CBD Oil: 7 Proven Health Benefits and Uses
There are countless herbal remedies and
natural oils capable of doing one job very well, be it boosting your
heart health, soothing your skin, or relieving stress and anxiety. Very
few of these natural remedies have the ability to address all of the
above-mentioned concerns, but we found one that can — CBD oil. In fact,
there is evidence of this oil also being beneficial for those who
suffer from chronic pain, those who seek to protect their nervous
system, and many other uses, one of the most notable and relevant of
which, especially in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, is an immune
system boost. Here we focus on the 7 scientifically-backed benefits of
this natural oil, as well as the best ways to use CBD oil.
What Is CBD Oil?
The demand for CBD oil is growing at a quick pace, and people worldwide
are becoming increasingly aware and interested. Still, most of us don’t
really know what CBD is or isn’t, and we are here to clarify things for
you. CBD is an acronym for Cannabidiol, which is one of 113
Phytocannabinoid compounds in hemp.
In stark contrast with THC, CBD is non-psychoactive and has many
wholesome uses, among which are pain relief, immune aid, and heart
health support, just to name a few. It is only these beneficial uses
that CBD products are there to provide, without the psychoactive effects
of Cannabis. In fact, quality CBD products are made from industrial
Hemp plants also grown to make fabric and other commercial products. By
US law, these plants cannot contain over 0.3% of THC - a trivial amount.
CBD products come in a variety of forms, with CBD oil being by far the
most popular one. These oils contain a CBD extract in an oil base, which
helps the CBD get absorbed into the body. CBD oils can be used in a
variety of ways. Most people put a few drops of the oil underneath their
tongue, which allows the oil to be absorbed directly into the blood
through the fine capillaries. However, you can also apply the oil
topically to ease joint pain and dry and acne-prone skin or even add it
to your food and drinks.
The recommended dosage will depend on your weight and personal
preference. Most resources suggest starting with a small dose, 20-40 mg a
day for the first 7 days and then building up to a dosage you feel
comfortable with, in 5 mg increments every week. Please note it's not
recommended to use CBD oil more frequently than every 4-6 hours.
What would you use CBD oil for? This natural remedy has a wide variety
of benefits for your wellbeing, both physical and mental. Below we
discuss 7 science-backed benefits of CBD:
1. CBD May Boost the Immune System and help against Coronavirus
In order to understand how CBD can
influence our immune system, we'll need to get a bit scientific. The
Endocannabinoid system refers to a network of Cannabinoid receptors
scattered throughout the central and peripheral nervous system (brain,
spinal cord, and peripheral nerves) that participates in the regulation
of a wide range of bodily functions, such as mood, cognitive processes,
memory, appetite, pain sensation, as well as the immune system. More
specifically, Endocannabinoids, or the neurotransmitters our body
produces, were found to decrease the level of inflammation in the body,
and some scientists now believe that Phytocannabinoids, such as CBD,
which bind to the same receptor, can thus have a similar effect.
Apart from that, CBD is widely used to decrease the impact of chronic
day-to-day stress, which is known to affect our immune health. This way,
CBD oil can have a twofold beneficial effect on our immunity, which is
especially important right now when dangerous infectious diseases, such
as the Coronavirus, are running rampant across the globe and we could
use all the help we can get to protect ourselves.
2. Pain Relief
Many people don't realize that Cannabis has
been used to relieve pain for centuries, with the first recordings of
the plant being used to relieve joint pain and muscle cramps in Chinese
medicine dating back to 2,900 BC! As it often happens, modern science is
also currently catching up to the pain soothing effects of Cannabis,
and they have managed to isolate the component that is responsible for
those effects, and that component is primarily CBD.
CBD can interfere with the Endocannabinoid pain receptors, dulling down
the perception of pain and lowering the level of inflammation in the
body. This makes CBD oil ideal for those who suffer from chronic
inflammation and pain, as it may relieve the sensation of pain in these
people. Conditions shown to improve after the administration of CBD
include sciatica and chronic pain, but CBD may also be beneficial for
other types of pain.
3. May Aid in Calming Anxiety and Depression
The Endocannabinoid system is suggested to
play a key role in mood regulation and may be capable of desensitizing
the brain to stress. This is especially crucial to those who experience
anxiety or depression since they will be able to use CBD products to
ease their symptoms. Studies researching the anxiety levels in public
speakers and even children suffering from PTSD combined demonstrate that
CBD can be effective at relieving both anxiety and stress-related
insomnia.
Animal models support the theoretical implications and suggest that the
administration of CBD products has antidepressant effects.
4. Acne
Acne can be caused by a variety of different factors ranging from
genetics to hormonal imbalances and even weather changes. However, one
of the primary causes of acne is inflammation of the skin, and so it
makes perfect sense that the anti-inflammatory qualities of CBD should
make it beneficial for reducing redness and inflammation in the skin.
Test tube studies suggest that CBD could reduce the production of oils
in the skin and decrease the number of inflammatory compounds in these
oils.
In addition, many CBD oils these days are formulated with skin in mind
and are contained in a base of oils beneficial for different skin types.
5. May Protect Your Nervous System 
The beneficial effects of CBD for the nervous system are probably the
most researched among all the others. In fact, a mouth spray that
contains CBD and THC called Sativex is an approved drug that helps
multiple sclerosis patients that suffer from muscle spasms in many
countries. Patients with other neurological disorders, such as epilepsy
and Parkinson's disease were also shown to benefit from CBD in
controlled conditions.
Current research revolves around the ability of CBD to prevent nerve
death in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, and
this, too, seems promising, but as of now, only animal model studies
exist.
6. Heart and Blood Pressure
Hypertension and heart disease are both extremely dangerous, as they are
obviously increasing one's risk of a heart attack or stroke. CBD
products, which are capable of de-stressing the mind, may also lower
one's blood pressure according to a 2017 study where a single dose of
CBD was capable of decreasing participants' blood pressure. CBD also has
powerful antioxidant properties, which may also contribute to the
observed beneficial effects on the heart.
7. May Alleviate Some Symptoms of Cancer
CBD oil health benefits woman getting an iv
Cancer patients are forced to deal with a lot of side effects of both
the devastating disease itself and those of the cancer treatments.
Common complaints are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and pain, and
traditional pain medication doesn't always help. Fortunately, CBD may be
able to decrease the sensation of pain in cancer patients that don't
experience any improvement after taking pain medication, as reported by a
study that researched both the effect or THC and CBD on pain. CBD was
more effective than THC and well above placebo in that study.
Furthermore, nausea and vomiting - both common side effects of
chemotherapy - can be decreased with the use of CBD according to medical
research. Thus, both cancer patients suffering from resistant pain and
chemotherapy side effects may find relief in CBD products.