As the CBD market grows exponentially, the amount of people who are using CBD as natural remedy for their ailments increases. There are a numerous amount of ways how adding CBD to your routine could potentially help. CBD is a cannabinoid which is extracted from hemp flower and leaves (cannabis sativa .l). When extracted the resin contains 100+ chemical compounds within it, CBD is one of the cannabinoids which can be founds.
Cannabinoids such as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the pysocatiocive ingregredient associated with getting ‘stoned’. This is later filtered from the resin or left at trace amounts no more than 0.2% in the UK. This is due to the legality of THC, being a class B controlled substance. The resin is then diluted into a carrier oil being; MCT (coconut oil), hemp seed oil or other oils. Alongside, companies have added the extract to cosmetics, food, vape juice, drinks, alcohol and much more…
So how can CBD benefit your health?
People have been using CBD for everyday health benefits and even to treat chronic illnesses. Here is a list of ways people have been using it to help them.
- Acne
- Anxiety
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite and body weight
- Muscle spasms
- Parkinson’s disease
Many people have said from adding the supplement to their routine, they have seen a reduction in pain and inflammation, a decrease in acne, sounder sleep, feeling less anxious, the list goes on….
Acne
From studies it is clear that CBD is an anti inflammatory and helps to reduce swelling. As acne is an inflammatory condition, CBD can help to reduce the inflammation. Due to this it may reduces inflammation cytokines from activating which may cause breakouts. One of the main causes of acne is due to a high level of sebum being produced. Sebum is an oily substance produced by our body to help lubricate and waterproof our skin and hair. Unfortunately, when humans are stressed our body produces higher amounts. This leads to clogged pores and causes those dreaded pimples. With this in mind, CBD has seen positive results in aiding stress relief thus it could potentially lower the levels of sebum produced by your body. Not also forgetting its antioxidant properties which can help to prevent aging and wrinkles.
Anxiety
As mentioned above CBD can help reduce stress, which is one of the main causes of anxiety. Humans have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) and from consuming CBD it helps or body control our ECS receptors in our body. From this our body becomes more sensitive to serotonin by enhancing our 5htp1 receptor. Due to CBD our 5htp1 receptor responds more efficiently to serotonin. Serotonin helps filter negative thoughts which can cause humans to feel anxious. Due to this CBD can lead to some people having better control on there mood, improved relaxation, and a reduction in their anxiety. Overall, studies have seen positive results for CBD as treatment for multiple anxiety disorders. From generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, CBD has seen promising results as a short term remedy, but the long term benefits need further research.
Pain Relief
There’s been many positive results with CBD reducing pain. As it is an anti inflammatory people have been using the cannabinoid to treat arthritis, chronic pain, migraines and more. People have seen a reduction in pain as a result, with very little side effects. CBD helps to inhibit inflammatory and neuropathic pain, which are one of the hardest types of chronic pain to treat. However, more research is needed to support the claims on CBD pain control in humans.
Improving Sleep
Many people have been using CBD as a sleep aid to combat insomnia. As CBD helps to moderately inhibit the degradation of anandamide endocannabinoid; a molecule which is produced from eating dark chocolate or after a run aka bliss molecule. As you can see CBD interacts with receptors in our brain. 5ht1 is another receptor in our ECS which helps to produce serotonin, as earlier CBD increases ours bodies sensitivity to serotonin thus it helping to utilise serotonin more efficiently. Serotonin helps to bring balance to our mood, due to this, humans have a better ability to choose when they want to relax. Alongside serotonin is broken down into melatonin by the 5ht1 receptor. Melatonin is a chemical compound in our brains which helps us have a sounder sleep. CBD allows people to regulate their sleep cycle and choose when we need sleep.
Muscle spasms
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine conducted a study which looked at the levels of spasticity in humans when taking CBD compared with a placebo. The study showed positive signs with a reduction in spasms and pain in their body. Overall 50% off patience had less muscles spasms, where other medications don’t even reach this figure. However, the majority of studies which take place patients are taking high doses of CBD than the average.
Control on appetite and weight loss
Some people have found that CBD helps to control their overall appetite. As CBD interacts with our ECS it helps to regulate our CB1 receptors. This helps to control the receptors which are telling our body that we need to eat. Due to this our need to overeat is reduced, alongside research has shown that CBD has been able to turn bad fat into good fat. Which increases white fat breaking down into brown fat thus our bodies burn more calories.
Side Effects
CBD’s level of toxicity is very low and is not potentially harmful to our bodies. However, some people have claimed to experience some side effects.
- Diarrhea
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Fatigue
Studies have shown at extreme dosages (20,000mg) over a quick period of time levels of toxicity in the liver. In comparison drinking two pints of beer causes liver toxicity.
Overall, CBD is relatively harmless and has many potential health benefits. If you are someone who wants to try CBD for the first time, start with a small dosage. We recommend trying a 500mg 5% CBD based oil and consuming 5 drops once or twice a day. Slowly increase your dosage to a level where you feel best.
