Top 10 Ways CBD Will Improve Your Health

Top 10 Ways CBD Will Improve Your Health

CBD is a chemical compound that can be found in the plant known as Cannabis Sativa. It can interact with your endocannabinoid system’s neuroreceptors when consumed, leading to various effects. The compound is usually extracted in oil form from the cannabis sativa plant and then it is combined with an inert carrier oil, such as hemp seed oil. This way, it can be consumed safely.

At this point, everyone is aware of CBD and its expansion. CBD is everywhere – you can find it in oils, tinctures, pet products, makeup, bath bombs, bedsheets, creams, and even gummies.

Hemp-derived CBD products can be purchased in all 50 states as they are legal unless they contain more than 0.3% THC. According to surveys, 64% of Americans are already familiar with CBD and the products that contain the compound, while 33% of American adults have tried CBD once or several times. [[1]]

While it used to be an alternative health treatment at first, it is now something people want to use for fun too. You can start enjoying CBD in many forms while getting to experience incredible health benefits.

But how exactly can CBD improve your health and why are so many people taking CBD to help them deal with health problems?

1. Reducing PTSD

PTSD can be terrible. This disorder develops in individuals who have experienced events that were either dangerous, scary, or shocking. During traumatic situations, people feel afraid, and the body goes through changes due to fear as it is trying to build a defense system to avoid the danger and be protected against it.

After dealing with trauma, it is normal to go through certain emotions and reactions, although most people end up recovering from their initial symptoms. If they keep experiencing problems after the trauma, they are diagnosed with PTSD, and they may feel frightened or stressed even at moments when there is no danger around. [[2]]

CBD can help reduce PTSD symptoms, and this is something that was revealed through a few studies.

In one study from 2018, 11 people with PTSD took CBD along with their usual psychiatric care routine for 8 weeks. The study took place in an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Not only was CBD well tolerated for the most part, but 10 out of the 11 subjects also had a PTSD symptom decrease. [[3]]

Although CBD is good at reducing the symptoms of PTSD, it is ideal to take the compound alongside a proper psychiatric treatment. This will help increase the effectiveness of the treatment and make sure the patient experiences the desired relief.

Then, there were also 4 different trials from 2012 to 2016 where a reduction in PTSD symptoms was noticed as a result of CBD consumption. Some of them also included THC, though. When CBD and THC work together, they complement each other’s potency and give what is known as the “entourage effect”.

2.Reducing Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety disorders are something that numerous people deal with. In fact, in the U.S., it is one of the most common mental illnesses. More than 40 million adults are dealing with it. The disorder can be treated, but only around 36.9% of individuals experiencing something like this are getting treatment. Not only that, but in some cases, people who are dealing with an anxiety disorder may also have depression. [[4]]

Depression and anxiety are not fun, and they can get in the way of those who suffer from them. Treatments can help relieve the disorders, but why not use CBD to reduce the symptoms even more?

Some studies have shown that CBD can be effective in reducing anxiety. This is one of the main reasons why people buy CBD products, to begin with. Not only do they get the chance to eat a tasty CBD treat like a gummy bear, but they can also make their anxiety levels decrease.

There was a study conducted by the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry in 2017 where CBD was given to various subjects. 57 men participated in a simulated public speaking test to have their anxiety levels tested. Some got a placebo, whereas others received 150mg, 300mg, or 600mg of CBD before their speeches. The anxiety decreased significantly in the subjects who received 300mg of CBD compared to the individuals who got a placebo but also compared to the ones who received 150mg or 600mg of CBD. [[5]]

3.Brain Function and Energy Improvements

Do you need a boost in energy? Then you can rely on CBD to give it to you. CBD can increase the body’s blood flow. So, not only will you be in a better mood after consuming CBD, but your body will also feel better and will be full of energy.

On top of that, CBD reduces the amount of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine activates specific brain cells. With CBD reducing the amount, the brain function can be improved as the brain cells will be able to work normally.

4.Sleep Problems

Lack of sleep can interfere with your daily life and decrease your performance in many areas. The sad reality is that a lot of people suffer from sleep problems. Around 70 million Americans are experiencing chronic sleep problems. The worst thing about this is that sleep issues often lead to other chronic conditions like depression and obesity. [[6]]

There is prescription medication that can help against sleep problems, but there are also long-term concerns associated with such medication. Not only can it make sleep quality worse over time, but it may even lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

CBD can help a lot in this regard because it is known to promote feelings of relaxation and calmness. Individuals who want improved sleep can start taking CBD regularly. This will decrease the need to take prescription medications for sleep and will also help prevent all the other health issues that may arise due to lack of sleep.

5.Relieving Inflammation and Pain

Pain can prevent you from completing your daily tasks. All you want to do is sit down and relax, but this is not always an option, especially when you have important responsibilities to take care of and you’re time limited.

There are many over-the-counter pain medications that people can take for certain types of pain. Others turn to their doctors and ask for prescription drugs to alleviate pain.

What they don’t know is that CBD may be just as effective in pain reduction as the medications. CBD is able to stimulate the natural pain relief mechanism of your body by blocking pain receptors. This way, it can significantly decrease discomfort and pain, which is one of the reasons why so many people start taking CBD, to begin with.

Another amazing effect of CBD is the reduction of inflammation. It works as an anti-inflammatory. Different cells in your body secrete endocannabinoids that link to various body parts and can mediate certain activities, such as CBD oil’s anti-inflammatory action.

If you ever need some pain relief or you’re looking for anti-inflammatory products, you should consider CBD.

6.Treating Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is a serious problem that people are dealing with. In some cases, it seems like it is impossible to escape. About 3 million U.S. citizens have had or are presently dealing with an opioid use disorder, while 16 million people all over the world have had or currently have the same disorder. [[7]]

While there are special treatments for this issue, there were preclinical animal and human clinical trials which have suggested that CBD could be helpful against opioid addiction.

One of the studies involved giving various heroin addicts CBD, after which their withdrawal anxiety and cue-induced cravings were reduced considerably. Not only that, but they also had a reduction in salivary cortisol levels and resting heart rate. There were no serious adverse effects either.

In different studies, CBD was found to be very useful in reducing medical and psychiatric symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, and pain in individuals who are dealing with substance use disorders.

While more studies must be conducted, what we know so far is very promising.

7.Strengthening Bones

As people age, their bones become more vulnerable and fragile – therefore, it becomes more likely for their bones to break. This is especially an issue for elders who have osteoporosis.

But all hope is not lost. Some research shows how CBD can help strengthen bones and thus reduce the chance of breaks or fractures. Not only that, but CBD can also boost the ability to heal, which makes things even better.

Sure, there is still some research that must be done for this effect, but the results we have at this moment look very good.

8.Heart Diseases

Every year, about 659,000 U.S. adults die from heart disease. [[8]] It is the leading death cause in older adults.

What often leads to deaths related to heart diseases is high blood pressure. The good news is that there are treatments for high blood pressure, and so far, CBD has shown to be quite effective as a treatment for this problem.

There were preclinical studies that proved how CBD can lead to a reduction in blood pressure response to stress. [[9]] Nine male volunteers in a study received 600mg of CBD or a placebo. The results have shown that the subjects who received CBD had lower blood pressure and a decreased stroke volume.

There was also another study that suggests that the CBD’s antioxidant properties can help lower cardiac inflammation and can also help decrease the death of related cells that might come as a result of oxidative stress.

All in all, CBD can be very useful as a treatment for heart disease.

9.Neurodegenerative Disorders

As mentioned earlier, CBD has amazing anti-inflammatory properties. It also has antioxidant properties. One thing that makes these properties great is that they can help with neurodegenerative disorders.

Basically, the characteristics of CBD can bring protection against various pathological disorders or can offer neuroprotection. Numerous preclinical studies suggested that CBD can be very beneficial against multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Of course, while we know this so far, more studies have to be conducted to figure out whether CBD can be used as a treatment for various neurodegenerative disorders. So far, we know how useful it can be against a few of them.

10.Diabetic Complications

According to some tests, CBD can help decrease the high levels of glucose effects on certain body cells. These would normally lead to the development of diabetes, but also different complications. Therefore, CBD can be very beneficial for people who have diabetes but may also be good for individuals who have plaque buildup in artery walls or diabetic complications.

There was a small study where 13 people with type 3 diabetes who did not take any insulin treatment took CBD and a placebo. The levels of resisting decreased, while the levels of glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide increased. Therefore, CBD was shown to be effective when treating diabetes.

Conclusion

People who take CBD do not necessarily do it to look cool in front of their friends. Some people actually do it to experience the amazing benefits that this compound can bring.

Although more research has to be done on CBD, so far, the substance was proven to be effective against certain health problems or mental health disorders. This is one of the reasons why so many people are starting to consider CBD products.

If you want to take CBD for a certain health issue, make sure to speak to your doctor first.