Ana Weaver
Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, was first discovered in 1940, but it wasn’t until hemp and hemp extracts were removed from the Controlled Substances Act in 2018 in the United States that it started being publicly marketed as a health product.
Whether you’re already using CBD products or you’ve been thinking about trying them, you’re likely curious about their usefulness and how they can improve your quality of life. While most studies are still in their infancy, many people are beginning to experience some of the following benefits.
1. Relief From Pain
Pain is uncomfortable, frustrating, and not always easy to alleviate. However, leading CBD product manufacturers like Joy Organics are doing their best to try thanks to promising research.
While you might reach for pain relief medication manufactured in labs by pharmaceutical companies, there is another option that you may like to consider. Many studies have shown that CBD may be able to reduce pain throughout the body and even treat chronic pain related to specific diseases due to its analgesic properties.
Even though a significant number of studies we currently have available to us involve animal trials, many people who have already consumed CBD products believe it has made a considerable difference to their pain levels.
2. Reduced Inflammation
Inflammation is how our bodies try to protect themselves from infections caused by bacteria and viruses. Many things can cause or contribute to chronic inflammation, like autoimmune disorders, injuries, infections, and even long-term exposure to irritants and pollutants.
Due to how many causes of inflammation there are, CBD is not a magic cure for all of them.
However, that’s not to say it can’t play a part in reducing it in some people.
Studies have shown that CBD was able to reduce pain and chronic inflammation in rats and mice.
Scientists noticed that when cannabinoids engaged with the endocannabinoid systems that most of our organs have, inflammation was reduced. As inflammation can lead to a range of life-threatening conditions like heart disease and cancer, there may be potential for CBD to contribute to a reduction of these diseases in the future.
3. Skin Health Improvements
Eczema, psoriasis, and even acne can be hard to manage. Your skin can feel dry, cracked, sore, and irritated, and it’s easy to feel anxious about showing off your skin in public when you can’t seem to find products to help.
While not everyone will notice a difference in their skin condition with CBD skin care products, a significant amount of effort has been put into researching CBD’s effects on skin healing and protection.
Current research suggests that CBD promotes the death of abnormal cells, which may treat, alleviate, or even clear up skin conditions like acne and eczema. Fortunately, if you ever want to see if your own skin benefits from CBD, there is an abundance of different lotions, creams, balms, and serums available to try.
4. Fewer Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that can cause gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and general bowel discomfort. This condition can be triggered by many things, including anxiety and specific foods.
Very few studies have been conducted into the benefits of CBD for IBS, but some people have said they have experienced relief. This may be because our endocannabinoid systems control gut inflammation, propulsion, and GI secretion, and researchers think CBD influences our ES receptors.
5. Lower Blood Pressure
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other life-threatening health problems. Lifestyle changes and medications may be able to lower it to a healthy level, but CBD is also showing promise for being able to help.
A placebo-controlled crossover study with nine male volunteers concluded that one dose of CBD might help reduce high blood pressure related to stress and resting blood pressure.
6. Improved Heart Health
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with one in four deaths caused by heart disease in the United States alone. CBD may not be able to impact these numbers, but some studies show that it may be promising for general heart health.
Aside from potentially being able to prevent stress-related blood pressure changes, animal studies have indicated its potential to reduce cell death and inflammation, which are commonly associated with heart disease.
7. Better Bone Healing
Maintaining strong, healthy bones becomes a lot harder as we age, and many of us are at risk of age-related bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. CBD can’t prevent such conditions, but there’s growing research to suggest its relationship with our endocannabinoid systems may be helpful for us when our bones need to heal by potentially accelerating and enhancing the process.
8. Reduced Obesity Risk
Obesity is a growing problem, with the CDC stating that 42.4% of the US population were overweight in the 2017 to 2018 period. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are some of the most effective ways to maintain a healthy weight, but studies are showing that even CBD may play a part in reducing the risk of obesity.
A 2011 study showed that participants who didn’t use cannabis might be more likely to be obese, while another showed that CBD might lower the incidence of diabetes. In some studies, diets and food choices didn’t alter the findings.
9. Nerve Pain Reduction
Dysfunctional and damaged nerves can cause a considerable amount of nerve pain for some people, and many treatment options exist to help with it. However, everyone responds differently to pain, which means medication types may work for some people but not all.
CBD may be worth trying to reduce nerve pain. According to a Neurotherapeutics study, CBD targets a3 glycine receptors, which may result in neuropathic and inflammatory pain suppression.
10. Seizure Treatment
While many studies into the benefits of CBD aren’t yet peer-reviewed or researched at great length, the benefits of CBD for epilepsy are widely known. In fact, in 2018, the FDA approved CBD for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet Syndrome and Gastaut Syndrome, which are rare forms of epilepsy.
With such a wide range of CBD products now available, you’ll likely find something to suit your tastes and preferences, like gummies, lotions, tinctures, and balms. When you do, you may be fortunate enough to experience some of these potential health benefits mentioned above.