The Health Benefits of CBD Oil
The use of CBD oil has increased rapidly in the past decade. The oil is extracted from Cannabis indica or Cannabis sativa. These are the same plants that are used in the production of marijuana. CBD oil is known for relieving pain, generalised anxiety disorder and it is often utilised as an appetite stimulant. CBD oil offers many health benefits without some of the side effects that are often associated with marijuana use.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of the components found in cannabis. CBD oil usually contains cannabidiol combined with another oil such as hemp oil or coconut oil. It is often sold as a bottled tincture or in capsule or gummy form. CBD oral spray is another popular way of using CBD oil.
Health Benefits
CBD is believed to have a positive effect on various health issues such as:
Anxiety
Acne
Anorexia
Severe pain
Depression
Drug addiction
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Muscle pain and spasms
Brain disorders
Anxiety
A 2015 study published in the journal of neurotherapeutics (1) revealed that CBD might be an effective remedy for anxiety symptoms. CBD was used in low doses (10 milligrams) it did demonstrate some anxiety-relieving effects. However, higher doses produced little or no effect.
Personal experience
I have suffered from anxiety for the past 15 years and recently I experimented with CBD oil in capsule form. I was instructed by my naturopathic consultant to take two pills per day. After about a week of taking the CBD oil capsules, my sleep improved, the shaky feeling I often get seemed to disappear and I generally felt less anxious. I have stopped taking the capsules now to focus on exercise and diet as a natural remedy which is also effective however, in my experience, CBD oil is an effective way of relieving some of the symptoms associated with anxiety.
For severe cases of anxiety, you should seek professional assistance.
Chronic Pain
Medical marijuana is often used to treat chronic pain and some studies do suggest that CBD contributes to the overall relief of chronic pain.
According to a 2012 examination in the Journal of Experimental Medicine(2) rats were administered inflammatory chemicals to induce painful symptoms. They were subsequently given an oral dose and CBD injection. The rats that received the CBD oil experienced significantly less inflammation than the rats that didn’t receive the CBD oil dose.
Researchers believe that CBD oil facilitates pain relief by connecting to glycine receptors in the brain. These control the rate at which nerve signals pass between brain cells.
Human studies demonstrating the effectiveness of CBD for the treatment of chronic pain are few and far between. Those do exist often include various other chemicals such as THC which make it difficult to determine the effectiveness of CBD oil as an isolated remedy for chronic pain.
Heart Health
CBD oil is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing high blood pressure or hypertension. A 2017 study published in the JCI Insight(3) indicates that CBD oil might be beneficial for people who suffer from high blood pressure.
The study involved nine healthy male adults, one group were given 600mg of CBD and another group were given a placebo. The research revealed that those that were treated with the CBD had lower blood pressure after being exposed to various stressful situations such as extreme cold temperatures and intense exercise.
The research suggests that CBD might be effective for reactive hypertension however, there is no significant evidence to prove its effectiveness for general hypertension.
Scientific evidence suggests that CBD oil could be effective in treating various ailments however, there are some potential side effects that need to be noted.
Clinical research does suggest that CBD oil can cause some of the following side effects:
Changes in mood
Anxiety
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Caution
If you are taking prescribed medications you should consult your doctor before taking CBD oil. CBD might react with certain medications, it might decrease the effectiveness of the drug or increase the potency. Therefore, it is recommended that if you are taking medication, you should consult with your doctor prior to taking CBD oil.
Here are some possible drug interactions to be aware of
Antifungal drugs such as Nizoral and Vfend
Antipyschotic drugs like Pimozide
Anticonvulsants like Tegretol and Trileptal
Benzodiasepine sedatives
Macrolide antibiotics such as telithromycin
Migraine medications such as Ergomar
Dosage
There are no specific dosage recommendations for CBD oil, it often comes in spray form or dropper form and administered under the tongue. Some tinctures are more potent than others therefore, it is best to take according to packaging recommendations or take the advice of a natural health professional.
Studies do suggest that CBD oil could be utilized as a natural treatment for anxiety, chronic pain and various other ailments. However, if you have no experience taking CBD oil or any other products related to it, you should consult a natural health professional and or a medical doctor.
References
Blessing EM, Steenkamp MM, Manzanares J, Marmar CR. Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics. 2015;12(4):825–36. doi:10.1007/s13311–015–0387–1
Xiong W, Cui T, Cheng K, et al. Cannabinoids suppress inflammatory and neuropathic pain by targeting α3 glycine receptors. J Exp Med. 2012 Jun 4;209(6):1121–34. doi:10.1084/jem.20120242
Jadoon KA, Tan GD, O’Sullivan SE. A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study. JCI Insight. 2017;2(12). doi:10.1172/jci.insight.93760