CBD effects on the Brain
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
CBD is well known at this point for its incredible physical benefits, such as its anti-inflammatory properties and pain-relieving effects. What is less well known is the wealth of evidence emerging for the mind-blowing effects it can have on your brain.
Some of CBD effects on the brain could be to improve your focus and concentration, make you more relaxed, boost your mood and relieve anxiety. These effects are often reported to be felt within just a few minutes of taking CBD oil.
So, this blog post is going to act as a quick guide to some of the wonderful ways that CBD affects your brain, why, and how you can best use the brain-boosting power of CBD.
Table of contents
- The Endocannabinoid System
- CBD Effects on Memory
- CBD Effects on Pain
- CBD Regulates Stress and Anxiety
- Conclusion – Take CBD to Boost Your Brain
1. The Endocannabinoid System
Your Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a biological system that consists of receptors located in your brain and throughout your body. Your ECS is responsible for regulating several different hormone levels. Also interacting with endocannabinoids and cannabinoids such as the famous CBD, CBG, and THC.
As a human being your ECS affects every aspect of your well-being. From your neurological development to metabolic regulation to even reproduction.
Your body produces two of its very own cannabinoids (that we know of) that interact with your ECS. These are known as endocannabinoids and are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglyerol (2-AG).
However, your endocannabinoid system can interact with cannabinoids found outside of your body. And this is our main focus – how your very own endocannabinoid system interacts with the now world-famous CBD.
CBD effects on the brain are via the CB1 reseptors
CBD Effect on Your ECS Receptors
For years, it was believed that CBD would bind to your CB1 and CB2 receptors; however, this is now generally accepted as incorrect.
- CB1 receptors are mainly found throughout your central nervous system
- CB2 receptors are mainly found throughout your peripheral nervous system
CBD has been frequently shown to have very little binding interaction with your CB receptors. Instead, it is suggested that it prevents the reuptake and breakdown of your body's own endocannabinoids.
CBD has also been shown to interact with over 65 different molecular pathways within your body. Some of these include your serotonin receptors, vanilloid receptors and GABA receptors. All of these have connections to your brain development, hormone levels, and cognitive function.
On that note, let's explore a few specific key areas where CBD has been shown to affect your brain, as well as some of the fascinating emerging research!
2. CBD Effects on Memory
CBD has been steadily gaining itself a solid reputation, within the world of brain-boosting nootropic fans.
The world of health and fitness supplements is currently seeing a surge in demand for nootropic products. As a result, people are once again starting to pay attention, to the cognitive potential of supplementing with CBD.
A study published in 2020 by University College London has got people talking about the possible benefits of CBD as a nootropic after it showed that a single dose significantly increased blood flow to the brain's hippocampus region. Your hippocampus is the part of your brain known to be responsible for memory formation and emotion.
Lead author Dr. Michael Bloomfield (UCL Psychiatry) commented, that there is evidence to show that CBD may improve memory function. Furthermore also to have potential therapeutic benefits for sufferers of psychosis, anxiety, and PTSD, amongst other disorders. He believes the therapeutic benefits may result from how CBD changes, how our emotional memories are processed and stored by the brain.
What is even more fascinating, is that CBD may not only have the ability to increase cognitive function in the present. There is also some evidence to suggest that cannabinoids, including CBD, may help safeguard against future cognitive decline and disease.
Research into the impact of CBD amongst other cannabinoids shows promise for the safeguarding and possible therapeutic use in the fight against diseases like Alzheimer's. For example, animal studies have linked CBD to increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, promoting neurogenesis and repairing damaged neurons within the brain.
Incredible stuff – and confirming the amazing CBD effects on the brain!
3. CBD Effects on Pain
We've all tried to tell ourselves pain is just in the mind. And as true as that statement might be, telling yourself that rarely stops the pain.
For people who live with chronic pain due to long-term conditions, CBD has been providing much-needed relief for thousands worldwide.
When you hurt yourself or are suffering from a condition such as arthritis, your peripheral nervous system is responsible for sending your brain a signal to inform it something is wrong. If your brain decides that the signals are important, it responds by perceiving that problem, as pain to make you address the problem. Clever – until you want it to stop.
CBD's effect on pain works due to its interactions with your endocannabinoid and vanilloid system (TRPV1). In particular, the binding of CBD to TRPV1 receptors has been shown to reduce inflammation, which is the leading cause of chronic pain, and mitigating the pain response itself.
A 2018 review of CBD's effect on pain concluded that CBD was an effective pain-relieving agent with little to no side effects. The study notes that the most common approaches to treating chronic pain are with anti-inflammation drugs and opioids, both of which are rarely successful and come with a wealth of known side effects and dependency risks.
CBD's ability to combat both pain and inflammation simultaneously makes it a fantastic alternative to these kinds of medications.
For this reason, CBD is regularly used by people all over the world for relief from the pain associated with conditions including:
4. CBD Regulates Stress and Anxiety
Another positive in the category of CBD effects on the brain is the ability CBD has to block the receptors in your brain connected to fear and anxiety.
On top of this, CBD can help your body better regulate cortisol levels. Cortisol is essentially your body's very own stress hormone. So it's easy to see why stress and anxiety go hand in hand.
By helping your body to control excessive cortisol levels and the feeling of stress, you can remove the inevitable anxiety that would follow.
Moreover, CBD has a very particular interaction with the serotonin produced by your brain.
Low serotonin levels are often associated with diagnoses for many people who suffer from depression and anxiety. The most widely used anti-depressant drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, many people who start taking CBD oil at the same time as SSRIs, are able to come off them completely after beginning CBD supplementation.
A 2015 review of CBD and anxiety-related research concluded, that CBD showed great potential for use as a therapeutic for multiple forms of anxiety disorder. As well as this, a 2020 study looked at CBD as a therapeutic for various types of pain, neurological disorders, and anxiety-related disorders. They found that all groups reported improvements to their quality of life after taking CBD for three weeks.
As a result, more and more people are turning to CBD as an alternative or supplement to traditional anxiety medications like SSRIs.
5. Conclusion – Take CBD to Boost Your Brain
We hope that you've found this article insightful, informative, and inspirational.
If you're looking for that perfect addition to your brain-boosting supplementation plan, or you are looking to take it for something more specific, CBD might just be the product for you.
While research into the effects of CBD had been pretty limited before, there is a wealth of emerging new research. A lot of studies confirming what many of us who have been in the CBD world, have known for years.
We live in exciting times! As CBD use becomes more and more widespread, research is accelerating. We feel as though we are only scratching the surface of the brain benefits, that you may experience taking it.
If you have any further questions or queries CBD-related, take a look through our blog for more articles and information on exactly how and what CBD can do for you. Alternatively, if you have any further questions that you can't find an answer to, please feel free to get in touch with our fabulous team by clicking here.
I am a certified expert in Medicinal Cannabis. We are all about giving correct and trustworthy information. We know how important it is to learn about CBD and cannabis, which is why we want to be your go-to source for trustworthy information. We help you improve your health by using our knowledge and experience as a starting point.
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