CBD has become one of the most important medicines in the world today. There are so many potential applications for it, it can be used easily, and there are little to no side effects of using it. What’s not to love about it?
In this article today, we’re going to talk about CBD. We’ll explain the pharmacology so you can understand how it works, and then we’ll tell you 15 of the most impressive science-backed benefits of CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is a powerful substance that’s found in cannabis and in the hemp plant. It’s related to THC, but its effects are quite different. CBD, unlike THC, is not known for causing intoxication or psychedelic effects.
THC has been known for some time to have powerful medicinal benefits. One of the interesting things about CBD is that it can be used for many of the medicinal purposes that THC can be used for, but it doesn’t cause any of the side effects.
In some cases, this is ideal. However, many people have reported that they experience increased benefits when they mix their CBD with THC. Whatever the case, it’s no question that CBD is incredibly valuable as a medical compound.
How Can I Use CBD?
Another thing that makes CBD attractive is the fact that there are so many different ways to use the stuff.
In the case of most modern pharmaceuticals, they are packed into pills or capsules which have to be taken orally. This is undoubtedly effective, however, not everyone likes taking pills every time they need to medicate themselves.
That’s one of the reasons that CBD is so popular. These are some of the most common ways that you can use CBD:
- In the mouth! There are a couple ways that you can take CBD orally. The best and most effective way to do it is to take it sublingually. This means holding it under your tongue, so the CBD gets absorbed into the blood vessels under your tongue. This will allow it to hit you quickly while retaining a long duration.
Alternatively, you can just swallow whatever capsules or tinctures that you’ve got. This will take a little bit longer to be absorb, and you won’t get as much benefit because some of the CBD will be destroyed during the metabolization process. However, it will generally last longer.
- On the skin! There are a few ways that you can use CBD topically. Many companies make lotion and creams that you can apply directly to your skin to soothe problems like arthritis and muscle soreness.
- In the lungs! There are a few ways that you can inhale your CBD. The most common way to do this is by vaporizing. There are a number of different products that you can vaporize – shatter, wax, there are even specific vape pens that you can get pre-loaded with CBD.
If you prefer to smoke flower, there are a number of strains that are high in CBD and low in THC. Charlotte’s Web, one of the most popular CBD strains, is known for having virtually no THC.
In addition to being easy to use in a number of fashions, there are also quite a few different ways that you can purchase your CBD. You can get capsules, tinctures, oils, balms, salves, creams, and more.
Pretty much any issue that you have can, at least in some small way, be improved by using some sort of CBD medication.
How Does CBD Work?
It’s a good idea to understand a bit about how CBD works in the body before you begin using it. This can help you better understand whether or not you actually need the medicine, and for what purpose you will be using it for.
CBD helps the body to maintain and restore a very important neurotransmitter system. Neurotransmitters are basically ‘brain messengers,’ or little chemicals that send messages throughout our nervous system. The particular neurotransmitter system that CBD influences is known as the endocannabinoid system, henceforth referred to as the ECS.
The ECS is one of the largest neurotransmitter systems in the body. This means that it affects a wide range of our bodily processes. ECS receptors can be found all over the place, so it’s no wonder that any imbalances in this vital system can cause such far-ranging negative effects.
Cannabinoids, like those that are produced in our body, or THC, generally work by stimulating certain receptors in the system referred to as cannabinoid receptors. THC primarily works by agonizing or activating the CB1 and CB2 receptors. This is largely responsible for many of the intoxicating gand psychedelic effects that THC is known to cause.
However, CBD does not directly affect these receptors. Instead, it indirectly causes changes in the ECS and can also have an influence on other neurotransmitter systems without directly releasing or triggering their receptors.
This interesting mechanism is one of the reasons that CBD can have such powerful regulating effects on the body without actually causing the user to get high. By indirectly influence in the cannabinoid system, CBD can balance the body without risking the user’s sobriety. This is especially valuable for people who are worried about drug testing and having cannabinoids in their system.
How Much CBD Do I Need?
The amount of CBD that you will need a very greatly depending on your condition and the way that you are taking the medicine. Heavier people will also need more CBD than people who are smaller, as will people who have a high metabolism.
Some people also seem to simply have a high natural tolerance to CBD and might need to take doses a little larger than those listed me. This should be fine, though, since there aren’t really any side effects attributed to taking too much CBD.
Oral and Sublingual Consumption via Drops or CBD Edibles
Oral consumption is probably the most common way that people take CBD. It’s easy, it’s simple, and it’s not as invasive or dangerous as vaping can be. People tend to eat their capsules and take the tinctures or oil sublingually. However, the capsules can usually be broken apart and their contents absorbed sublingually. CBD infused gummies and edibles are also incredibly popular.
Oral doses tend to start around 20 mg for mild conditions. People with severe problems like chronic pain will probably want to take higher doses, starting around 50 mg. In this case it’s recommended that you begin taking it sublingually because not only will it hit you faster, you’ll get more value from your medicine.
Sublingual doses of oils and tinctures tend to start at around 10 mg. Sublingual absorption is way stronger than oral absorption because it goes straight into the bloodstream from the tissue in your mouth. This is then pumped to the heart and distributed through the body instead of being slowly absorbed, processed, and partially destroyed by the liver.
Inhaling CBD via Vaping or Smoking The Flower
There are a number of ways that you can inhale your CBD, primarily smoking and vaping. Smoking pure CBD can be difficult because most strains of weed, even high-CBD strains, have a little bit of THC in them. As mentioned earlier, Charlotte’s Web is one of the few strains that remains entirely CBD.
Smoking might not be the most practical option everywhere, though, because it’s still illegal to acquire flower in many places. However, CBD vape oil is made to offer you another option. In addition to being an effective way to acquire pure, legal CBD, there are a few reasons that vaping might be attractive to people.
- It’s a lot cleaner than smoking and research suggests that it doesn’t cause as many health problems
- Vaping is an easy and portable way to get a quick hit of CBD while you’re out and on the go
- Since vaping is a lot more potent than any other method of using CBD except for injection, you’ll ultimately save more money on your bill
All methods of inhalation will hit you a lot faster. This means that it’s great for people who have sudden flare ups of symptoms that they want to deal with immediately. When used this way, CBD oil benefits for anxiety the most. CBD oil benefits for pain patients as well who have sudden spikes in their condition.
It’s important to note that, even though vaping or smoking will hit you harder and faster, it will also cause the CBD to leave your body much quicker than any of the other methods of ingestion. For this reason it’s not the best option for people who have lingering or persistent symptoms. They should consider oral supplementation. Learn more about vaping here.
Topically via Creams & Salves
There are a number of products made with CBD that are intended to help local pain, wound healing, and injuries that occur under-the-skin. There’s even some evidence that CBD can help speed up the healing of bones.
The benefits of CBD oil for skin are also apparent in the fact that many companies choose to include it in their cosmetic products. There are shampoos, soaps, and face washes all made with this wonderful medicine.
CBD oil tends to contain a number of nutrients that come from the hemp plant, particularly omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. These two nutrients are fantastic for the hair and skin and can improve the appearance of it while reducing signs of aging.
Using CBD topically is a great way to take CBD without having to ingest it. While it’s not known for causing a lot of side effects, some people find that it makes them sleepy and people who are hypersensitive to it might find it uncomfortable to take all the time.
Intravenous
Intravenous use of CBD has not been studied much and is generally not recommended unless you’re doing it under the supervision and guidance of a doctor. Intravenous use allow a lot of a drug to be absorbed immediately into a person’s bloodstream, and is often used for serious painkillers like morphine.
Given the relative potency of CBD on its own, there’s no reason that you need to start injecting it unless you have a serious condition like cancer. In this case, doctors may recommend that you take your CBD by injecting it. This should only ever be done under the supervision of a trained medical professional – no exceptions!
Health Benefits of CBD Oil
Now that we’ve given you some information about this magical medicine and how it works, we can get down to our CBD oil benefits list. It doesn’t matter if the CBD is extracted from hemp or from cannabis, the benefits will be the same. Some people prefer full-spectrum hemp extracts to cannabis extracts, but there is little difference in their effect.
Without further ado, here are the 15 most incredible CBD oil health benefits.
1. Fighting Pain
It’s well-known that marijuana can be useful for helping to fight pain. In fact, some evidence shows that this plant has been used for almost 5,000 years for treating pain.
As people have done more and more research about this fantastic plant, they have begun to identify the differences between the cannabinoids and how they function in the body. While THC can have a positive effect on pain, CBD is known for being more of an anaesthetic.
By interacting with the ECS and other neurotransmitters, CBD can actually reduce the body’s capacity to sense pain. It also helps to fight inflammation which can reduce the discomfort associated with some painful conditions.
Some studies have found that CBD works much better when used with THC. This is particularly true for people who are suffering from multiple sclerosis or arthritis. Several countries have approved a medication known as Sativex, which is a spray that blends both THC and CBD, to help treat these conditions.
CBD and marijuana have also proven to be useful in fighting acute pain. This means that if you injure yourself, you can still see some benefit by taking one of these medicines.
2. Fights Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the world today. In fact, depression has been shown to be the leading cause of disabilities throughout the world.
When many people experience depression, they are quick to run to the doctor and get antidepressants. These are known to cause serious side effects and, while they can help a person return to school or work, it is often done at the expense of some other aspect of their health. Antidepressants are known to cause sexual problems, emotional blunting, sleepiness and instability.
Fortunately, CBD is known to be quite useful for helping to manage depression. Not only can CBD help someone see through a depressive haze, but it can give them the motivation, energy, and determination to actually seek help with their problem.
This is in stark contrast to pharmaceutical antidepressants, which are often quite difficult to stop using because of the dependence they cause. Many people view pharmaceuticals as a ‘cure’ to depression and end up taking them for their entire lives, whereas CBD tends to encourage people to actually identify the source of their depression, eliminate it, and return to life sober and happy.
3. Fights Anxiety
Another extremely common problem these days is anxiety. Many of us are faced with the existential dread of living in a society, working jobs that are unsatisfying, and this can lead to anxiety. There are different forms of anxiety – generalized anxiety, social anxiety that only flares up during social situations, existential anxiety… the list goes on.
Anxiety is actually right up there with depression in terms of causing disability on a global scale, ranked at being the 6th most disabling mental health condition. This is one of the reasons that benzodiazepines, like Xanax and Ativan, are so popular. These drugs can, without a doubt, eliminate anxiety.
However, stronger benzos tend to eliminate anxiety by causing the brain to release GABA in excess. GABA is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter that prevents us from getting overexcited. However, if it’s released too much, the brain will become underexcited – meaning that it will be hard to make memories (benzos often cause blackouts) and one might end up sloppy and uncoordinated.
Furthermore, addiction to these drugs – again, many of these are commonly prescribed medications that are often given to teenagers – can lead to serious dependence and withdrawal. Withdrawal from Xanax or Ativan can cause a person to have a grand mal seizure, which can be fatal.
Fortunately, CBD has shown remarkable potential for helping to treat anxiety. Its effects are comparable to benzos in regards to fighting anxiety, however, it isn’t known to cause any debilitating side effects. Not only does it help to fight anxiety, but it can even improve other areas of health.
Again, CBD differs from typical medication in that it actually encourages us to find a solution to our underlying issues instead of just fixing the issue in the meantime and causing addiction.
4. Potentially Fights Cancer and Cancer Symptoms
One of the most impressive and powerful benefits of CBD is that it can help people manage symptoms of cancer, and has even been shown to have cancer-preventing effects.
Some studies have been done that suggest that CBD works better with THC in this particular regard, because CBD has been shown to have potent cancer-fighting benefits on its own. One study evaluated the effects of the two medicinal compounds on 177 people suffering from cancer, and those who were taking the mixture showed much more improvement than those who were taking a single cannabinoid.
CBD has also been shown to be useful for helping improve the efficacy of various drugs that are used to treat cancer, as well as helping to prevent people from getting nauseous or from vomiting when getting chemotherapy.
Many medical facilities offer other drugs to help with these symptoms, however, they are not always effective and can often cause additional side effects on their own. CBD is great for helping to manage these symptoms without providing additional risk.
Taking CBD in various fashions can be useful for helping to treat symptoms of cancer and chemotherapy. It has been proven to be effective when used in a mouth spray, and can certainly be beneficial when taken sublingually or orally. Helping to fight cancer is one of the few reasons that people might seriously consider getting their CBD through an intravenous injection.
5. Fights Acne
Acne is a very common problem that affects about 1 in every 10 people. The problem, which results in various blemishes and pimples appearing on the body, tends to affect youth more than it affects older people.
There are a number of things that can contribute to the development of acne. It can be hereditary, but it can also be a result of inflammation or excessive sebum (a substance produced by the glands in the follicles of the skin that can lead to blockages).
One of the reasons that CBD can be useful for treating acne is because it works as a great anti-inflammatory. It has actually been shown to specifically reduce the amount of sebum produced in people who produce too much.
CBD can exert these acne-fighting benefits when used internally or externally. There are specific CBD creams that are made to help fight acne that can be applied directly to the affected area.
6. Protects the Brain
Many studies have proven that CBD is neuroprotective. This means that, because of the way that it interacts with the ECS and other neurotransmitter systems, CBD can actually help protect the brain from damage and degeneration.
This is of particular interest to people who are suffering from neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis. Because CBD helps to protect the brain from damage, people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s can slow the progression of the disease while maintaining an improved quality of live.
7. Fights Insomnia
One of the most useful things that CBD can do is help to fight insomnia. There are quite a few reasons for this.
High doses of CBD are known to cause drowsiness in people. This is a well-known phenomenon and is about the only consistent side effect that occurs when people take too much CBD. This alone can help some people fight their insomnia, but there are other factors involved.
Many people experience insomnia because they are anxious or stressed. This can cause the body to produce cortisol and, in turn, adrenaline. Adrenaline is known for being a very energizing hormone, and it can cause people to stay awake at night.
By inhibiting anxiety and stress, CBD can help people fall into a restful state before they go to bed. CBD also reduces cortisol directly, which can help to reduce stress levels overall.
CBD has even been shown to help people fight insomnia related to PTSD.
8. Prevents Seizures
CBD has been shown to be very useful for helping people manage epilepsy and seizures. In fact, one of the main reasons that CBD is so popular as a medicine nowadays is because it showed remarkable potential helping a certain girl overcome her seizures.
Charlotte (the girl who the strain Charlotte’s Web is named after) was very young when she started experiencing frequent seizures. By early childhood, she was having over a dozen grand mal seizures on a daily basis. This drastically reduced her quality of life and made it impossible for her to attend school or make friends.
Her parents found out about cannabis extracts and began treating her with CBD. Within a few hours of the first dosage, her seizures almost entirely stopped. Thanks to CBD, she now only has a couple seizures on a monthly basis.
9. Helps Fight Addiction
Someone might be surprised to hear that taking a substance can actually help them fight addiction. However, when you realize that one of the most common methods for getting people off of drugs like opiates like heroin is to prescribe them methadone, a far stronger, longer-lasting and more dangerous opioid, this notion seems more reasonable.
One of the reasons that CBD is so effective for fighting addictions is because it doesn’t cause dependence on its own. Not only that, but it has been shown to help fight many of the withdrawal symptoms associated with common drugs. CBD has also been indicated to help reduce cravings.
Many drugs addictions are caused by underlying depression and anxiety. Since CBD is well-known for treating both of these things, it can also help ward off addictions that are caused by these problems.
There are a number of addictions that CBD has proven useful for managing.
- Opioid addictions. Opioids, like morphine, heroin, and fentanyl, are among the most dangerous and addictive drugs in the world. Thanks to the overwhelming opioid epidemic that is ravaging the world, having a medicine like CBD that can help to prevent these addictions is absolutely fantastic.
There are a number of reasons that people begin using opioids, whether they’re self-medicating or being prescribed these drugs. Many people use them illicitly to help them manage anxiety and depression. Prescribed patients often use opioids to fight pain.
CBD has been proven to help fight pain, depression, and anxiety all at once, without causing addiction or dependence. Furthermore, CBD has been tested and has been shown to influence the way the brain responds to cravings to opioid drugs, and also to relieve symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
- CBD can help fight nicotine addiction. The substance has actually been used to help people manage cravings to nicotine. Some subjects even reported that, when under the influence of CBD, they just didn’t feel like smoking as much.
One of the most common ways that people stop smoking cigarettes is by switching to a vaporizer. People who want to reduce nicotine cravings could consider switching to a CBD vaporizer instead of a nicotine vaporizer to help them manage their addiction.
- CBD can help people stop smoking marijuana. This might seem a tad ironic considering CBD is often extracted from the cannabis plant. However, it’s important to remember that CBD is not psychoactive on its own.
Many people use marijuana to help manage anxiety and depression. If they switch to CBD, they’ll likely find that these problems are abated just as well. If they can cope comfortably with the benefits without any psychoactivity, then these people might easily switch from smoking marijuana to just using CBD.
Even people who did not want to entirely stop smoking weed showed a reduce frequency of toking marijuana when they were using CBD. This can result in a decreased overall tolerance to the drug which can make it easier to wean off and quit.
10. Helps Fight PTSD
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an uncomfortable and often disturbing condition that affects people who have undergone serious trauma in their lives. People who have been through the war, violent relationships, or other traumatic experiences may experience some of the following if they have PTSD:
- Flashbacks. During a flashback, a triggering situation causes the person to feel like they are reliving the traumatic experience that led to them developing PTSD in the first place. Flashbacks can occur out of nowhere, whenever a person encounters a familiar place, or when a person encounters certain people.
- Anxiety is another common problem associated with PTSD, and can prevent a person from comfortably living their lives and seizing opportunities that they might otherwise not be afraid of. People with PTSD are also much more prone to having panic attacks.
- Nightmares. Many people with PTSD frequently have nightmares regarding the experiences that they’ve had.
- Relationship difficulties. This is much more common in people who have PTSD based around an experience in a traumatic relationship, however, people with any form of PTSD may have a difficult time forming relationships.
There are several reasons that CBD can help with this. First off, as we have mentioned, CBD is great for helping people manage their anxiety and insomnia. This alone can be very helpful for people suffering from PTSD.
However, CBD plays an even more important role in the management of CBD. This is because many of the symptoms involved with PTSD are caused by a hormone that the body produces, known as glucocorticoids. These hormones are affected by the endocannabinoid system, and CBD can be useful for helping to manage these hormones.
11. Helps Fight Psychosis
One of the first things that CBD was known for is its ability to help fight psychosis. Psychosis can be a hereditary condition or can be induced by things like drugs or traumatic experience. People with psychosis are known for having delusions, invasive or distorted thoughts, and troubled mind states.
CBD has been studied and is proven to reduce the instance of delusional or disordered thought. It helps to restore the brain to a state of balance, or homeostasis, in which a person is able to follow a structured thought pattern in a linear way.
One of the best things about this is that CBD can be useful for helping people were antipsychotic medications have proven dangerous. Just as with many of the other medications prescribed on a regular basis, antipsychotics are known to cause life-altering side effects. Many antipsychotics might prevent a person from feeling psychotic, but they also tend to make them lethargic, unmotivated, and emotionally blunted.
CBD does none of these things, but it can be just as effective in helping people restore order to their minds. This can be instrumental in helping them further pursue the issue so it can be treated in a holistic manner.
12. Helps Manage ADHD
There have been a number of novel approaches to managing ADHD in recent years. In France, the medical industry recognized that one of the best ways to treat ADHD is to make sure that children have a proper balance of omega-3 fatty acids. In other parts of the world, research is recognizing that CBD can be useful for treating ADHD.
People with ADHD are likely to have problems focusing on things. They may jump quickly from task to task and have a hard time following conversations or completing tasks. ADHD is more commonly attribute to kids, but it can affect both adults and children.
CBD has been shown to help improve focus and manage symptoms. It can even help to reduce the hyperactivity that many ADHD patients show by helping the mind and body relax. CBD is also considered, by some, to be a nootropic – a substance that enhances cognitive ability.
Furthermore, CBD oil is generally full of omega-3 fatty acids. This can help restore balance to the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the body which, as mentioned earlier, is important for a person’s ability to focus.
13. Fights Inflammation
CBD has shown itself to be highly effective in helping to manage inflammation and the related symptoms. This means that it can be useful for treating a number of conditions related to inflammation. These include
- Fibromyalgia, a condition that’s known for leaving patients in chronic pain. There are a number of other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia and CBD can help to reduce these issues. People with endocannabinoid imbalances have been shown to exacerbate the symptoms.
- Arthritis. The different forms of arthritis are all related to inflammation. Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling and pain in the joints of the body. This can lower a person’s range of motion and affect the quality of their lives. CBD can be useful for reducing the inflammation that causes the pain and discomfort.
14. Enhances Digestion
Digestion is important. Without a healthy digestive system, we won’t be able to make good use of the nutrients that we consume when we eat a meal. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies and all the varying symptoms that they can cause.
Fortunately, CBD has proven itself to be useful for improving digestion. In particular, it’s useful for helping to fight off symptoms of two fairly common digestive illnesses.
The first digestive disorder that CBD can help with is known as Crohn’s disease. The condition causes the cells in the walls of the intestines to become inflamed. This can lead to unpleasant sensations like bloating, difficult or abnormal bowel movements, and other unpleasant symptoms.
By helping to reduce inflammation throughout the body, CBD can be useful for helping people with Crohn’s fight their symptoms.
The second digestive issue that CBD is known to help with is known as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. This condition is fairly similar to Crohn’s disease, but the cause isn’t an inflamed cell wall.
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome often have difficulty absorbing nutrients from their meals. Food passes too quickly through their body without being properly digested, which can result in frequent bowel movements. Research has shown that people with IBS often have endocannabinoid problems. Thus, using CBD to help regulate the endocannabinoid system can help to prevent it.
15. Helps Manage Diabetes
Both patients suffering from type I and type II diabetes can experience improvement by using CBD. However, the mechanism by which CBD helps depends on the status of the condition.
Type 1 diabetes is usually caused by an autoimmune disorder. Patients with type 1 diabetes actually have a hard time producing insulin, the hormone that helps us regulate and metabolize our blood sugar. If the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin, then people will be prone to having blood sugar spikes.
CBD can help in this respect because it’s able to help restore balance to the immune system. Furthermore, patients with type 1 diabetes often experience inflammation in the pancreas, which CBD can help to fight.
If someone with type 1 diabetes doesn’t manage the problem properly, it can develop into type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when a person develops a tolerance to the insulin that they do produce, thus rendering it less effective.
CBD, and some of the other cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant, can all improve the body’s ability to process sugar. Blood glucose and insulin production markers have all improved in people who were tested using CBD.
The Best CBD Oil
CBD is a wonderful medicine that’s almost always regarded as safe when you buy from a trusted high quality brand. There are many potential applications for this powerful compound, and this article described 15 of the most common science-backed problems that can be managed with CBD. If you’d like to try it for yourself, get started by visiting our homepage to shop for the best THC free CBD oil. You’ll soon be on your way to living a healthier, happier life – just like thousands of our other readers are already.
Enjoy!