So, you aren’t sick, you are not in serious pain, you are not recovering from injury… is there really any reason for taking cannabidiol (CBD)? The answer is that while CBD makes an excellent alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for the treatment of some serious illness and disease, it also is continuing to prove itself as an extremely beneficial daily supplement. As a supplement, it continues to demonstrate an ability to boost health and well-being in an overall sense, as well as its ability to function as a preventative medicine, for maintaining a healthy mind and body.
Where does it come from?
Cannabidiol comes from the same plant that medical marijuana comes from, but while marijuana remains illegal at a federal level within the United States, CBD enjoys a working within a loophole that allows it to be legally grown, sold and consumed. This is because marijuana comes from cannabis strains that are high in a cannabinoid called THC. This cannabinoid, while extremely powerful in a medical sense, has garnered decades of negative attention from the government for its mind-altering effects. Basically, marijuana (THC) makes you stoned. On the flip side, CBD hemp oil comes from a strain of cannabis with extremely low levels of THC (less than 0.3% to remain legal), and this strain is commonly referred to as industrial hemp. This strain cannot cause any unwanted psychological effects. Industrialized hemp is now legally grown within the United States, and it can be processed into a myriad of different products, some of which include CBD products meant to be used as supplements. Industrial hemp and its associated products are also legally able to be imported into America for use by Americans.
How does it work?
Cannabinoids that are naturally produced by the cannabis plant, mimic the natural cannabinoids produced by the human body. These molecules interact with our endocannabinoid system, influencing many vital aspects of our lives, including mood, appetite, pain, inflammation, the immune system, and the nervous system. While other cannabinoids are slightly better understood, CBD’s technique within the endocannabinoid system remains partially unknown. Scientists have discovered that it seems to antagonize the CB-1 receptor. It otherwise doesn’t seem to have any affinity to any other receptor.
Currently CBD is understood to indirectly influence serotonin production, increase the release of a human produced cannabinoid that then influences the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors, and finally it has been found to reduce the deterioration of anandamide, another naturally produced cannabinoid (meaning it sticks around in your system for longer). So while CBD doesn’t directly lock with any endocannabinoid receptor, it has been found to be beneficial for other cannabinoids floating around in the system.
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What are the side effects?
Hard to believe, but CBD is considered to be one of the safest supplements to take because it literally has almost no instance of serious side effects. The primary side effect experienced, is a sense of relaxation. However, this doesn’t mean it makes you drowsy, it simply relaxes you. Other side effects are extremely rare (for instance, high doses can increase the appearance of Parkinson’s tremors, and in some cases, can inhibit the absorption of some liver metabolized medications. Despite science continuing to push the limits, a lethal dose has yet to be discovered.
What is it good for as a daily supplement?
While it is true that the research is basically falling over itself with new potential areas for CBD use, there are many areas that are proving to be equally beneficial in terms of its use as a daily supplement. In fact, while many supplements are taken for solely one purpose, CBD has shown it is widely applicable for both the mind and body.
Daily Anxiety
Whether we discuss it or not, anxiety has become a common thread in modern life. With daily CBD use, people often report that suddenly the edge has been taken off, and they no longer walk around with a constant sense of dread. Cannabidiol has been found to be effective in an often-replicated study examining its use for reducing anxiety caused by environmental issues. For example, when given to participants prior to a public speech, it was able to measurably reduce any physiological signs of stress such as heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
Systemic Inflammation
One of the most well documented benefits of CBD is its anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is one of the leading causes of pain and illness, and any method to reduce it can actually have wide reaching effects. CBD is able to do this through disruption of the standard inflammatory response, which can unfortunately become over reactive. This includes the suppression of cytokines and chemokines which exist at the site of inflammation. It also may promote cell death of activated immune cells which have triggered the over-inflammatory response.
Mood
While it may not interact directly with the CB-1 receptor within the brain, CBD does influence it to some extent. It also is able to positively influence serotonin production, which easily improves mood without the use of any anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications. CBD inhibits the reabsorption of anandamide, otherwise known as the bliss molecule. Because anandamide sticks around for longer, it therefore improves mood stability.
RELATED: The Underlying Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/
https://cbdoilreview.org/cbd-cannabidiol/cbd-endocannabinoid-system/
https://www.highlandpharms.com/faq-cbd-hemp-oil
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/whats-the-deal-with-these-high-cbd-strains
