CBD oil
Cannabidiol is a popular natural remedy used by many people across the globe. It is also known as CBD. The CBD is primarily extracted from hemp paste, made from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, with hemp seeds as a secondary source. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive. This can be a reason why CBD is quite popular because it does not give you that high feeling. CBD oil is often an appealing option for people looking for pain relief. It can also help with other types of mild symptoms or issues. CBD does not just stop at helping humans but has also been used to help dogs that have arthritis. CBD oil is made from extracting CBD from a cannabis plant. It is then diluted with another oil such as; coconut or hemp seed oil.
What are the effects of Cannabidiol?
Cannabidiol has some effects on the brain. It prevents the breakdown of a chemical that causes pain and affects mood and mental function.
It can reduce pain and anxiety levels in certain people. Also, it can reduce psychotic symptoms associated with conditions such as schizophrenia as well as epilepsy. More research on CBD oil is being done yearly.
How do I use CBD oil?
A few drops of the oil can be put under the tongue 2-3 times a day. The oil is then left in the mouth for 1 minute before swallowing. This is to give the CBD oil time to absorb. The recommended daily dose (max. 15 drops a day of CBD 2.75% and 10 drops a day of CBD 5%) should not be exceeded. However, check the packaging for more details. In addition, most CBD oil cannot be vaporized or used for smoking. If this is something you are interested in then specific products are available online. Do not attempt to smoke CBD oil that is purely for oral use.
Is it safe to use CBD oil?
If you are considering using CBD oil, then you should speak to your doctor or another healthcare professional to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for you to do so.
This is particularly important if you are experiencing any concerning symptoms. Additionally, if you have any pre-existing conditions or if you are taking any medication including statins, blood thinning medication, and calcium channel blockers then you should definitely contact a medical professional.
Although the use of CBD is controversial, most individuals seem to be able to tolerate it. However, everyone is different, and people may experience different symptoms from others using CBD oil.
CBD oil does not contain the THC part of the cannabis plant, the oil will not induce a ‘high’. However, if you do feel like CBD oil is not for you then do not force the product. Also, CBD oil should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
More recently the medical profession is starting to look more deeply into CBD oil. More research is being done by the day and hopefully, a great medical breakthrough will be made soon.
Sleep Aid
The evidence for cannabidiol health benefits
CBD has been touted for a wide variety of health issues, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating some of the cruelest childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which typically don’t respond to antiseizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures, and in some cases it was able to stop them altogether. Videos of the effects of CBD on these children and their seizures are readily available on the Internet for viewing, and they are quite striking. Recently the FDA approved the first ever cannabis-derived medicine for these conditions, Epidiolex, which contains CBD.
CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.
CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. More study in humans is needed in this area to substantiate the claims of CBD proponents about pain control.
Is cannabidiol safe?
Side effects of CBD include nausea, fatigue and irritability. CBD can increase the level in your blood of the blood thinner coumadin, and it can raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the exact same mechanism that grapefruit juice does. A significant safety concern with CBD is that it is primarily marketed and sold as a supplement, not a medication. Currently, the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements. So you cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label. In addition, the product may contain other (unknown) elements. We also don’t know the most effective therapeutic dose of CBD for any particular medical condition.
The bottom line on cannabidiol
Some CBD manufacturers have come under government scrutiny for wild, indefensible claims, such that CBD is a cure-all for cancer, which it is not. We need more research but CBD may be prove to be an option for managing anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. Without sufficient high-quality evidence in human studies we can’t pinpoint effective doses, and because CBD is currently is mostly available as an unregulated supplement, it’s difficult to know exactly what you are getting. If you decide to try CBD, talk with your doctor — if for no other reason than to make sure it won’t affect other medications you are taking.
