Cannabidiol (CBD) is all over the news and in new products ranging from chocolates to coffee, cosmetics and even bath products. It’s everywhere you look and, unfortunately, some over-enthusiastic advertisers have gotten ahead of the science.
While some sales teams have jumped the gun, substantial scientific evidence supporting CBD use does exist. In this article we will help you sift through fact and fiction by highlighting the real, scientifically supported benefits of CBD.
CBD doesn’t need to be over exaggerated. The benefits that science has already substantiated are extremely impressive all on their own.
So What Can I Expect From CBD Today?
The good news is that research shows cannabidiol can support health in many ways, providing hope to millions of Americans who struggle with health problems for which inflammation or stress is the underlying cause. If you’re one of them, CBD may be the answer you’ve been waiting for.
How CBD Helps Boost Mood and Manage Stress
Multiple studies support CBD’s positive effect on mood and stress. A meta-analysis published in the Neurotherapeutics medical journal concluded that CBD oil is also a promising tool for addressing intense feelings of anxiousness and other serious mental health concerns 2.
Researchers now know the mechanism by which CBD acts on mood and stress. Cannabidiol inhibits the activity of an enzyme called fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). This is important because FAAH can break down anandamide, an important neurotransmitter naturally produced in the brain.
Anandamide 3, often called “the bliss molecule”, is an endocannabinoid known to produce a state of heightened happiness. You can think of it as your body’s natural THC and an effective agent for stress relief.
With stress being linked to so many health problems, it’s not a huge leap to imagine a future where CBD is commonly used to offer support for those health concerns as well as mood and stress.
The Power of CBD for Joint Discomfort
The most widely recognized use of CBD is to promote a healthy inflammatory response and the related discomfort it causes. When CBD reaches the CB1 and CB2 receptors in your endocannabinoid system it has been shown to support suppression of:
- Overactive immune cells that can lead to inflammatory auto-immune conditions.
- Cytokines and chemokines. When these protein molecules are released, they promote both the initiation and persistence of discomfort 4.
- Overactive t-cells that also lead to persistent inflammation and autoimmune conditions.
In one noted study by the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, more than 10,000 scientific abstracts were examined. An expert committee concluded that for “the treatment for chronic discomfort in adults” there was “conclusive or substantial evidence” that CBD is effective 5.
CBD to Promote Restful Sleep
Is there anything that keeps more people awake at night than discomfort and stress? Given CBD’s potential to reduce the damaging effects of both, it’s no wonder that many CBD users report falling asleep faster as well as enjoying a deeper, more restful sleep. Once again, there is considerable research to support CBD’s ability to promote healthier sleep patterns.
The Exciting Future of CBD
In conclusion, there is compelling scientific evidence to support CBD’s ability to boost mood, relieve stress, promote a healthy inflammatory response, and encourage healthy sleep habits. It is possible, however, that these benefits are only the tip of the iceberg.
Because the endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps regulate just about every physiological system in your body, there is great potential for CBD to provide support in manners not yet known. As the clinical research into CBD accelerates, more benefits are likely to be discovered and validated in the near future.
Resources
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476
- https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/beyond-cbd-supporting-the-entire-endocannabinoid-system
- http://reset.me/story/anandamide-putting-the-bliss-molecule-to-work-for-your-brain/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2785020/
- http://nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2017/health-effects-of-cannabis-and-cannabinoids.aspx