Whether you suffer from chronic pain, regular migraines and headaches, muscle aches, back pain, or have a condition such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, finding the right medicine and treatment plan for you is key to managing symptoms and living a full life once again. Since medical marijuana became legalized in several states around the U.S., an increasing number of people are using CBD oil to manage their symptoms and ease their pain. We’ve listed some of the main benefits of CBD oil and the conditions it can be useful in treating.
What is CBD Oil?
Firstly, let’s learn a little more about CBD oil and where it comes from. CBD is one of the biggest active compounds in the cannabis plant, in addition to others including THC. In fact, CBD is one of over sixty compounds known as cannabinoids, which are found in cannabis. Until very recently, THC was the most well-known compound, due to its ‘high’ inducing effects, but CBD is becoming more well-known thanks to the medical world realizing its long list of growing benefits. Since CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, making it a safe drug for almost anybody to take. If you’re considering using CBD or CBD oil for medical purposes, speak to a doctor in a legal state who can help you, or visit Healthworx CBD for more information.
How CBD Works as a Treatment:
According to a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2013, CBD has been found to possess a wide range of health benefits. These include anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, and antibiotic agents, making it a potentially successful medicine in the treatment of conditions such as epilepsy, inflammation and neuroinflammation, anxiety, and nausea. CBD receptors known as C1 receptors are widely distributed but mainly found in the areas of the brain concerned with movement, sensory and pain perception, memory, emotion, cognition, and endocrine and autonomic functions. The C2 receptors are mainly found in the immune system and appear to be capable of helping to reduce various kinds of pain and inflammation in the body.
Heath Benefit #1. Fight Cancer:
One of the main reasons why medical marijuana was legalized in the majority of states around the U.S. is its ability to fight cancer, one of the biggest killers worldwide. There have been numerous scientific reports which suggest that one of the many benefits of CBD is that it possesses pro-apoptopic, antiproliferative effects, which work to inhibit the migration, adhesion, and invasion of cancer cells. A study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in 2006 found that the growth of several breast cancer tumor cell lines was inhibited potently and selectively by CBD. In 2011, researchers adding to this by finding that CBD was able to induce a concentration-dependent cell death of breast cancer cells. In addition, researchers found that CBD is a non-toxic compound which can be used for prolonged treatment. In one study, no overt toxicity was found after patients were given a 700mg dose per day over a course of six weeks.
Health Benefit #2. Improve Mental Health:
Despite concerns that using marijuana can be damaging to your mental health, studies report that some mental health conditions can actually be improved with the use of medical cannabis. Several studies have found CBD to contain anxiolytic properties, reducing anxiety in patients with social anxiety disorder. Researchers also suggest that it may be useful for the treatment of panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD. In a study of twenty-four never-treated patients with recently diagnosed social anxiety disorder, researchers found that CBD significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety, speech performance discomfort, and cognitive impairment.
Health Benefit #3. Treat Pain Naturally:
There are currently millions of people in the U.S. living with chronic pain, however, many of these conditions go untreated, or are poorly managed with over-the-counter painkillers. Natural pain relief is one of the biggest benefits of CBD for many people suffering from conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or the results of a previous injury. In addition, CBD can also be used as an effective painkiller for those going through often painful and taxing treatments for other conditions, such as chemotherapy. Many chemotherapy patients have turned to CBD not only for its cancer-fighting benefits, but also to deal with pain, nausea, and a loss of appetite after treatment.
Health Benefit #4. Lower Risk of Diabetes:
In 2006, a study of mice found that CBD treatment greatly reduced the occurrence of diabetes in mice of a healthy weight. Further benefits also included significant reductions in plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Later, in 2013, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine focused on the impact of cannabis use on glucose levels, insulin, and insulin resistance in human adults. The participants included 579 current cannabis users and 1,975 past users. The study found that current or past marijuana use was associated with 16% lower insulin levels when fasting. In addition, marijuana users are less likely to be overweight or obese, with significant associations between cannabis use and a smaller waist circumference. This leads to less risk of developing diabetes symptoms.
Health Benefit #5. Improve Your Heart Health:
Unlike tobacco, cannabis can actually help to improve and promote your cardiovascular health. A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2013 suggested that CBD protects against vascular damage caused by an environment high in glucose along with cardiovascular inflammation and the induction of type 2 diabetes. In addition, CBD was found effective for reducing vascular hyperpermeability, a common factor in high-glucose environments associated with conditions such as leaky gut. Further to that, increasing evidence is finding that CBD may be useful for the prevention and treatment of serious conditions such as heart disease, arrhythmia, and atherosclerosis. Other cannabinoids such as Anandamide have also been found to positively affect the heart.
With all these health benefits, it’s no wonder that the U.S. has led the way legalizing medical marijuana. CBD oil can help you with all the mentioned conditions and many more – if it’s legal in your state, why not try it?
