The CBD market is expanding, with forecasted revenues of over 20 billion expected by 2024.
How effective is CBD, though, and what precisely is it? Together we will examine nine potential or established health advantages of CBD oil.
WHAT IS CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of more than 200 chemical substances called cannabinoids that are present in cannabis. After THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in cannabis that has psychoactive characteristics and causes individuals to feel high, it is the second most common active ingredient.
There are two primary varieties of the cannabis plant: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. The two varieties of cannabis can be used to make hemp, but only Cannabis Sativa can be used to make marijuana and CBD.
To be legally referred to as hemp, an item must have a THC content of less than 0.3% (the ingredient in marijuana that makes you high); otherwise, cultivators risk federal punishment. Making 100% biodegradable, environmentally friendly products including clothing, packaging, biofuel, building materials, and paper with hemp is a terrific idea.
Although CBD derived from hemp is allowed on a federal level and has a THC content of less than 0.3%, it is still banned in several states. On the other hand, CBD products made from cannabis are prohibited by federal law but permitted by some state regulations.
CBD does not have any psychotropic effects and does not provide a "high" as THC does. The World Health Organization states that there is no proof that it has any abuse or dependence potential or that it is currently linked to any life-threatening side effects.
Instead, CBD has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of illnesses, including epilepsy, anxiety, inflammation, sleeplessness, and pain. However, "credited" does not equate to "proved." Rarely are those claims supported by well-conducted trials because of the historical regulatory environment, but research is anticipated to increase now that regulations discriminate between hemp and marijuana.
We examine nine medical problems where CBD may be advantageous or has previously been shown to be so.
1. Epilepsy
In June 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex, a plant-based CBD formulation, to treat seizures in persons with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), two uncommon forms of epilepsy, who are 2 years of age and older.
In most cases, CBD is used in addition to traditional epilepsy drugs to treat various types of treatment-resistant epilepsy. The results of various studies showed that CBD dramatically decreased seizure frequency by around 44% in the majority of persons.
When given to persons who are currently using valproate, CBD has been shown to have potentially substantial side effects, including a decline in liver function. CBD can also interact with other epileptic drugs.
In conclusion, CBD is effective in treating various forms of epilepsy.
2. Pain
Animal studies have demonstrated that CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and that it reduces pain by acting on the endocannabinoid and pain-sensing systems.
Unfortunately, there aren't many human studies looking into CBD alone as a painkiller; instead, most studies combine CBD and THC to do the job. For the treatment of cancer pain that is refractory to optimal opioid therapy and central nerve-related pain in multiple sclerosis, Health Canada has approved a combination drug that contains both THC and CBD in a 1:1 ratio.
There was an improvement in self-reported quality of life indicators for persons with non-cancer-related pain, according to an observational trial of CBD treatment, but there was no statistically significant improvement for people with cancer-related pain or neurological symptoms.
A case study involving 47 MS patients found that using CBD and THC together reduced their pain, difficulty walking, and muscle spasms.
Studies on animals have demonstrated that CBD has a favorable impact on serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin deficiency is regarded to be a major factor in both mood and pain.
Other studies (both human and animal) have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, suggesting that it may reduce pain through this route.
Always with your doctor before taking CBD because it may interfere with other medications used to treat heart problems or immunosuppressants.
Conclusion: While there are no reliable studies on humans, CBD may help with pain relief.
3. Arthritis Relief
Topical CBD treatments have been shown in animal tests to reduce arthritis-related pain and inflammation with little adverse effects. Due to low oral absorption and potential gastrointestinal adverse effects, topical use of CBD is advantageous.
Conclusion: Although there are no reliable human studies to support it, topical CBD may be helpful in treating arthritis.
4. Anxiety
In 57 healthy guys who performed a simulated public speaking test, pretreatment with 300mg of CBD dramatically reduced anxiety. However, the levels of anxiety in the men were unaffected by dosages of 150 mg and 600 mg of CBD.
Observational research with 21 patients out of 400 who had anxiety found beneficial effects on anxiety after ingesting CBD. 8 In a large case series of 72 patients, anxiety levels decreased; 57 patients (79.2%) reported decreased scores during the first month of receiving CBD medication.
Conclusion: CBD may reduce anxiety before situations like public speaking, but the ideal dosage is unknown.
5. Depression
The substantial anti-stress impact of CBD after either acute or repeated administration has been linked to certain effects of CBD in treating depression in animal studies.
Studies on animals have demonstrated that CBD has a favorable impact on serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin deficiency is thought to be a major factor in both mood and pain.
In conclusion, CBD might alleviate depression, but more research is required.
6. Sleep disorders
31% of patients using CBD for reasons other than anxiety or cancer-related discomfort reported having better sleep after taking the drug. 8
In a large case series of 72 people, 48 patients (66.7%) claimed that their sleep ratings had improved during the first month, however, they changed over time.
Other studies using 300 mg of CBD in patients with anxiety or depression revealed that CBD appeared to sustain the architecture of sleep, indicating that it was unlikely to have any adverse effects on sleep quality.
Conclusion: CBD may improve sleep quality and doesn't seem to interfere with slumber.
7. Acne
In addition to having an anti-inflammatory impact, which inhibited inflammatory cytokines from activating, a laboratory study discovered that CBD prevented human sebocytes from producing excessive amounts of sebum.
Topical CBD may be an efficient treatment for acne and may prevent or lessen future breakouts because excessive sebum and inflammation are characteristics of acne.
Conclusion: More research is required, however topical CBD may be able to reduce acne-related inflammation and excessive sebum production.
8. Parkinson’s Disease
Several small studies have investigated using CBD to relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, with the most encouraging results. For most studies, there were no differences across groups with regards to movement-related outcomes; however, groups treated with CBD 300 mg/day had significantly improved well-being and quality of life as measured by the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire [PDQ-39]).
Conclusion: CBD shows promise for improving the quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease but larger trials are needed.
9. Nausea and vomiting
The majority of studies examining whether CBD is effective at reducing nausea or vomiting have combined CBD and THC rather than just CBD. According to a 2016 review, the mixture was either more effective than a placebo or just equally effective. 14 More recent studies suggest that THC is superior to CBD in reducing nausea and vomiting.
Conclusion: CBD probably won't help nausea and vomiting on its own. It does appear that THC and CBD combined are effective for treating nausea and vomiting.
Other conditions
CBD possesses immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory qualities, which may make it a viable alternative for various autoimmune disorders or inflammation-related symptoms, according to a large number of previous studies conducted on both humans and animals.
More research is also required to determine its efficacy for a variety of other disorders, including the treatment of substance misuse, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes prevention, and muscle stiffness in multiple sclerosis.
CBD may have negative side effects including nausea, fatigue, and irritability. It may also interact with certain drugs like warfarin.
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