CBD oil has become increasingly more popular over the past few years. Many claim that it can help with various conditions like sleep, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, addiction, as well as epilepsy, making it very appealing to people who would like more natural alternatives to traditional treatments. Continue reading to learn more about CBD oil, along with 9 potential benefits of the oil and where to buy it.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a hemp extract, which is extracted from cannabis plants (mostly from the hemp plant) in specific ways and then diluted with a carrier oil like- coconut oil or hemp seed oil.
Three types of CBD oils are available: CBD full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate. You can get low strength, mid-strength and high strength CBD oil.
CBD oil has different ways to use- the oil can be used topically, it can also come in the form of edibles like pills, capsules etc.; But however, the most popular way of using the oil is sublingual.
What are The Benefits of CBD Oil?
CBD oil has become greatly popular since CBD is very potent for healing various conditions. People are getting different health benefits. As the research and studies say, the primary benefits of CBD oil come from its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-anxiety and neuroprotective properties.
Here are some of the best medical benefits of CBD oil
1. Epilepsy
CBD is approved to treat seizures caused by two rare forms of epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Some studies have found that CBD may also effectively treat some other types of epilepsy.
In 2018, the FDA approved the use of CBD through medicine under the brand Epidiolex to treat seizures resulting from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, the two rare forms of epilepsy in patients at least 2 years old.
2. Pain Relief
Studies suggest that some cannabinoids in cannabis plants, including CBD, have pain-relieving effects. CBD may help reduce pain by working on many different biological processes in the body as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic.
Relive everyday CBD oil helps relieve pain and inflammation by interacting with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body’s ECS.
These tiny proteins, the receptors attached to cells all over the body, receive signals from different types of stimuli to help cells respond. After being active, these receptors may reduce pain and fight inflammation.
3. Inflammation
Research is available to suggest that CBD can alleviate inflammation- both chronic and acute inflammation- by affecting the activity in the body’s endocannabinoid receptors.
CBD oil is anti-inflammatory and can help avoid and reduce the frequency of asthma attacks with its potent anti-inflammatory properties. CBD oil may help reduce hyperresponsiveness in your airways by reducing the sensitivity of your lungs to triggers, which may cause an asthma attack. So, now CBD and asthma may also go hand in hand as CBD effectively helps with asthma and related inflammation, and you can easily find yourself a flawless CBD oil for reducing inflammation and asthma from the many online and offline options available.
4. Sleep & Insomnia
If your insomnia is external factor-based, CBD oil may help you by treating the causes of sleeplessness. Although research on CBD is still in its infancy, some studies suggest that CBD oil may help promote sleep in people with sleep disorders. Some anecdotal evidence also suggests that CBD oil may improve healthy sleep patterns in humans. For example, in a study, 31% of people who took CBD for other conditions such as anxiety or non-cancer-related pain reported that their sleep level had developed with CBD.
5. Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are major factors to impact your health severely. To treat these long-term mental health conditions, people normally take the help of prescription medication as one of the main ways. But with time, more people are turning to CBD oil to treat anxiety and depression.
Studies found that CBD oil might help relieve depression and anxiety. But all CBD oils may not be equally effective or trustworthy because the low-cost ones available here and there or purchased from unknown sources may be short in quality for scamming or contamination. So, try to find out the best CBD oil for anxiety and depression from a trustworthy source or reputed CBD oil company to enjoy the best effect.
6. Addiction Management and Treatment
Strong desire or cravings for drugs is addiction, generally occurring by exposure to a particular cue. So, reducing or controlling these cravings during such cues can largely help people abstain from using heroin or addictive substances.
CBD is thought to effectively target risk states of drug use relapse by relieving anxiety and stress related to drug cues and by mediating anti-depressant activity. Some experts say that CBD oil can help people with addiction by controlling the activity of the amygdala involved in addiction.
7. Inflammatory Skin Conditions
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD may be particularly useful for inflammatory skin conditions. Some experts believe that the effects of CBD occur when the cannabinoid interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the skin and thereby reduce the potential triggers of eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis. Since CBD oil can help soothe skin and alleviate the appearance of irritation, it would be useful for people with sensitive skin.
Some skin conditions to be improved with CBD treatment may include,
- itchy skin
- atopic dermatitis
- acne
- psoriasis
- skin cancer
- pain
8. Neuroprotection
Researchers believe that the neuroprotective effects of CBD generate from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has been reported that CBD is neuroprotective at concentrations between 1 and 10 µm, which reduces signs of oxidative stress, modulates cytokine release and increases calcium release from neuronal and glial intracellular stores.
CBD can provide some significant neuroprotection against numerous pathological disorders. After taking CBD, it starts interacting with neuroreceptors in your endocannabinoid system and helps regulate your movement and mood, homeostasis and immune system by sending signals between cells.
CBD may help protect several neurodegenerative diseases, including:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Huntington’s disease
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- multiple sclerosis (MS)
9. Relief from chemotherapy side effects
Cannabis may help people with cancer and regular nausea and vomiting, especially from chemotherapy.
A study on humans shows that people with nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy experienced relief after taking Sativex. But, there’s no clear indication of how much of a contribution the CBD provided. So, more reviews can help understand the actual role of CBD in relieving nausea and vomiting.
Side Effects of Consuming CBD Oil
As previously mentioned, the FDA has only approved one CBD product, Epidiolex, for two of the rarest forms of epilepsy, and there is still limited evidence about how CBD products generally affects the body.
During the review and approval process for the CBD based Epidiolex, using CBD was found to have several potential risks and side effects, such as:
- Possible interaction with other medications
- Causing liver injury
- High risk of sedation and drowsiness when taken with alcohol.
- Changing alertness
- Decreasing appetite
- Dry mouth
- Causing diarrhea
Consuming counterfeit or low-quality CBD products can increase or lead to more dangerous side effects. As CBD is relatively new, many of the available products may not really be what they appear to be, or may not have undergone quality control assessments. Most reputed CBD product websites should have a Certificate of Authenticity. We advise avoiding brands those that do not have the COAs.
Where to Buy CBD Oil?
With the increased popularity, numerous CBD oil products are occupying the marketplace. But there is no FDA regulation or a good governing body to control them. So, there are chances for you of being scammed. You should research how to buy the best-suited CBD oil from the market. You can also buy it online from a reputable and trustworthy brand or CBD oil company by placing your order directly on their website.
Final Thoughts
CBD oil has already proved its various potential role and efficacy in treating, soothing and calming the symptoms of various health conditions, including anxiety, respiratory and neurological disorders, through many studies. It may also help heal heart health and relieve certain types of pain. However, more trials are needed to investigate its use for numerous other conditions, such as muscle-spasticity in multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, substance-abuse treatment, and diabetes protection.
