Does CBD actually do anything?
CBD products can be found on the internet and in health-food stores, wellness catalogs, and even bookstores. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston, cyclist Floyd Landis and former Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, are all turning to CBD products, and according to Health & Wellness, CBD-infused lattes have become “the wellness world's new favorite drink.” It sounds bonkers and how can one little ingredient claim to do so many things? Does CBD actually do anything? Can it really help with the mile-long list of ailments it claims to assist in alleviating? Is it just a fad like all the other things we have seen through time? Let's dig a little deeper.
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
What is CBD?
It is an abbreviation that may sound like chemistry but has little to do with it. The abbreviation stands for cannabidiol – a natural product of the Cannabis/Hemp plant. It is mainly derived from hemp, the same as the well-known THC. Both are cannabinoids. The terms might appear very similar in some cases – which can be confusing for beginners.
The receptors for cannabinoids are located in the cells of our nervous system and together they form the endocannabinoid system. These receptors, in simple terms, are the ends of our nerve cells. They are able to receive stimuli from outside and convert them into signaling processes of stimuli in your body. Thus, the endocannabinoid system has a direct influence on many of our body functions.
Within this system, Cannabidiol binds to the so-called CB1 and CB2 receptors. The cannabinoids from the plant are so similar to your body's endocannabinoids, that they can interact with each other. This explains why CBD is used for so many different reasons.
Read more about the endocannabinoid system here: What is the endocannabinoide system?
Your body on CBD oil!
If it seems like everyone's selling CBD products, that's because they probably are. But what are you getting?? Unfortunately, most of these sources are unregulated. This means that if you're not careful about, where you're buying CBD from, you may actually be buying a product that contains little or no CBD at all. So… Does CBD actually do anything in the body and what would that be?
Cannabidiol could help with numerous physical and mental struggles.
Between any type of physical pain or mental struggles (like built-up anxiety), CBD could actually be a way to help calm your body and make you feel better.
Your endocannabinoid system also has receptors and the way that CBD works with your body is, that it helps your endocannabinoid system pick those up. It essentially creates better communication. So if you take it regularly, you're supporting the communication of that system and your endocannabinoid system supports the nervous system. It's just helping your body with what your body needs to do. So your body may need help with pain, but my body may need help with dealing with anxiety. Whatever it is you need, it's helping your body be in an active state.
Some studies show how CBD can also help your neuroprotective properties, meaning it can help protect your neurological system.
This will NOT get you high
CBD won't get you high. Even though CBD comes from cannabis/hemp, CBD products contain little to no THC — the psychoactive chemical that creates a high, euphoric effect.
Both CBD and THC have an impact on the cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1) in your brain, but they kinda have opposite effects. THC binds with those receptors, activating them and causing a feeling of euphoria or high.
But CBD is different: It barely binds with CB1 receptors. In fact, it can actually block any high from happening at all. If you were to take CBD with THC, you might find that you didn't feel as high as you would, if you'd consumed only THC.
CBD Balm may ease inflammation!
By using it topically you can acutely choose where you apply the CBD on the skin. This, of course, can help with pain or inflammation in particular parts of your body.
If you're using it for stress and you find it you're holding that stress in your neck or in your shoulder. Application of CBD there and kind of rub it in can also create a calming ritual. If you're feeling pain, being able to directly apply it where you are experiencing pain, can usually create a really positive response.
CBD won't completely take the pain away as morphine would, but it may decrease it to a point where it makes the pain more tolerable.
A review published in the journal Molecules found that medications containing CBD from a cannabis plant may be able to enhance a patient's drug treatment for chronic pain and inflammation conditions. But note: They may work as a complement rather than a replacement to treatment, and one that is very dependent on the preparation, dosage, and formulation.
Combining Topical CBD (balms, salves,c creme etc) and Sublingual CBD (oil in dropper bottles) is always a good idea, as tackling the problem from both angles, could speed up the healing process.
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CBD Arthritis Pack€90.00 -
CBD Gentle Pack€68.00 -
CBD Gummies High Concentration Pack€45.00
CBD could affect sleep — but maybe not in the way you think
Most people don't realize the quality of sleep is closely related to stress and maintaining a strong immune system. You need both systems properly in check if you want an optimal immune response to anything. If your cortisol levels are elevated, it can keep you awake. CBD is thought to decrease this and keep your body in a homeostasis state.
If you're new to Cannabidiol, trying a CBD Rainbow gummy for sleep is an easy way to test out its effects in an easy-to-take format. You can also get flavorless oils , which come out of a dropper, letting you control exactly how much you want to take.
Many will say products with cannabisiol lets them sleep at night. This is because it's decreasing anxiety, and anxiety (overthinking) is the cause of insomnia.
Using pure CBD to sleep won't do much. However at extreme doses, it may be sleep-inducing, but it's a misconception that it does that at low or moderate doses. This is why we have created the CBD oil with added Melatonin for easier induced sleep. Melatonin is a hormone we all produce in the pineal gland and a small portion in the retina. This happens once the sun begins to set.
What we know is that based on the studies that we have, you need to take a really large amount of CBD for it to do anything beneficial, and at those levels, you're more likely to experience jitteriness and wakefulness.
CBD won't fix a health problem!
CBD doesn't actually heal you, it just helps your body know to do something to heal itself. So for instance, if you were dealing with chronic inflammation or chronic pain. Or if you're dealing with anxiety or even if you are dealing with any other lifestyle health-focused wellness barrier. CBD is going to help your body help you move through that. It creates homeostasis (balance) in the body.
Here is an example:
When bacteria or viruses that can make you ill get into your body, your lymphatic system kicks in to help maintain homeostasis. It works to fight the infection before it has the opportunity to make you sick, ensuring that you remain healthy. We are constantly exposed to millions of bacteria every day – but we don't get sick every day.
CBD for better Homeostasis
The endocannabinoid system is a part of our physiology. We did not know it existed until the 1990s when an Israeli scientist discovered it. It is a network of cells throughout the body, composed of endocannabinoids and their network of receptors.
The endocannabinoid system has been shown to have a big impact on homeostasis and is credited for the regulation of many physiological processes. These include pain regulation, sleep, digestion, inflammation, appetite, immune response, mood, energy regulation, memory, just to mention a few.
The endocannabinoid system is able to maintain homeostasis by utilizing the cannabinoid receptors. Together with cannabinoids found throughout the immune system and the central and peripheral nervous systems. When the body detects any imbalance, cannabinoids are naturally synthesized, to interact with the cannabinoid receptors. These in turn, trigger the necessary chemical response required to return the process that is out of balance, back to normal. Cannabinoids are the links that allow communication between different types of cells in the body.
The body is capable of naturally creating cannabinoids on demand, these include 2AG and anandamide. Anandamide is the chemical you produce when relaxed or meditating and has earned the name, the bliss molecule. Both 2AG and anandamide are found in huge concentrations in breast milk, and may explain why children are always relaxed during breastfeeding. The two compounds are also linked to what is commonly known as a runner's high.
CBD could help regulate and maintain all these “systems”:
- Immune system
- Central Nervous System
- Endocrine (Hormone) System
- Cardiovascular system
- Digestive System
Furthermore …
CBD influences certain genes in our bodies
All the information needed to create proteins, our bodies' building blocks, are contained in our genes. We are talking about all the signaling molecules that run various physiological processes. Including; hormones that run the endocrine system, neurotransmitters that run the central nervous system as well as cytokines that operate the immune system.
Scientists now know that it regulates the transcriptions of over 1,100 genes. These include genes that form the signaling molecules that naturally reduce inflammation throughout the immune. Also the central nervous systems, thereby restoring the necessary balance to both systems.
You can also check out our page dedicated to CBD Guides. You will find everything you need to know about CBD. CBD for Pets, CBD for children or even how to make your own CBD business.
Conclusion
As we have seen, hemp oil has been studied for its impressive properties in dealing with common health problems such as pain, anxiety, depression, acne, and various chronic disorders. In people suffering from cancer, it may even provide a natural alternative to relieve pain and symptoms.
Research into the health benefits of CBD oil continues. It is likely that new therapeutic uses will be announced as time goes on. There is still much to learn about its benefits but, for now, the results of recent studies suggest that Cannabidiol can improve various aspects of health.
When shopping for Cannabidiol products, it is important to remember that not all CBD products are of the same quality and not all have gone through safety standards. Therefore, be sure to source your products from a trusted and licensed supplier to avoid any disappointments such as poor quality. Having said that, we cannot over-emphasize consulting with your doctor first, before adding CBD to your health regimen.
If you are new to CBD feel free to download our FREE E-BOOK. It covers all you need to know before you buy your first CBD product
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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