The big deal about CBD oil

The big deal about CBD oil

Many superfoods—like turmeric and ginger—have been used for centuries by different cultures around the world; people who knew the innate power of the various plants and herbs for healing.

Of these superfoods, hemp has a variety of beneficial effects on human health and you can now access these benefits simply by picking up a bottle of hemp milk or protein in your supermarket. Of course, the way most people understand hemp is via its Latin name: Cannabis sativa. Say you’re using cannabis, and everyone assumes you’re smoking marijuana and seeking the high cannabis is famed for. But the cannabinoids present in hemp are an incredible set of molecules with real positive effects on the body.

The cannabis plant provides various compounds including around 100 cannabinoids, of which tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the best-known—this is the one that gets you high. The cannabinoid used in health supplements and oils is different in that it is not psychoactive and has no mind-altering abilities at all: rather, cannabidiol (CBD) produces effects in the body by attaching to certain receptors.

In fact, there are two types of cannabinoids: those produced in the body—called endocannabinoids—and those found in plants such as cannabis, hops and liverwort—called phytocannabinoids. In 1988, researchers discovered a series of receptors in the brain and throughout the body that interacted with these molecules—the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is partly responsible for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body and yet most people have never heard of it. Perhaps we can blame the stigma around cannabis for the dearth of information we have around the true capabilities of cannabinoids.

An ECS system can be found in every mammal, with receptors in the brain, nervous system and immune system. CB1 receptors are present mostly in the brain and handle coordination and movement, pain, emotions and mood, thinking, appetite and memories—these receptors interact with THC. CB2 receptors are primarily in the immune system, affecting inflammation and pain, and while researchers once thought CBD reacted to these receptors, they have since come to understand CBD does not attach directly to any receptor. Rather, it seems to encourage the body to use more of its own endocannabinoids.

CBD increases the circulating levels of natural endocannabinoids which interact with the cannabinoid receptors. It has also been shown to interact with serotonin receptors and pain receptors, explaining the beneficial effects on anxiety and pain. You may also have heard claims it can alleviate a range of health conditions and disorders, including preventing the spread of cancer, easing inflammation in type 1 diabetes, slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, and reducing anxiety-related behaviours in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Research is showing it’s effective in managing the inflammation leading to acne, that CBD-infused coffee beans provide increased focus without the jitters, that body lotions can help soothe the muscles and promote an anti-inflammatory response post-exercise. One study found smokers who used inhalers containing CBD smoked fewer cigarettes than usual and had no further cravings for nicotine, meaning it could help people quit smoking. CBD certainly sounds like a miracle drug.

However, we don’t know for certain how cannabinoids help address different diseases and there is only one officially proven medical use for CBD: epilepsy.

Anecdotal reports found use of cannabis helped reduce the frequency of seizures in children suffering two rare forms of paediatric epilepsy; following years of research and clinical trials, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of CBD in treating seizures. Specifically, it approved the use of one particular drug, Epidiolex, meaning while you may be able to find CBD products easily, they will certainly have less CBD in them and contain any number of the 100 other cannabinoids, meaning they will work differently and need to be dosed differently. To keep safe, only take prescribed medications.

There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to support the claims CBD is effective in managing anxiety, depression and PTSD but before any health claims can be authorised (the messaging companies can use in their marketing and communications), extensive human clinical trials must be conducted. This means the current CBD market is quite the Wild West, and it’s important to know what to look for when choosing a supplement or product.

In terms of legality, accessing CBD is a conundrum worldwide. Hemp may be legal across the United States, as it contains less than 0.3 percent THC, but if your CBD is extracted from the flowers, that might lead it to be redefined as derived from marijuana. And that’s the tricky part. CBD is now available in the UK in all sorts of different products from marshmallows to skin creams but only two cannabis-based drugs are licensed for prescription: Sativex for multiple sclerosis and Epidiolex.

The marshmallows, beers, skin creams, vape oils, bath bombs and supplements popping up present the image that this is the next health revolution, and in a way, it is. But with people everywhere touting the medicinal-like benefits of CBD, it’s easy to believe the claims and think a bath bomb is going to solve all your chronic pain problems. Without approval from bodies like the FDA or the European Union, CBD products aren’t regulated. Marketers can say what they want as long as they don’t actually say anything: one marshmallow product promises ‘you feel the effects immediately upon eating’ but what those effects might be is anyone’s guess. And that’s the point. These companies don’t need to explain the science or seek health claim authorisation because the media and the hype are doing it for them.

So many products are appearing on the market, meaning regulatory bodies—the few monitoring this category—can’t keep up and products can be launched without a safe or effective level of CBD. Some products may overstate their concentrations or may not even contain CBD at all: it’s particularly treacherous ground online where less scrupulous companies can tout their wares with even less introspection. Watch out you aren’t wasting your money.

While 100 consumer reviews hardly count as science, it’s undeniable there’s a plethora of positive anecdotal evidence for the health benefits of CBD. As public interest grows and regulations around cannabis’ status as a drug relax, we’ll start to see larger clinical trials investigating CBD—until then, if you’re looking to boost your overall health and dip your toe into CBD products, choose a nutraceutical CBD oil. The higher quality oils contain higher doses of CBD and may provide relief from everyday stresses and an improved sense of calm and focus.