CBD: Safe and effective?

What Research Says About CBD Oil

Cannabis has been used for spiritual purposes for thousands of years all over the the world. It has had parts in celebration, healing, spiritual communication, sexual practice, and philosophy. The majority of these ancient uses of cannabis are still in use today, and the drug’s popularity is only rising.

Significant changes have occurred in the global policy environment surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. With the extensive availability of novel cannabis and cannabis-based products, there is a dire need to understand their safety and efficacy for medical indications.

Scientists and medical researchers have been exploring the health benefits and risks of cannabis for a long time. Researchers have been extracting cannabinoids—chemical compounds found in cannabis—and making strains of varying strength to see if they can alleviate chronic pain and treat or alleviate the effects of ailments such as seizures and other neurological disorders.

There are three primary factors that make it hard to initiate research that would answer the most important public health questions: the legal status of cannabis and cannabinoids, sources for cannabis and cannabinoids used in studies, and a lack of funding and resources to support studies. Despite these obstacles, research continues to grow rapidly and recent changes in the United States have opened the way for exciting new work. Despite this shifting landscape, information regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use is still being determined.

As cannabis legalization and access expand, it becomes increasingly important for people to have an understanding of it. Part of this information is learning how cannabis affects different medical conditions.

“It became clear to me that cannabis is greatly understudied. I wanted to understand what exactly the drug does to the brain and cognition, and to what extent those effects represent an enhancement or impairment of cognition and awareness,” said Conor Murray, a former University of Chicago postdoctoral THC researcher who is now at UCLA.

The Evidence For Cannabidiol Health Benefits

CBD has been praised for a variety of health challenges, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its efficacy in treating some of the most cruel childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which typically do not respond to antiseizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the amount of seizures and, in some cases, stop them completely. Epidiolex, which includes CBD, is the first FDA-approved cannabis-derived medicine for these conditions.

Animal studies, as well as self-reports and human research, indicate that CBD may also help with:

  • Anxiety. CBD has been reported to decrease anxiety in studies and clinical trials.
  • Insomnia. CBD might help in both falling and remaining asleep, based on research.
  • Chronic pain. CBD may reduce pain, but more research is needed.

One animal study published in the European Journal of Pain indicates that when applied to the skin, CBD may help reduce pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.

Is CBD Safe?

CBD’s side effects include nausea, fatigue, and irritability. CBD can raise the levels of blood thinning and other medications in your system by competing with the liver enzymes that break these drugs down. Grapefruit has a similar effect on certain medications.

In some animal studies published by the National Institute of Health, extremely large doses of CBD were given to mice and scientists noticed elevated levels of liver enzymes, sometimes even leading to death. When they brought the doses back down to normal levels, the mice did not die.

How can CBD be taken?

CBD is available in a variety of forms, including oils, extracts, capsules, patches, vapes, and topical skin preparations. A topical CBD-infused oil can be effective for reducing inflammation and relieving muscle and joint pain.

Conclusion

According to a recent survey published by the National Library of Medicine, a large percentage of respondents believe that CBD effectively treats their condition(s) in the absence of conventional medicine and with no severe side effects. CBD is widely used by people for both specific health conditions and general health and well-being. These findings encourage further study into CBD’s therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.

The findings of this research also show that people learn about CBD from friends or family members rather than healthcare professionals. So, if you decide to try something with CBD, make sure you get it from a trustworthy source.