CBD is also known as cannabidiol and it is one of the chemicals found in the Cannabis plant. The CBD, unlike other substances such as THC, does not have any psychoactive effects.
In fact, it is the presence of the THC that makes a person get “high” when smoking marijuana, and not the CBD. Hemp is a plant that is in the same genus as marijuana and is therefore closely related. It also contains CBD oil and some people make hemp oil from the seeds of the plant.
It has been demonstrated that CBD oil actually has many benefits and can be used to treat a range of conditions from nausea and pain to seizures and inflammation.
The fact is that cannabidiol is a chemical that acts on specific cells in the brain, and many of the benefits are due to this activity.
Here are 10 benefits from using CBD oil for which there is scientific evidence.
1. CBD oil treats Nausea
Researchers have found that CBD has an anti-emetic effect, in other words, it reduces nausea and vomiting.
This is believed to be because of the effect of the cannabidiol on specific receptors of nerve cells in the parts of the brain which are responsible for making a person feel nauseated (1).
The studies suggest that CBD is useful in treating nausea in people who experience this as a side effect of chemotherapy. Nausea is often harder to treat than vomiting in the case of chemotherapy patients, so this is a major benefit of CBD oil.
2. Helps Prevent Seizures
There are people who suffer from seizures that are difficult to treat with conventional medicine. CBD oil has been found to halt tonic convulsions because of its effect on specific GABA cell receptors.
Seizure activity in people with epilepsy is thought to largely come from what is called the endocannabinoid system of the brain, which is what the CBD targets.
The CBD works well in children who have the seizure disorders such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
3. Treats Pain
Many patients with chronic or terminal conditions such as cancer suffer pain that is poorly controlled by conventional medications.
This is where cannabinoids such as CBD oil can be helpful. As a result, the use of CBD has been approved in Canada to treat cancer patients who cannot find relief any other way (2).
4. Treats inflammation
CBD oil is a cannabinoid that has been demonstrated to help reduce inflammation because of its action on the immune system.
When our body senses that something is wrong it sends out signals and chemicals, and sometimes this response is an overreaction, which leads to excess inflammation in the body.
5. Helps with anxiety
CBD oil can be used to calm a person down. This works because the CBD cannabinoid impacts receptors and the chemicals in the brain that are involved in anxiety.
A case study done on a girl who was suffering anxiety due to post-traumatic stress showed a large drop in her anxiety score from a high of 34 to a low of 18. The researchers concluded that her anxiety had been relieved by the use of CBD oil (3).
This patient was treated with a CBD oil spray. The use of CBD oil is a big advantage since a person can avoid taking a potentially dangerous psychiatric medication.
6. Works as an antipsychotic
People with mental illness such as schizophrenia may have psychotic symptoms which need to be controlled so that they can function better.
Research on young men with schizophrenia has suggested that the use of CBD oil can help in controlling the psychotic symptoms.
Studies have shown similar results when cannabidiol is used to treat patients who have Parkinson’s disease.
7. CBD oil has anti-tumor properties
Scientists have found that CBD oil helps to stop the spread of cancer in the case of breast and colon cancer.
It also seems to slow the development of cancerous cells in the case of glioblastomas, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
8. CBD has potential for diabetes prevention
Research done on animals has indicated a lower occurrence of diabetes caused by immune dysfunction when they are treated with CBD oil.
The scientists in this study speculated that the reason there was less diabetes was because CBD oil is a cannabidiol that actually helps reduce inflammation.
Some types of diabetes are thought to be caused by a severe autoimmune reaction in which high levels of inflammatory chemicals are formed.
9. Can prevent or treat rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the body’s immune system not functioning properly and causing a lot of inflammation.
The CBD helps by regulating and controlling the components of the immune response that cause this inflammatory response, which can help to reduce the symptoms.
Studies have shown fewer white blood cells being produced as the dose of CBD increased. It is these cells that cause the severe inflammatory response.
10. Symptom control in multiple sclerosis
CBD oil sprays have proven useful in helping to reduce some of the symptoms, such as the spasticity of multiple sclerosis.
MS patients have been shown to function better after receiving cannabidiol in the form of an oral spray because the severity of their symptoms is reduced.
Conclusion
Researchers have not found any major side effects when using CBD oil.
In studies where CBD was given to seizure patients there were a few CBD oil side effects such as feeling tired, sleepy and hungry, but these were minor and easily controlled.
Bad side effects would be likely to happen if the CBD oil is contaminated or has THC present.
It is therefore important when you buy CBD oil to check that the cannabidiol for sale is from a reliable source and that the CBD products are pure.
The many benefits of cannabidiol are a reason why many people believe in the value of medical marijuana and why they will buy the best CBD oil products including CBD gummies and sprays.
Revision 8.10.2021 – dead link removed
