The effects of CBD have numerous health benefits for our body and make cannabidiol an important active ingredient.
In this article we discover together what are the effects of cbd and the scientific studies that support the information you will read.
CBD and its properties?
CBD and its effects are in fact among the great innovations in the scientific landscape of the last decades and thanks to researchers and activists from all over the world – it is becoming increasingly clear about the properties of the hemp plant and cannabidiol, its benefits and possible side effects.
It’s important, given the novelty of the topic, to provide and disseminate information, always quoting authoritative sources to allow readers to knowingly and knowingly evaluate how and whether to take CBD or buy CBD products.
The effects of CBD and the endocannabinoid system
The research, in particular, focused on the study of the mechanisms of interaction between cannabinoids – the active ingredients of the hemp plant – and the endocannabinoid system.
Studies carried out so far have shown that cannabidiol (CBD), one of the main active ingredients of hemp, acts on the endocannabinoid system with various benefits and producing positive effects for our body.
It is for this reason that cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly being used by people for its ability to calm a state of anxiety or stress. On the other hand, the potential benefits of medical cannabis are emerging more and more every day.
Both cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the other main active ingredient in cannabis – are used to soothe the symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy. The therapeutic potential was reaffirmed in 2013, the year of the publication of a review of medical cannabis studies produced to date.
The review, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology and edited by researchers of the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen, In the UK, he concluded that research to fully understand the mechanisms of action of the active ingredients of cannabis should be encouraged as much as possible. In this context also fits one of the products based on cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from the hemp plant: CBD oil, used for a huge variety of purposes.
How CBD oil interacts with our body
Cannabidiol has no specific action against a particular pathology or area of the body. CBD acts as a « modulator » of our endocannabinoid system.
CBD, and cannabinoids in general, act indirectly on the receptors of this system.
As a result, it can be said that CBD forms already existing mechanisms and restores normality in a situation of imbalance or decompensation in the endocannabinoid system.
Thanks to this, cannabidiol (CBD) can bring benefit, relieving the symptoms of a pathology or inflammation. For these reasons, CBD oil is taken both orally and by skin application, adapting to the needs of the moment. The fields of application are numerous and as many are the benefits under the scrutiny of researchers.
Below is a list of the effects of cbd and the application of cannabidiol, on which scientific research is focusing.
Relieves the pain
CBD, thanks to its natural analgesic properties, could counteract pain.
Cannabinoids work by inhibiting neuronal transmission in pain pathways. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine found that cannabidiol significantly counteracted chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain in mice without the use of analgesics.
It could also be an effective remedy to naturally relieve migraine symptoms.
CBD: anti-inflammatory effects
CBD is a therapeutic agent for a variety of inflammatory disorders and therefore all autoimmune disorders.
The reason lies in the ability of CBD to stimulate receptors of the endocannabinoid system CB2, identified as a target of the anti-inflammatory action attributed to CBD.
In addition to greatly improving sleep quality and reducing a state of anxiety, cannabidiol can provide joint pain relief in case of osteoarthritis.
Taking CBD has been shown to protect joints against severe damage and reduce inflammation in just 5 weeks. Its action against chronic inflammation is considered for the treatment of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Dravet syndrome.
A 2013 study published by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology reported that CBD protects against vascular damage caused by elevated glucose levels, inflammation or type 2 diabetes.
To learn more: Natural anti-inflammatory CBD
CBD, effects on schizophrenia
Scientific research has shown that CBD produces antipsychotic effects and may have an action profile similar to other antipsychotic drugs.
A team of scientists composed of Renard, Loureiro, Rosen, Zunder, de Oliveira, Schmid, Rushlow and Laviolette SR have written a study published on May 4, 2016 in which they highlighted how CBD could become a determinant element for schizophrenia, although the mechanism by which CBD produces some of the antipsychotic effects mentioned above is still not fully known.
To learn more: The antipsychotic properties of CBD
Cbd: effects on anxiety
Cannabidiol is shown to reduce anxiety in people who are particularly stressed.
In 2015, the journal Neuroterapeuthics published a review of studies conducted to date to test the potential effects of CBD in treating anxiety.
The results are very encouraging. The review examined 49 preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies; and also included research done with neuroimaging techniques (technologies that allow studying brain metabolism).
The review, edited by Esther M. Blessing, Maria M. Steenkamp, Jorge Manzanares and Charles R. Marmar of the New York School of Medicine, found that preclinical studies have shown the effectiveness of CBD in reducing anxiety caused by many ailments such as, For example, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and many others.
Effects of CBD on epilepsy symptoms
CBD can be effective in the treatment of epilepsy as demonstrated by several scientific studies. (More info)
Currently the scientific community supports the use of cannabidiol (CBD) as an adjunct to the standard therapy in children and young people with rare forms of epilepsy, such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, which classically do not respond to treatment.
To learn more: Interview with Dr. Pasquale Striano
CBD and neurodegenerative diseases, the effects of cannabidiol
For the moment the neurodegeneration process has not yet been fully understood and the diseases that cause it do not, in fact, have a 100% effective cure.
On the other hand, we can say that cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly used by people living with such a health condition.
Several studies have shown that CBD is able to inhibit the formation of the classic « plaques » typical of Alzheimer’s disease and reduces brain cell death.
In the case of Parkinson’s disease, for example, cannabidiol has been shown to help reduce both motor and non-motor disorders.
To learn more: CBD and neurodegenerative diseases
Improves sleep
Cannabidiol thanks to its neuro-protective potential, based on the combination of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties could be useful in combating insomnia.
The study published in 2017 « Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature » states that « preliminary research on cannabis and insomnia suggest that cannabidiol (CBD) may have therapeutic potential for treating insomnia. Tetrahydrocannabinol Delta-9 (THC) may reduce sleep latency but may compromise long-term sleep quality ».
The latency of sleep is ‘measured’ through a test, which takes place an hour and a half, three hours after the night sleep, in which the patient is invited, who is in a silent room, darkened and at a constant temperature, to fall asleep four – five times at two-hour intervals.
The test ends 15 minutes after the patient has fallen asleep or after trying to fall asleep for 20 minutes without succeeding. A latency of falling asleep, repeatedly reproduced, below 5 minutes is pathological, between 5 and 10 minutes falls within the limit values.
« CBD – researchers write – may be effective for REM sleep behavior disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness ».
Researchers point out that research on cannabis and sleep is in its infancy and further research is crucial to improving understanding of research and clinical implications.
Research at the National Taiwan University in Taipei shows that CBD can directly affect the night cycle, preventing REM sleep suppression, in this case in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder.
« Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder often complain of sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and rapid eye movement sleep abnormality (REM) » and CBD may « block anxiety-induced REM sleep alteration through its anxiolytic effect, rather than through sleep regulation per se ».
The study conducted by the Cannabinoid Research Institute in 2016 examined the effects of CBD on the quality of sleep of a teenage girl suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
The investigation showed that the girl slept better thanks to the intake of CBD sublingually.
To learn more: Insomnia and CBD
Helps against acne and psoriasis
Many studies have shown that cannabidiol has a great effectiveness and benefits for our skin, an element that has made it increasingly used in the cosmetic field.
Scientific evidence on the benefits of cannabis for the skin is getting stronger. Similarly, the questions of how to take the active ingredients of cannabis – in particular CBD – with the aim of triggering their action on the skin grow.
It should be clarified that cannabidiol taken by the airways (vaporized or smoked) does not exert any function on the dermis. To detect the effects, apply CBD directly to the area of the affected skin. This is why a multitude of people around the world have been pushing to produce and use a wide variety of topical products that contain cannabidiol.
In the case of psoriasis, inflammation of the skin triggers a reaction that leads to premature maturation of the cells, which then results in characteristic lesions of the disease. Cannabis, thanks to its anti-inflammatory action, comes into play precisely in the regulation of this response of our organism.
Cannabidiol (CBD) in particular acts …
Reduces depression
According to researchers, CBD has a similar efficacy as antidepressants.
One study found that the antidepressant effects of cannabidiol are fast, continuous and comparable to a common antidepressant drug.
The main non-psychoactive ingredient of the cannabis plant, in fact, is able to exert a positive effect on serotonin receptors, helping to stabilize serotonin levels.
According to Istat data referring to 2018, some form of depression affects 2.8 million people.
There are many medications that are used to treat depression; however, recently, many prefer to use CBD products to avoid the side effects of certain medications.
In the study published in 2014 by researchers of the Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, it emerged that cannabidiol (CBD) almost always proved its effectiveness on animal models to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The psychotherapeutic potential of cannabidiol is enormous, just think that CBD is able to soften the more acute psychotropic effects of THC, the other famous active ingredient of the cannabis plant.
Even in recent times, experiments carried out on animal models clearly indicate how much cannabidiol is promising to intervene on depression.
There is still a long way to go and much more research needs to be done to shed light on the medicinal potential of the cannabis plant. The important thing at the moment is to always turn to producers who follow scrupulous guidelines for the production and packaging of their products.
Reduces the incidence of diabetes
A 2006 study found that treatment with CBD significantly reduced the incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice, from an incidence of 86% in untreated mice to a 30% incidence in CBD treated mice. Even in this case, however, further confirmations are being sought.
Several studies have shown that regular cannabis users have a lower body mass index, lower waist circumferences and a reduced risk of diabetes and obesity.
One of the first studies to indicate a possible role of CBD in body fat consumption dates back a few years, to 2016, and was conducted by a Korean research team.
The study, published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemestry, describes how cannabidiol (CBD) is able to act in three different ways on fat cells called preadipocites.
According to the study, CBD would be able to increase the ability to burn calories, help break down fats and decrease the mechanisms by which new fat cells are created within our body.
From these observations, the researchers concluded that this set of mechanisms should be further developed for a possible therapeutic application of cannabis for the treatment of obesity.
A 2011 report published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, based on a survey with over 52,000 participants, concluded that obesity rates are about one third lower among cannabis users.
This happens despite the fact that participants tend to consume more calories per day, a possibility related to the stimulation that THC does on ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite but at the same time increases carbohydrate metabolism.
It promotes cardiovascular health
A 2013 study published by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology reported that CBD protects against vascular damage caused by elevated glucose levels, inflammation or type 2 diabetes.
Studies conducted in humans to ascertain the possible benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) on blood pressure are still few and relatively recent.
In 2017, a survey conducted by researchers from the medical department of the University of Nottingham and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre brought the first, encouraging results.
The study involved nine male participants (in good health) who were given 600 mg of cannabidiol (CBD) or, alternatively, a placebo. The cardiovascular parameters of the volunteers were monitored and analyzed and it emerged that cannabidol (CBD) reduced systolic blood pressure (maximum) and systolic volume – the amount of blood pumped by a ventricle – under normal conditions.
Similarly, cannabidiol (CBD) reduced blood pressure even when subjects were under stress.
The muscle relaxing effects of CBD for the treatment of multiple sclerosis
Multiple studies have shown how the combination CBD – THC, is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of muscle contraction, pain, sleep disorders and urinary incontinence in people with multiple sclerosis.
A study conducted by the University of Catania examined 1500 patients from different centers specialized in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, who were given cannabis in the form of a spray.
After the first month, 61.9% of patients showed an improvement in spasticity such that the patient continued with treatment. After 6 months, a clinically significant improvement of 30% or greater was recorded in 40.2% of patients.
Symptoms associated with spasticity such as night cramps and spasms have improved in most patients.
The effectiveness of therapeutic cannabis in reducing spasticity is supported by a multicentric study published in Lancet Neurology by a group of Italian researchers, carried out with the support of the Italian Research Foundation for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
The researchers recruited 59 patients over the age of 18 suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with obvious symptoms of spasticity.
The study was conducted in ‘double blind’, doctors and patients did not know who was being treated and who in placebo.
For six weeks patients were given cannabinoids, THC and CBD, in the same quantities, in the form of a spray. Each patient had free access to a maximum of 12 sprays per day.
At the end of the six months, patients who took the cannabinoid drug showed a significant improvement in the symptoms related to spasticity compared to patients treated with placebo.
« The study – says Dr Giancarlo Comi – documented a reduction in pain caused by stiffness and spasms, and a better quality of sleep ».