Many scientific studies support the many benefits of CBD oil. Extensive research has shown that CBD oil can help ease pain, reduce anxiety, and treat some neurological disease symptoms. There are also speculations that it could help relieve cancer symptoms, but the jury is still out on that.
My neighbor, who is a lumberjack, is no stranger to aches and pains. All the constant tree climbing, hacking, sawing, lifting, and loading take a toll on his body, and he regularly complains about pain in his joints.
He recently tried Prosper CBD pain freeze cream, a hemp-derived CBD product, and he admitted that it was the best pain-relieving product he had used in 13 years of being a lumberjack.
Since the legalization of hemp-derived CBD, there has been a boom of CBD products in the market. And one of such products is CBD oil.
You can consume CBD oil in several ways, including oral spray, capsules, or mixing into creams like the one my lumberjack friend uses.
We know you have heard a lot about CBD in the past, both the good and the bad. So here we would reveal the secret to this new natural phenomenon. It works, but the mainstream media will not want you to know.
In this article, we’ll be giving you all the information you need regarding CBD oil, its benefits, and its side effects.
Sit tight, cross your fingers, as we take a peek into how this age-long natural healer works. Keep reading!
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant and then mixed with a carrier oil such as hemp seed oil or coconut oil.
Since medical research has proven some of its many benefits, it has become a popular treatment for several ailments such as anxiety, sleeping disorders, and chronic pain.
Now that you know what CBD is, let us show you what CBD is not.
What Is The Difference Between CBD And THC?
CBD and THC are both naturally occurring compounds found in different variations of the cannabis plant. These variations include marijuana and hemp.
Marijuana has higher concentrations of THC and lower concentrations of CBD. In contrast, hemp has higher concentrations of CBD and lower concentrations of THC.
Since marijuana remains illegal, any marijuana-derived product is prohibited. On the other hand, Hemp is legal in most states in the U.S; therefore, hemp products like CBD oil are standard.
It is understandable why many people confuse CBD and THC to be the same thing. They are similar since they both come from the cannabis plant. However, the main difference between them lies in the effects they have on a user.
So, CBD is not THC or marijuana. Also, CBD has no psychoactive effects on users, but THC does.
A psychoactive effect is the feeling of being “high,” and smoking marijuana is one way you can experience this effect. THC is the compound responsible for that. On the other hand, CBD can make you feel many different ways but cannot get you high.
CBD is becoming more in demand strictly for its incredible health benefits, and people consume THC illegally because of its “high” effect.
Benefits Of CBD Oil
Below we will list out several benefits of using CBD oil. But, just like every counter drug, CBD does have its side effects. We will talk about its side effects later in the article.
1. It Can Relieve Chronic Pain
Historically, people have been using marijuana for thousands of years to relieve pain.
Modern-day medical research has proven that taking 5mg of CBD oil daily can help relieve muscle and joints pains.
A friend of mine who is a fitness enthusiast once had aches and discomfort in her right leg. This happened after jogging around the neighborhood. After trying several over-the-counter pain relief products with no luck, she decided to go another direction for treatment. Somehow, she found the Sera Relief CBD oil. And once again, CBD oil proved reliable in relieving acute pains where over the counter medicine lagged.
She stopped feeling the pain after just two days. To this day, she continues using the product to maintain good joint mobility during and after her workouts.
2. Anxiety relief
Several studies have also proven that CBD oil can be used to relieve a person of anxiety.
According to one famous study, CBD can change the way the brain receptors respond to serotonin. Serotonin is an active chemical compound in the human brain. It helps to regulate and trigger different mental behaviors.
The brain receptors are small proteins that link with the human cells. They absorb chemical messages and allow the cells to respond to various forms of stimuli.
Another study discovered that a 600mg dose of CBD administered to a group of people with social anxiety allowed them to deliver a speech in front of an audience calmly.
Further research shows that CBD helps reduce anxiety by inducing sleep in people who have insomnia.
3. CBD Oil Can Help Reduce Seizures
Some experts believe that CBD can help treat symptoms related to epilepsy. However, research in this area is still in its early stages.
According to the American Epilepsy Society, the benefits of CBD oil include potential treatments for seizure disorders. They also stated that more testing is needed to determine precisely how this works and how safe it is.
The good news is, the results so far have been promising!
A 2016 study involving 16 people who had epilepsy showed that adding 5mg of CBD to their existing anti-epilepsy drugs every day for 12 weeks reduced the occurrence of seizures by 36.5%. That is a wide margin.
4. Neuroprotective Uses
Recent studies also suggest that CBD can have neuroprotective benefits.
However, there is a need to carry out more testing to determine the full extent to which one can use CBD in this manner. Nonetheless, there is also the belief that CBD can help treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.
It is possible to use CBD oil to reduce the inflammation that causes neurodegenerative symptoms to escalate.
Let’s quickly reiterate that there is a need to conduct more testing before we can fully understand the uses and other possible side effects when being used as the treatment of neurological disorders.
5. Anti-acne
Since CBD affects the receptors in the immune system, it could help reduce inflammation around the body as a whole. This means that you can use CBD oil to treat acne.
Tests have shown that CBD oil can reduce the activity in the sebaceous glands. These are the glands responsible for releasing sebum, which is an oily substance that moisturizes the skin.
While the skin needs to be of adequate moisture, too much sebum can lead to acne.
Even though CBD oil can reduce the occurrence of skin acne, make sure you first discuss it with your dermatologist before applying it to your skin.
The FDA and other relevant agencies also need to conduct more extensive research regarding CBD oil’s correct dosage for acne treatment and possible side effects.
6. Cancer Treatment
Many studies have been carried out on CBD products to see if they can help suppress cancerous cells’ growth. However, research is still ongoing and more facts need to be uncovered.
According to the National Cancer Institute, CBD can be used to treat several symptoms of cancer and alleviate its side effects. However, they recommend following regular clinical cancer procedures until more information regarding CBD for cancer treatment comes to light.
CBD is useful for cancer treatment because of its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to change how cells reproduce. These include tumor cells that are related to cancer.
Now that we have covered some ground about the health benefits of using CBD oil. We shall proceed to discuss the various ways of applying CBD for different medical conditions.
How to use CBD oil
There are many ways to use CBD oil. For example, you can mix into a cream, sprays, capsules, and gels.
You can also take CBD oil drops orally or sublingually (under your tongue). Another way you can use CBD oil is by rubbing it directly on your skin.
Some people are allergic to certain substances. Therefore, such people should not apply CBD oil directly to the skin.
If you must apply topically, be sure to use only a minimal amount. After observing how your skin reacts to it, you can determine whether the topical application should continue or stop.
Before you decide how you want to take your CBD oil, you must first ask yourself exactly what you’re taking it for.
Taking CBD oil orally is excellent for those who are using it for anxiety relief. But keep in mind that oral intake will not allow the oil to get directly into the bloodstream.
This is because it first has to pass through the digestive system, where the oil undergoes metabolism. Thus, reducing the amount of CBD oil that will eventually enter the bloodstream.
Taking CBD oil sublingually will give you faster results. Sublingual intake means applying the CBD oil directly under your tongue. Doing this will drive it now into your bloodstream, and the effects will be quicker.
Take CBD oil sublingually if you’re using it to relieve arthritic pain. If you apply it topically around the hurting areas, it will not work.
Taking three drops twice a day should help ease the pain. You can increase the CBD oil dosage by a few extra drops if you don’t see any improvements.
Consult with your doctor before you start using CBD oil to treat arthritic pain, especially if you’re already on clinical medication. Doctors are in the best position to give you the much needed medical advice.
Side Effects Of CBD Oil
The World Health Organization has stated that CBD oil is safe to ingest. However, people can react in different ways when they consume it.
Besides the benefits of CBD oil, it can also have a few side effects. usually show up after you consume it in dangerously high concentrations. Research suggests that a toxic dose of CBD is around 20,000mg of CBD consumed at a go.
The recommended starting dose of CBD is between 5mg to 20mg each day.
While a 20,000mg dose may seem “toxic,” it cannot cause fatalities. There is no record of any person dying from taking too much CBD.
It would be fair to mention that no test where a person took such a high concentration of CBD because that would be very unethical.
Nonetheless, high concentrations of CBD can cause several side effects, which include the following.
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Low blood pressure
- Hallucinations
- Irritability
- Nausea
More research is needed to determine all the side effects that may be caused by CBD. However, the side effects listed above resulted from excessive intake of CBD.
Research on CBD seems to be slow because cannabis remains a schedule 1 drug and is still very much regulated in many states. For this reason, researchers don’t have full access to it, and this hinders scientific progress.
Thankfully, hemp-derived CBD products are legal, which means more research is still possible in the future, and more answers will surely come.
How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel?
Anyone who knows what cannabis is will be aware that using it can give you a “high” effect. Smoking is the most common form of consuming Cannabis.
It can also be boiled in water, sieved, and drunk. Either way, consuming it causes a ‘high’ feeling.
Cannabis plants have many naturally occurring compounds, which all operate independently. THC is the compound responsible for the high effect.
Many people believe that since CBD also comes from the cannabis plant, it too can get a user high. However, this is false.
CBD is an independent compound, and it does not contain THC. Since THC is the only compound in cannabis that can get a user high, and CBD has none of it, it means CBD cannot get you high.
So, if you are taking CBD oil for the sake of getting high, you will be wasting your time. Lots of it, even.
This is not to say CBD oil doesn’t have any effect on how a user feels. There are many feelings associated with taking CBD oil, but intoxication is not one of them.
CBD oil can be very relaxing, which is why you may use it to treat anxiety. But, don’t confuse the soothing feeling you get from taking CBD with being high. They two are very different.
Relaxation, in this case, means you’re not in a panicky state. However, getting ‘high’ means the same thing as the intoxication you get when you drink alcohol. The difference is quite clear.
Another friend of mine, who is usually a loner, heard about how CBD oil can help ease anxiety and elevate his mood. Since he wanted to be more confident in associating with people, he decided to try.
He began taking 5mg of CBD oil twice a day, based on his doctor’s recommendation. Took it once in the morning and once just before he went to bed. He did this for two weeks, and the results began to show.
When he comes to work, he usually says good morning to everyone and heads straight to his office. But he now relates better with his colleagues after a few weeks of taking CBD oil.
He says good morning, stops to have a little chat with the guys, then heads to his office—the same thing when he’s leaving.
More interesting is the fact that he also hangs out with the guys for a few shots of drinks after work.
CBD oil can also make your skin feel better. Mixing it with essential oils like coconut oil and applying it topically can reduce inflammation and soothe some discomfort.
Conclusion
CBD oil has grown in popularity since the legalization of hemp in America. Research has proven that it has several health benefits, which include anxiety relief and pain relief.
Taking CBD oil is also useful for treating symptoms of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia.
Hopefully, there would be more discoveries about the other uses and health benefits of using CBD oil soon.
Not to worry, you can always check back to get a timely update on the latest trend and discoveries about CBD.
Until then, please take care!
