated CBD induced cell death in human breast cancer cells.
Another research shows that CBD prevents the spread of rampant breast cancer cells in mice. However, it is test-tube and animal studies, so they can suggest what might work in people. Some more studies in human are needed before conclusions can be made.
4. May help in reducing acne
Acne is the most common condition of the skin that affects more than 9% of the population.
It can be caused by the number of factors like bacteria, genetics, overproduction of sebum, and underlying inflammation, an oily secretion made by sebaceous glands in the skin.
According to recent scientific studies, CBD oil can help in treating acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to reduce sebum production.
In one of the studies, it is found that CBD oil prevents sebaceous gland cells from secreting excessive sebum, exerted anti-inflammatory actions and prevented the activation of agents of “pro-acne” like inflammatory cytokines.
Another study had to find similar, concluding that CBD can be safe and an efficient way to treat acne. Although these results are promising, human studies exploring the effects of CBD on acne needed.
5. Could have neuroprotective properties
Researches consider that CBD’s ability to act on the endocannabinoid system and other brain signalling system can provide benefits for those with neurological disorders.
In fact, some studies use CBD to treat neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Research in this area is still relatively new, several studies have shown promising results.
Sativex, an oral spray consisting of THC and CBD, proven to be an effective and safe way to reduce muscle spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis.
In one of the study, it is found that Sativex reduced spasms in 75% of 276 people with multiple sclerosis who were suffering from muscle spasticity that was resistant to medications
Another study had proven that CBD oil reduced seizure activity in children with Dravet syndrome, a complex childhood epilepsy disorder as compared to a placebo.
Also, CBD researched for its potential effectiveness to treat many other neurological diseases. For an instance, many studies have shown that treatment with CBD has improved quality of life and sleep quality for people with Parkinson’s disease.
In one of the long term studies, researchers found CBD to mice genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease helped prevent cognitive decline.
6. Benefit heart health
Recent studies had linked CBD with many benefits for the circulatory system, including the ability to lower high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is connected to higher risks of a number of health conditions that include heart attack, stroke and metabolic syndrome.
Research shows that CBD can be an effective and natural treatment for high blood pressure. A recent study has conducted between 10 healthy men with one dose of 600 mg of CBD oil and observed that it reduces resting blood pressure in comparison to placebo.
Also, the same study gave the men stress tests that increase blood pressure. The single dose of CBD led the men to a smaller blood pressure increase than normal response to these tests.
For an instance, in one of the studies, it is found that treatment with CBD reduced oxidative stress and prevent heart damage in diabetic mice with heart disease.
7. Other potential benefits
It has been studied that CBD for its role in treating a number of health issues other than those outlined above.
CBD has been studied for its role in treating a number of health issues other than those outlined above, CBD provides the following health benefits:
- Antipsychotic effects: Most of the studies suggest that CBD help people in schizophrenia and other mental disorders by reducing symptoms of psychotic.
- Substance abuse treatment: CBD was shown to modify circuits in the brain that are related to drug addiction. In rats, CBD shows the reduction of heroin-seeking behavior and morphine dependence.
- Anti-tumor effects: In animal and test-tube studies, CBD demonstrated anti-tumor effects. In animals, it helps to prevent the spread of prostate, breast, brain, lung cancer and colon.
- Diabetes prevention: In diabetic mice, treatment with CBD helps to reduce the incidence of diabetes by 56% and also reduced inflammation.
Side Effects of CBD Oil
CBD is generally considered safe and well tolerated, it causes adverse reactions in some people.
Some of the side effects noted in studies include:
- Diarrhoea
- Changes in appetite
- Fatigue
CBD is also known to interact with several medications. It is advised that before you start using CBD oil, discuss it with your doctor for your safety and avoid potentially harmful interactions.
There is much learned about the safety and efficacy of CBD that results from recent studies suggest that CBD provide powerful, safe and natural treatment for many health issues.