CBD or cannabidiol is becoming more and more popular today due to its purported health benefits that range from reducing symptoms of anxiety, and epilepsy, improving sleep, and decreasing perceptions of pain. CBD can be used as a tincture, as an oil, edible, or as a cream, and is legal to ship in all 50 states of the US. But does it really live up to the hype? Does it really have proven health benefits?
In this article, we’ll talk about the most significant health benefits of CBD, as well as a few that are still in the process of being studied by the scientific community.
Here are 7 of the proven health benefits of CBD:
1. Seizure Reduction
The first FDA-approved CBD drug was approved in 2018, and the medication is used to reduce the frequency of seizures in patients who suffer from two kinds of epilepsy: Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. According to studies, those who take CBD for epilepsy symptoms experienced a 36.5% reduction in seizure frequency. In children who suffered from Dravet Syndrome, there was a seizure frequency reduction of 50%.
Use of this FDA-approved CBD drug as a therapeutic treatment could be taken by children as young as 2 years old.
2. Pain Relief
The human body’s endocannabinoid system or ECS is involved in maintaining a balance between important functions in the body. Some of these functions include sleep, the immune system, appetite, and pain perception.
When you inhale, consume, or apply CBD to affected areas of your body, the ECS responds to these areas and applies the properties of CBD. Since CBD features anti-inflammatory responses, it helps to reduce pain in these areas, making CBD an effective treatment for the reduction of pain.
One study discovered that CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can dramatically reduce chronic pain and inflammation. This study involved subjects who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, and who were given a CBD oil10% treatment. After a few days, these study participants reported having a reduction in pain when they were moving, as well as when they were at rest.
3. Anxiety Relief
Anxiety is one of the most common mood disorders in adults and oftentimes, it can be debilitating, to the point that sufferers can no longer work, can’t engage in social interaction, and some can even fall into depression. CBD has been widely known to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, helping people relax and get rid of social fears.
One study that involved CBD and social anxiety studied two groups of people who were suffering from public speaking anxiety. One group was given a single dose of 600 mg of CBD one hour and a half before speaking in front of a crowd, while one group was given a placebo. The group who were given
CBD reported having significant reductions in anxiety, as well as reduced feelings of discomfort, and decreased cognitive impairment.
The placebo group, on the other hand, remained to feel anxious and made negative self-assessments, which was absent in the CBD group.
4. Improved Sleep
Since anxiety is one of the reasons for poor sleep quality, taking CBD has been shown to improve sleep patterns. A study on pediatric PTSD showed that taking CBD consistently improved sleep quality over a period of 5 months. When taken daily at 12 to 25mg, individuals reported enjoying better sleep throughout the night, as well as experiencing better quality sleep, and less anxiety during the day.
5. Addiction Recovery
Studies have shown that taking CBD can help in the recovery of nicotine and opioid addiction. CBD does this by alleviating symptoms of withdrawal, such as nausea, vomiting, cravings, anxiety, and depression. In one study that involved smokers, one group was given a CBD inhaler while another group was given a placebo. The study subjects were told to use the inhaler given to them each time they felt like smoking.
The group that was given a placebo smoked the same amount of cigarettes, while the group that used the CBD inhaler reported a significant 40% reduction of cigarettes smoked. CBD is also non-addictive, making it a viable supplement in the recovery of substance addiction.
6. Improved Cardiovascular Health
The use of CBD has been shown to improve cardiovascular health by helping to control blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension can cause heart attack, and stroke, and can even impair the organs. The use of CBD, however, has been shown to help lower blood pressure, easing stress on the organs and the circulatory system, helping to protect the heart, and ultimately, leading to improved cardiovascular health.
7. Treatment for Skin Issues
CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties have been hailed for its ability to treat a variety of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. It has also been known to regulate the oily secretion of sebaceous glands in the skin, which helps prevent acne. Taking CBD or applying topical creams to affected areas of the skin can help treat these skin conditions.
Conclusion
These are the most common and most studied health benefits of using CBD but since research on the compound is relatively new, a long list of health benefits is still being studied.
Some of the potential health benefits of CBD include protection against neurodegeneration and cognitive decline that are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, management of blood sugar levels, reduction of psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia, anti-depressant treatment, and more.
CBD is a natural and effective treatment for a wide range of health conditions. Its most promising property is its anti-inflammatory mechanism, which helps in pain reduction, skin issues, heart health, and more. Though studies are still ongoing today for other CBD benefits, there’s no question that the compound from the cannabis Sativa plant is one of the most natural and simplest remedies for a variety of health issues.
