The human heart has become a symbol of love in our society, but this powerful muscle plays an essential role in our health. By the end of this article, you’ll understand why you should consider CBD for heart health. We’ll discover the research that shows why CBD and cardiovascular system problems may be a match made in heaven. You’ll learn how CBD can impact blood pressure, inflammation, oxidative stress, and so much more.
Table of Contents
1. It’s All About the Heart
1.1 Heart Disease in America
1.2 CBD and the Fight Against Heart Disease
2. CBD Heart Benefits: Protecting Arteries, Veins, and the Heart
2.1 Decreasing High Blood Pressure
2.2 Decreasing Inflammation
2.3 Antioxidant Properties
2.4 Addressing Irregular Heartbeats
3. CBD Oil for Heart Health
LISTEN TO THE BLOG POST HERE:
1. It’s All About the Heart
The human heart is a breathtaking structure capable of pumping blood through our bodies for our entire life. In fact, by the time we are 70, the average heart has expanded and contracted 2.5 billion times. While this muscular pump is only slightly larger than your fist, it keeps your blood flowing everywhere it needs to go. [1]
While the focus of this article is on the human heart, it is impossible to ignore the rest of our vascular system. The entire closed loop acts as a single unit, so scientists call it the cardiovascular system.
We all have a massive network of elastic tubes that carry the blood throughout the body. These tubes transport the oxygen we need from our lungs to every inch of our body. Arteries convey blood away from the heart, while veins return the blood to where it started. Everything—from hormones to lymphocytes and nutrients—uses this liquid highway to circulate our entire body. [1]
1.1 Heart Disease in America
Unfortunately, far too many Americans experience heart disease in their lifetime. “Heart disease” is the catch-all term to describe any condition impacting the structure and function of the heart. “Cardiovascular disease” is a term used to describe any disease that involves the heart and blood vessels. This includes things like a heart attack or stroke.
Just to give you an idea of the scope of this problem, one American dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Moreover, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Around one in every four deaths in America are a result of heart disease each year. [2]
1.2 CBD and the Fight Against Heart Disease
Heart disease medications are known to produce a wide array of side effects that many find distressing. Researchers and Americans as a whole are in hot pursuit of healthy alternative treatments. Could CBD be a potential weapon in our fight against cardiovascular disease?
RELATED: 19 Interesting Facts about CBD You Probably Didn’t Know
Heart disease is a severe condition that requires medical interventions. Any adult considering adding CBD to their health routine should have a conversation with their primary physician first. There are important considerations that must be discussed, especially for any person with a history of heart disease or taking pharmaceutical medications.
Researchers have conducted many studies on the effects of CBD on animals to give us hints of how humans will be impacted. Although the studies are limited, they do suggest numerous CBD heart benefits. That said, there are a handful of clinical studies involving humans that also help guide our understanding. Overall, the proposed benefits of CBD for our cardiovascular system include:
- Protection for our cardiovascular system
- Reduced arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
- Decreased blood pressure
- Reduced inflammation
- Antioxidant properties
RELATED: CBD Oil: A Positive Support for the Fight against Heart Disease
We will break down each of these points in detail so you’ll understand why we are so excited about the potential behind CBD. First, we will look at the reasons taking CBD for heart health can provide broad protection against damage.
2. CBD Heart Benefits: Protecting Arteries, Veins, and the Heart
There is mounting evidence that CBD is beneficial for our cardiovascular system. In fact, CBD can act directly upon our blood vessels to produce acute vasorelaxation. In other words, CBD directly causes our blood vessels to relax and widen. [3]
This vasorelaxation is a significant contributor to the impacts of CBD on blood pressure. But there are more ways CBD can protect our blood vessels that must be explored.
RELATED: 5 Heart Health Tips
Individuals with diabetes commonly experience vascular damage, which can lead to incredibly painful neuropathies. This nerve damage and the resulting symptom cluster is called “diabetic neuropathy” for this very reason. We know that nerve damage results from the high-glucose environment that diabetes produces in our blood vessels.
CBD has been shown to protect against this vascular damage resulting from high glucose levels. It is through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms that CBD is thought to provide these incredible benefits. [3]
Furthermore, CBD helps improve vascular health by reducing the hyperpermeability that occurs due to high glucose levels. In other words, CBD helps maintain healthy blood vessel walls, ensuring the right compounds can enter and exit as needed.
This leads us to the heart, where CBD has shown tremendous potential for protective properties. Studies have shown that CBD protects against heart damage commonly associated with diabetes.
Through this and several different primary mechanisms, there is a positive role for CBD in treating heart disease. Overall, CBD demonstrates great promise in helping to keep our heart and blood vessels healthy. [3]
2.1 Decreasing High Blood Pressure
While high blood pressure may not sound all that bad, it leads to years of cumulative damage before symptoms ever appear. “Hypertension” is the scientific term for having high blood pressure. It involves the damaging and narrowing of arteries as a result of increased internal pressure. Further concerns resulting from high blood pressure include aneurysms, heart attack, heart failure, and coronary artery disease.
As you can see, maintaining healthy blood pressure is essential to keeping your cardiovascular system healthy and functioning optimally. So, how could CBD help reduce the risk of heart disease?
While the study was small, this is a case where we have a human clinical study to explore. In 2017, a group of researchers investigated the use of CBD to lower blood pressure and provide other cardiovascular benefits. The results were amazing! [4]
RELATED: 12 Ways to Control Blood Pressure Without Medication
Researchers found that the administration of CBD provided two significant benefits. First, they saw a reduced resting blood pressure (“resting” as in sitting calmly). Second, when exposed to stress, these participants experienced a reduced blood pressure increase compared to placebo. [4]
This is crazy:
These results demonstrate how CBD lowered blood pressure in healthy participants. More specific research is needed to see how individuals with high blood pressure respond. However, CBD presents excellent promise in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. [4]
As you probably know, lowering your blood pressure is one of the best ways to lower your risk of heart disease. From the research we have, it appears that CBD can help widen blood vessels to improve blood flow and reduce high blood pressure. We know that there is an immediate reduction in blood pressure after consuming CBD. (Click to tweet)
We just need more research into the long-term benefits this may provide.
2.2 Decreasing Inflammation
Reducing inflammation is a constant finding of numerous studies exploring CBD. Researchers have explored how CBD can aid those suffering from inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and arthritis. It appears that CBD continues this good work when it comes to the heart.
Inflammation of the heart is a serious concern that can lead to numerous health risks, including heart disease. While the symptoms of inflammation may not be obvious when it comes to our heart, we know that the long-term effects can be dire.
This is crazy but amazing:
Researchers have already noted the benefits of CBD on inflammation-causing diseases such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Evidence suggests that CBD can also be of benefit when it comes to the inflammation of the heart. (Click to tweet)
The same goes for our blood vessels, where inflammation can lead to plaque buildup and eventually heart disease. [5]
RELATED: How CBD Helps Reduce Inflammation
We know that CBD acts upon the endocannabinoid system to produce these anti-inflammatory effects. CBD does this by restricting the activation of inflammatory pathways and through the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In other words, CBD stops inflammation in its tracks by blocking the process that ramps it up. [6]
2.3. Antioxidant Properties
When it comes to heart health and our cardiovascular system, we have long known that antioxidants play a substantial beneficial role. Antioxidants help fight cell-damaging free radicals, which play a role in numerous cardiovascular system diseases. Without getting into the details, you can think of this situation as a balancing act between oxidative stress and antioxidant compounds ingested.
Now:
Research has helped us understand how CBD goes beyond anti-inflammatory effects by also possessing antioxidant properties. This has led to a swell of support for the therapeutic potential of CBD for numerous diseases. [5] (Click to tweet)
CBD influences the balancing act inside our bodies by modifying the activity and level of oxidants and antioxidants. It is through interrupting the free radical chain reactions that CBD can influence this delicate balance. [5]
More specifically, the actions of CBD on the endocannabinoid system are thought to be responsible for the therapeutic modulation of oxidative stress. In other words, our endocannabinoid system plays an essential role, and CBD helps to support it. [5]
By limiting the production of oxygen/nitrogen reactive species, CBD provides several key benefits. These include: [6]
- Limiting cellular damage
- Protecting mitochondria (the power generators of our cells)
- Reducing cell death
- Regulating ionic homeostasis (ions impact the pH of blood)
Overall, CBD has shown more potential than any other cannabinoid for use as an antioxidant remedy. More research is needed, but every study has indicated that this relationship is one of the ways CBD provides substantial benefits to our cardiovascular system. [5]
RELATED: How Does CBD Work in Your Body
2.4. Addressing Irregular Heartbeats
Electrical signals regulate our hearts via the nervous system. These impulses coordinate our heartbeat and response to our external environment. In other words, these signals increase or decrease our heart rate, but they can also lead to irregular rhythms. These irregular rhythms are called arrhythmias. In general, heart arrhythmias are not life-threatening, but some can be deadly.
CBD has been shown to have cardioprotective properties that help keep your heart pumping regularly. In fact, research demonstrated that CBD has an anti-arrhythmic effect that can help reduce irregular heartbeats. (Click to tweet) While this research was performed on rats, there is plenty of promise for the same results in humans. [7]
As more research is performed, we’ll discover more about the fantastic potential of CBD. Heart arrhythmias are a severe public health concern, and finding a way to reduce their impact is imperative. As we’ve discussed here today, there are numerous ways that CBD can help benefit our cardiovascular system.
What’s the bottom line?
When it comes to getting our daily dose of CBD, there is no safer and easier way than by using CBD oil. With a simple eyedropper, you can get the exact dose you need to help keep your body running smoothly. (Click to tweet) Combined with a healthy diet and adequate exercise, CBD can help alleviate concerns and ensure optimal heart health. Don’t let these problems develop under the surface until it is too late to take action.
As far as CBD oil goes, our Fastest Acting Liposomal CBD has no rivals. The enhanced absorption ensures that you get the most out of your CBD dose quickly and efficiently. Alternatively, our CBD Capsules are perfect for those seeking an easier pill to swallow in pre-measured doses.
WATCH: SOL*CBD Liposomal
3. CBD Oil for Heart Health
There are few things in life more important than keeping a healthy heart. One day, we may add CBD to the list of weapons in our fight against heart disease. The number of lives that could be saved by improving our treatment of cardiovascular problems is almost too large to grasp. (Click to tweet)
Here’s the deal:
Taken together, there are plenty of reasons to give CBD oil a chance to help improve your heart health. As we mentioned earlier, however, this journey should not be taken alone. Consult your doctor or medical professional team before adding CBD to your health routine.
RELATED: What Pharmaceutical Drugs can Interact with CBD Oil
Sources:
- https://www.hoag.org/specialties-services/heart-vascular/conditions/heart-basics/
- https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22670794/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5470879/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023045/
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2020/4587024/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936031/
