CBD Oil: Seven Scientifically Proven Benefits for Your Health

06. 11. 2023

CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from hemp plants and then diluting it with carrier oils such as coconut oil or hemp seed oil. CBD oil usually contains only a small amount of the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the substance that causes the feeling of intoxication. CBD oil can therefore be very beneficial to your health. Due to its growing popularity, more and more people are seeking this oil to relieve their pain and other ailments. Research into some of the claims made about the therapeutic effects of CBD oil is still ongoing and there is still a lot we don't know about CBD. This article looks at 7 proven health benefits of CBD oil.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil is made from the finest hemp plants. It is a chemical extracted from the leaves and flowers of hemp plants that helps restore the body's natural balance.

CBD is one of the chemicals referred to as cannabinoids that are found in cannabis. Unlike other cannabinoids such as THC, CBD does not have intoxicating effects. CBD works with the endocannabinoid system and activates receptors in the brain that control things like mood and body temperature.

What is CBD oil used for?

Supporters of CBD oil claim that it benefits people with various health problems. It can be used to treat conditions such as chronic pain, inflammation, migraines, epilepsy, depression and anxiety. Scientists are increasingly looking into how effective CBD oil can be in treating these and many other health conditions. Below, we look at seven health problems for which the use of CBD oil has proven successful.

Anxiety and depression

Among the most talked about effects of CBD is its positive effect on depression and anxiety. A number of animal studies on the effects of CBD on mental disorders have shown promising results, with at least one study conducted on mice revealing that CBD has similar effects to antidepressants. However, further studies in humans are needed to confirm that CBD can produce the same antidepressant effect in our bodies.

In another study, 57 men took either CBD oil or a CBD-free sugar pill before a public appearance. The dose of CBD they were given varied. Some were given 150 milligrams, others 300 milligrams and still others 600 milligrams of CBD. Those who took 300 milligrams of CBD felt a significant reduction in anxiety during their performance compared to those who received only the placebo. However, those who took 150 or 600 milligrams of CBD oil did not experience such effects. This research was limited by a small sample size and was only conducted on men, so a larger study needs to be conducted to see if CBD has a similar effect on women.

Epilepsy

In certain cases, CBD can be used to treat epileptic seizures. In 2018, the first ever drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration was launched on the market, namely cannabidiol(Epidiolex) containing CBD for the treatment of two types of epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

In the trials, 516 patients suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome were given either Epidiolex or a placebo. When Epidiolex was taken along with other prescribed medications, the subjects experienced a reduction in the incidence of seizures compared to the placebo group.

Addiction

According to some studies, it appears that CBD could be used to treat people with opioid addiction. One study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry looked at the effect of CBD on craving caused by the need to use heroin and on anxiety in people with heroin addiction. Within one week, CBD significantly reduced heroin cravings, withdrawal anxiety, resting heart rate and salivarycortisol levels in heroin addicts. More rigorous studies are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of CBD oil for this purpose.

Pain relief

Researchers have looked at the effects of CBD on pain relief. Unfortunately, there are very few human studies on the use of CBD as a stand-alone pain reliever. Most studies have used a combination of CBD and THC to relieve pain. In 2005, Sativex was approved for use in Canada for the treatment of central neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis.

Astudy involving 47 people with multiple sclerosis examined the effects of regular use of Sativex for one month. Participants experienced pain relief, improved walking ability and a reduction in muscle spasms.

Other research has shown that CBD is anti-inflammatory and may reduce pain due to this effect, but unfortunately there is a lack of human studies. Therefore, more high-quality studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of CBD in pain management .

Neurodegenerative diseases

Scientists believe that CBD may be beneficial for people with neurodegenerative diseases due to its ability to act on the endocannabinoid system and other brain signalling systems. An article in the journal Molecules reported that animal studies have shown that CBD may be neuroprotective in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),
Multiple sclerosis,
Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease,
Huntington's disease.

According to several studies, the use of CBD improves the quality of life and sleep of people with Parkinson's disease, but researchers stress that there is currently insufficient good quality data.

Lowering insulin levels

From human cell testing, it has been found that CBD helps to reduce the effects of high glucose levels on other cells in the body, which prevents the onset of diabetes. Recent research conducted at Israel's Hadassah University Hospital showed that CBD reduced insulin levels enough to reverse diabetes in mice. The researchers concluded that after further studies, CBD could have significant benefits for patients with diabetes and diabetic complications.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Among the most important discoveries regarding CBD is that it acts on receptors in the brain to regulate levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in social behavior and mood. In a small 2018 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11 people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were given CBD alongside their usual psychiatric treatment for eight weeks. Ten of these 11 people experienced a reduction in their PTSD symptoms.

Another study found that CBD reduced activity in the part of the brain that is associated with reactions to fear and threats, specifically a part of the brain called the amygdala, and thus had a therapeutic effect on PTSD sufferers.

Other possible therapeutic benefits of CBD

In addition to the health problems mentioned above, CBD has also been investigated in the treatment of a number of other health problems, including:

Acne,
insomnia,
arthritis,
digestive disorders,
skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis,
high blood pressure,
relief from the side effects of chemotherapy.

Most of these studies have been done on animals, so similar effects may or may not be seen in humans. To learn more about these possible effects, more extensive research on humans is needed.

People use CBD oils and other CBD products for many different reasons, including pain management, anxiety relief, and treatment of epileptic seizures. Research into the effects of CBD on some health conditions is still ongoing, and we have much to learn about the possible effects of CBD. You should therefore consult your doctor before using any CBD product.