CBD (Cannabidiol) is the latest hype in alternative medicine. Its popularity follows the trend of marijuana decriminalization. And if you haven’t figured it out, CBD is an active ingredient in marijuana. Therefore, if your state considers marijuana products illegal, you should probably stop reading this article now.
CBD is usually marketed as everything from a mood booster and stress reliever to a health enhancer. And this substance can also be administered in various ways. You can add it to your smoothie, morning coffee, and even cookies. But how beneficial CBD Oil actually is for you?
CBD Relieves Pain
If there is any claim you should believe about CBD, it is the pain-relieving property. In fact, the oldest record of humans using marijuana to treat pain can be dated back to 2900 BCE.
Our body has a system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Endocannabinoid was first discovered in the 1990s by scientists while they were studying cannabinoids, the compounds found in cannabis plants. It turned out that our very own body produces molecules that are similar to cannabinoids, hence the name ‘Endocannabinoid’. The system in which Endocannabinoids are regulated in our body is called the ECS.
CBD impacts endocannabinoid receptor activities, which then results in reduced inflammation. The study that ends up with that conclusion is entitled Pharmacotherapeutic considerations for use of cannabinoids to relieve pain in patients with malignant diseases, published on NCBI.
CBD Lessens Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression here are not those bad feelings you have just because you are bored or lonely. We refer to the clinical and professionally-diagnosed condition here. Therefore, before you claim yourself as depressed and suffering from anxiety, you’d better consult a psychiatrist first.
As for CBD, you should take a look at how war veterans are advocating marijuana use for treating their post-war traumas. Check the website Veterans Cannabis Coalition and see their first accounts by yourself.
From the academic side, one study entitled Cannabidiol presents an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve in a simulated public speaking test found out that the most effective dosing for CBD to treat anxiety is at 300 mg. Another study, Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Oil for Pediatric Anxiety and Insomnia as Part of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report, showed that CBD could treat insomnia and anxiety in children with post-traumatic stress disorders.
CBD May Nurture Your Brain
This claim may sound controversial since we have been long indoctrinated to believe that smoking weed could make us stupid. However, studies resulted otherwise.
Studies on Sativex, an oral spray made of CBD and THC, have proven that administering these substances to people with multiple sclerosis can reduce their muscle spasticity. Other studies on the effectiveness of CBD for treating Parkinson’s disease also showed positive results.
Moreover, if we look back at famous figures in academia, we’ll find that Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Francis Crick, and Elon Musk are open about smoking marijuana. Therefore, we can safely assume that marijuana products, including CBD, may not be detrimental to one’s cognitive abilities, but improve them.
