CBD FAQ
Welcome to our comprehensive CBD FAQ page, where we address your most pressing questions about CBD. As the popularity of CBD continues to soar, we understand the importance of providing clear and concise information to guide you on your journey. Whether you’re a seasoned CBD enthusiast or just starting to explore its potential benefits, this FAQ is designed to demystify common queries, offering insights into CBD’s uses, benefits, legality, and more. Dive into the world of CBD knowledge and find answers to your inquiries right here.
CBD FAQ
How CBD Works
It all starts with the Hemp Plant, which produces a wide array of hydrophobic molecules which are called cannabinoids. All cannabinoids, including CBD, attach themselves to certain receptors in the body to produce their effects.
The human body produces certain cannabinoids on its own through our “endocannabinoid system”. It has two receptors for cannabinoids, called CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are found all around the body, but many of them are in the brain.The CB1 receptors in the brain deal with coordination and movement, pain, emotions and mood, thinking, appetite, and memories, among others. THC attaches to these receptors. CB2 receptors are more common in the immune system and affect inflammation and pain.
CBD FAQ - What Are The Benefits of CBD?
CBD is a magical compound because of the way it acts in the body. CBD helps promote the natural homestasis of our cellular system, which is why there are so many ways it can benefit us.
CBD Benefits at a Glance
Click on any of the topics below to jump to the information:
CBD FAQ - What Are The Health Benefits of CBD?
CBD is an incredible compound because of the way it acts in the body. CBD helps promote the natural homestasis of our cellular system, which is why there are so many ways it can benefit us.
Natural Pain Relief
People commonly use prescription or over-the-counter drugs to relieve pain and stiffness, including chronic pain.
Some people feel that CBD offers a more natural way to lower pain. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine found that CBD significantly reduced chronic inflammation and pain in some mice and rats.
The researchers suggest that the non-psychoactive compounds in marijuana, such as CBD, could be a new treatment for chronic pain.
Natural Anti-Inflammatory
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the human body, which plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including immune response and inflammation. CBD is believed to exert its anti-inflammatory effects by influencing the endocannabinoid receptors, particularly CB2 receptors found in the immune cells. This interaction may modulate the immune system’s response, leading to a reduction in inflammation.
While research on CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties is still evolving, preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that it may offer a natural and alternative approach to managing inflammation-related conditions.
Reduce Nicotine Cravings
There is some promising evidence that CBD use may help people to quit smoking. A pilot study posted to Addictive Behaviors found that smokers who used an inhaler containing the compound CBD smoked fewer cigarettes but did not have any additional craving for nicotine.
Another similar study posted to Neurotherapeutics found that CBD may be a promising substance for people who abuse opioids. Researchers noted that some symptoms experienced by patients with substance use disorders might be reduced by CBD. These include anxiety, mood symptoms, pain, and insomnia.
These are early findings, but they suggest that CBD may be used to avoid or reduce withdrawal symptoms.
CBD FAQ - What Are The Health Benefits of CBD?
Reduce Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
There is growing evidence among the wellness community that CBD may reduce anxiety and nausea, two symptoms that can occur during opiate withdrawal.
The study also found that individuals with pain took less opioid medication when they were also receiving CBD.
The evidence suggests that CBD could potentially be added to the standard opioid detoxification regimen to mitigate acute or protracted opioid withdrawal-related symptoms.
Epilepsy & Mental Health Disorders
CBD is also being studied for its possible role in treating epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders.
A review posted to Epilepsia noted that CBD has anti-seizure properties and a low risk of side effects for people with epilepsy.
Studies into CBD’s effect on neurological disorders suggest that it may help to treat many of the disorders that are linked to epilepsy, such as neurodegeneration, neuronal injury, and psychiatric diseases.
Another study published in Current Pharmaceutical Design found that CBD may have similar effects to certain antipsychotic drugs and that it may be safe and effective in treating patients with schizophrenia.
More research is needed to understand how this works, however.
Cancer
CBD has been studied for its use as an anti-cancer agent.
A review posted to the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology notes that CBD appears to block cancer cells from spreading around the body and invading an area entirely.
The review indicates that this compound tends to suppress the growth of cancer cells and promote the death of these cells.
Researchers note that CBD may help in cancer treatment because of its low toxicity levels. They call for it to be studied along with standard treatments, to check for synergistic effects.
CBD FAQ - What Are The Health Benefits of CBD?
Anxiety Disorders
Individuals with chronic anxiety are often advised to avoid cannabis, as THC can trigger or amplify anxiety and paranoia in some people.
However, a review from Neurotherapeutics suggests that CBD may help to reduce the anxiety felt by people with certain anxiety disorders.
The researchers point to studies showing that CBD may reduce anxiety behaviors in disorders such as:
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- general anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
The review notes that current medications for these disorders can lead to additional symptoms and side effects and that people may stop taking the drugs because of these unwanted effects.
CBD has not shown any adverse effects in these cases to date, and the researchers call for CBD to be studied as a potential treatment method.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by inflammation when the immune system attacks cells in the pancreas.
Recent research posted to Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation found that CBD may ease the inflammation in the pancreas in type 1 diabetes. This may be the first step in finding a CBD-based treatment for type 1 diabetes.
CBD FAQ - What Are The Health Benefits of CBD?
Acne
Acne treatment is another promising use for CBD. The condition is caused, in part, by inflammation and overworked sebaceous glands in the body.
A recent study posted to the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that CBD helps to lower the production of sebum that leads to acne, partly because of its anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
CBD could be a future treatment for acne vulgaris, the most common form of acne.
Alzheimer's Disease
Initial research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that CBD was able to prevent the development of social recognition deficit in subjects.
This means that CBD could potentially prevent people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s from losing their ability to recognize the faces of people that they know. This is the first evidence that CBD has potential to prevent Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.
Source: Medical News Today
By Jon Johnson
Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT