Important Facts You Need To Know Before Using CBD Oil

CBD oil is a non-psychoactive cannabis extract. CBD use has increased alongside medical marijuana. It has been hailed for its remedial effects towards pain relief, managing anxiety, and more.

CBD is not a cure-all treatment, but it shows promise as an alternative treatment for certain conditions.

Endocannabinoid System: An Introduction

First, let's talk about how the endocannabinoid system works, and how CBD interacts with it.

Components of the ECS

• Endocannabinoids: Neurotransmitters that are created by our body to perform certain functions and keep everything running smoothly.
• Receptors: Signal to the ECS to take action when endocannabinoids bind to them.
• Enzymes: Recycle endocannabinoids by breaking them down after they've completed their task, so they can be used for the next function.

What does the ECS affect?

• Mood
• Appetite
• Sleep
• Stress level
• Pain tolerance
• Metabolism

These are just a few of the many processes that the ECS impacts. Overall, the main function of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis, the stable condition of the body.

How does CBD interact with the ECS?

Studies suggest that CBD does not bind to endocannabinoid receptors, but rather it affects those receptors indirectly through certain processes it performs. Through this interaction is where beneficial effects can occur.

1. Pain Management

Several studies provide evidence that CBD may reduce chronic pain by working with endocannabinoid receptors. For example, many people with arthritis use CBD as a way to relieve their joint pain. Below, we can look at a couple more specific applications where CBD has been used to relieve pain.

Cancer

CBD has been known to help lessen the neuropathic pain that comes with cancer and has also been found to benefit patients suffering from nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

Inflammation

Since medicine involving cannabis is fairly new to the pharmaceutical world, human studies can are difficult to find. But a study conducted on rats with osteoarthritis found that CBD prevented pain and nerve damage in the early stage of inflammation. Providing promising potential for human application. 

2. Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health issues of our time. Anxiety is normal, but if your anxiety is affecting your quality of life, it might be best to look into treatment options. A study was conducted on patients with a social anxiety disorder (SAD), researchers found that the patients' symptoms of anxiety improved. CBD has also been discovered to have anti-panic benefits in both humans and animals.

3. Improves Skin Condition

CBD oil is becoming a more popular ingredient in skin care due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It can fight acne triggers and reduce oil production. Along with acne reduction, it may also be able to soothe inflamed skin conditions like psoriasis. More skin conditions CBD is known to help include:

• Infections
• Eczema
• Rosacea

4. Seizure Control

A seizure is an electrical disturbance in the brain. Symptoms of seizures can vary widely depending on the type, and can include: staring off into space, loss of muscle control, all-over shaking, and loss of consciousness.

CBD oil has proven effective in combating seizure occurrences. Evidence from studies like this one led to the FDA approval of a product called Epidiolex, a purified CBD extract product. It is thought that CBD is able to "calm" overactive neurons that can cause seizures.

5. Promotes Healthy Sleep

Pain and anxiety can make someone unable to sleep, and since CBD can help with both of those issues, it would make sense that it can help insomnia related to those issues. However, it also affects the sleep cycle in more direct ways. A study published in 2014 found that four Parkinson's patients using CBD had significantly reduced their symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).

Methods of Consumption

Finally, it's valuable to know the different methods for how you can use CBD, and what specific ailments they are used for.

• Topical: Topical applications can include balms, creams, and patches. This method is often used to treat pain and inflammation in specific areas, such as arthritis pain and other joint pains.
• Oral: Oral consumption is used to treat pain, anxiety, and insomnia as well. Pills, chewable, capsules, etc. There are many options to choose from under this method of delivery. However, this is probably the least effective route to go. Ingesting CBD orally has proven to have a low bioavailability percentage. In other words, much of the CBD is not absorbed by the body through this method, so you might be missing out on some beneficial effects. However, a study conducted found that rats given CBD via the oral route have higher brain levels than rats who consumed it through injection or inhalation. Please make sure you consult your doctor and check the doses before consuming CBD.
• Sublingual: A common method of choice for those looking to decrease their seizure frequency. It involves the use of sprays or tinctures. This method has a higher percentage of bioavailability than the oral route, specifically when the oil is dropped under the tongue.
• Smoked or Vaped: Vaped CBD is a great way to absorb it in your system, although there are possible health issues that can occur as a result of vaping or smoking, so it's best to keep that in mind as well.
• Suppository: Not a very common route taken, and not one for the faint of heart. The suppositories can be inserted anally or vaginally. Research in this area is essentially non-existent, but there's a fair share of anecdotal evidence suggesting that CBD suppositories have helped people with hemorrhoids, vaginal dryness, and menstrual cramps.

CBD still has a long way to go in terms of research, but as the fear propaganda surrounding cannabis plummets, I believe we will see more studies conducted in the future. As someone who has used CBD themselves, I highly recommend it to fellow anxiety sufferers. I noticed that over time, my overall anxiety started to gradually decrease.