What is CBD Oil?

This is a popular natural extract from the cannabis plant that can help treat anxiety, nerve pain, and epilepsy. Apart from these, the oil can also stimulate appetite like marijuana does and treat certain types of seizures. It does not have any effect on your mental state.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol THC are the two chemicals in the cannabis plant. Among the two, CBD has the most health benefits. THC is the chemical in cannabis responsible for psychoactive or makes you feel “high.” CBD oil does not have HTC generally, although CBD products with a trace of HTC are sometimes available in certain states. The oil contains CBD and base oil mixtures, such as hemp seed oil or coconut oil packed in a tincture bottle. The bottles are available in various concentrations.

Apart from CBD oil, other CBD products are available on the market, such as CBD gummies, capsules, and sprays. Every product works differently depending on the condition in the equation.

What are the uses of CBD oil?

CBD has no solid connection with cannabinoid receptors like THC. These are molecules found in the brain; they bind with THC to create psychoactive effects on users. CBD interacts with other molecules such as opioid receptors that control the brain’s functioning, glycine that regulates serotonin, and a brain chemical known as “feel good.” Most people championing CBD use and legalisation claim that CBD oil can treat several conditions, such as:

Anxiety
A 2015 study review in Neurotherapeutics journal suggested CBD might help treat anxiety disorders. Research conducted on animals found out that CBD had an anxiety-relieving property. Most of the studies showed that lower doses of CBD were more effective than the higher ones. Higher doses double-up the receptors’ functionality, leading to adverse effects or driving CBD away from its main helpful course. For instance, 10mg/kg of CBD improved anxiety symptoms by more than 100mg/kg, with almost no effects.

Although there are just a few studies about the effects of CBD in relieving anxiety in humans, the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry published a study in 2019 showing promising results. In the study, 57 healthy men took different doses of CBD (150, 300, and 600) mg or placebo prior to a public-speaking event. The study was to determine levels of anxiety on various measures such as heartbeat rate and blood pressure. The researcher also used the Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS) to test the mood after using these two products. There was less anxiety in men who took 300 mg of CBD than in those given a placebo in their findings. They noted that the men who took extremely low (100 mg) and more higher (600 mg) doses of CBD oil didn’t show any change or effect.

Addiction
Using CBD oil might help you improve substance use disorder. Researchers found that CBD could treat people with opioid, psychostimulant, or cocaine addiction. This is according to the journal Substance Abuse, 2015 review. Among these, nine looked at the effects on animals, while five focused on their reaction to humans.

The effects of CBD products on each type of addiction were different. For example, while using CBD without THC trace, there was no decrease in withdrawal symptoms of opioid use. The same CBD dose reduced drug-seeking behaviours in cocaine, methamphetamine, and other similar drug users.

Nerve Pain
Cannabis has become popular because of its many benefits among its users. Many researchers have supported this claim. It is not a surprise to see a doctor prescribing marijuana medicine to patients with chronic pain like those with terminal cancer.

A 2012 study Journal of Experimental Medicine published an interesting piece about the effectiveness of CBD to improve nerve pain. Healthy rats were injected with chemicals that prompt inflammation. Later, researchers gave CBD to some rats, leaving others. The rats that were given CBD showed less inflammation and nerve pain signs.

Many scientists believe that CBD binds with receptors in the brain to reduce pain. The bound receptors control pain and signal speed between the nerve cells. The number of studies pointing to the effectiveness of CBD in improving pain conditions aren’t more up to date. The only available studies include CBD and THC, making it hard to isolate the CBD effects alone.

High Blood Pressure
A 2017 study in JCI Insight found that CBD oil could reduce high blood pressure that exposes the heart to many diseases. In the study, nine male people with no health condition took either 600 mg of placebo or 600 mg of CBD before an extreme cold or exercise. Those with CBD in their boy system recorded lower blood pressure than those who used the placebo. The study also examined the stroke volume.They found out that the blood volume of men who used CBD was lower than their counterparts who had used placebo. This implied that CBD improved heart functioning.

Seizures
This is a sudden uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. A CBD oral solution called Epidiolex can improve the effects of seizures. It can also treat epilepsy in children below two years, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome, rare genetic disorders that may cause lifelong seizures.

Although, to date, the effectiveness of CBD in treating is uncertain. It is still unclear the correct source of anti-seizure.

Frequently asked questions

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