9 Benefits of CBD
CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is found in the cannabis sativa plant. It’s thought to help regulate moods, the immune system and even create homeostasis in users. All of which has the potential to happen when someone uses a CBD edible, smokable or topical, and the neuroreceptors in their endocannabinoid system are signaled to chill out.
It’s no secret that CBD has become exponentially more popular in recent years because of its potential effect on anxiety and moods. Now, CBD is found in everything from tinctures to CBD-infused night cream and CBD-infused chocolate bites.
In addition to its booming popularity, research on CBD is also growing. In this article we’ll explore nine different science-backed studies that say CBD may have potential health benefits. Number 6 might just help you.
1. It May Neutralize Anxiety and Depression
One of the most popular and widespread reasons people use CBD is its potential to calm people. The Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry put out a study in 2017 that looked at the anxiety levels of men who were told they had to deliver a public speech. For most people, that could elicit some nervousness. Of the 57 men studied, some were given a placebo, and the others were given 150 mg, 300 mg or 600 mg of CBD, just before they were due to give their speeches. The results were astounding. The group of men who were given 300 mg of CBD had less anxiety than the group of men given the placebo. Even more interesting was what happened to the participants that were given 150 mg or 600 mg of CBD: they felt more anxiety than the ones given 300 mg. What could this mean? Don’t take too much - or too little.
In addition to human studies, CBD has been tested on mice. In at least one study performed on rodents, CBD was proven to be similar in effect to imipramine, an antidepressant.
2. It’s an Ingredient in a Seizure Medication
CBD is found in a medication that helps people with their epileptic seizures. The FDA approved ‘Epidiolex’ back in 2018. Epidiolex uses CBD as an active ingredient to help with seizures caused by two rare forms of epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
The FDA granted Epidiolex approval after seeing the results from studies that evaluated more than 500 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. The patients were given Epidiolex or a placebo and the study found that the patients given Epidiolex had less frequent seizures than those given the placebo.
3. It Could Reduce PTSD Symptoms
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) wages a war in the mind of sufferers, but CBD may offer solace for some with the disorder. A 2018 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that 10 of 11 patients given CBD had decreased PTSD symptoms. The study followed 11 people with PTSD, giving them CBD and regular psychiatric care over an 8-week period - and all but one had less PTSD symptoms. Therapy is crucial to PTSD treatment, according to Margaret Rajnic, a cannabis nurse. Rajnic recommends that anyone looking to soothe PTSD with CBD needs to do it with good, old-fashioned therapy.
4. It May Help with Opioid Addiction and Substance Abuse Disorders
Over the years, researchers wanted to see if CBD could help with opioid dependence disorders - so they set out to study it. They found that when heroin-dependent participants were given CBD, they had reduced heroin cravings and less anxiety over withdrawal. Further studies found that CBD reduced anxiety, insomnia, and even pain in patients with known substance abuse disorders.
5. It Has the Potential to Alleviate ALS Symptoms
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease, causing the deterioration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. As a result, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, little by little until they eventually lose all control. What’s worse is that there is no cure for ALS and we don’t understand what causes it. In some cases, ALS is believed to be hereditary.
Because there is no cure, only ALS symptoms can be managed. Researchers figured out that people with ALS could potentially benefit from the ‘entourage effect’ caused when THC and CBD are used together. In 2019, ALS patients were given THC and CBD in different doses. The study found satisfactory results for ALS patients with mild to moderate muscle tightness and stiffness - and for those with severe tightness, the results were even better. This is just one example of studies showing possible benefits of the ‘entourage effect’.
6. It Might Relieve Unmanageable Pain
One Canadian pharmaceutical company saw value in the ‘entourage effect’ and invented Sativex, an oromucosal spray that uses equal parts THC and CBD. In 2005, the drug was approved for multiple sclerosis pain. Then in 2007, Sativex was approved to help with pain in cancer patients.
Even beyond pain caused by cancer and multiple sclerosis, CBD’s potential to help alleviate chronic pain has been the focus of various US-based studies. In 2020, a study found that people with nerve damage had less pain after taking CBD.
7. It May Ease Diabetic Complications
A study was performed on 13 people with type-2 diabetes. They were given CBD and a placebo in place of insulin. In the end, the researchers figured out that CBD could be a natural diabetic treatment because, in the study, CBD helped the diabetics self-regulate their insulin levels. These diabetics weren’t completely insulin-dependent, but the study still showed possibilities for non-insulin-dependent diabetics.
8. It Might Protect Against Neurological Disease
CBD can act as an antioxidant and as an anti-inflammatory, according to some clinical studies. Researchers have surmised that these properties could make CBD a frontline fighter of pathological disorders. Researchers look at studies that highlight the positive effect CBD has on people with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis as sources for this idea.
9. It Could Alleviate Arthritis Symptoms
Arthritis is incredibly painful and relates to the breakdown of tissue in your joints. Arthritis causes pain, stiff joints and could even cause a complete lack of motion, depending on how bad the arthritis is. Usually, arthritis treatment involves pain relief and something to make the joints a bit more mobile.
Sativex is a CBD-based drug approved for use in the United Kingdom. The drug is said to improve sleep quality, and lessen pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis when compared to a placebo. Sativex’s first clinical trial involved 58 patients, all with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers concluded that CBD has pain-relieving properties and may even be able to suppress disease.
*The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.