CBD Hemp Oil Benefits
It’s a common misconception that CBD gets you high. Hemp CBD does not have hallucinogenic or psychoactive effects, and so it can’t get you high or produce a euphoric feeling.
That’s the job of another compound, known as THC. While CBD does contain trace amounts of THC, it’s a meager percentage of less than 0.3%, and so it is entirely non-psychoactive.
Instead, CBD usage has been shown in studies to have virtually no side effects, low toxicity levels, and a whole host of those incredible potential medicinal benefits that we mentioned earlier.
Eight potential CBD medicinal benefits:
- May relieve pain
- May reduce inflammation
- May reduce anxiety
- May help to fight cancer
- May treat some neurological disorders and seizures
- May relieve nausea
- May promote good sleep/ help with insomnia
- May promote cardiovascular health
How can CBD benefit specific ailments?
CBD and anxiety
One benefit of CBD hemp oil is that it may help in managing anxiety symptoms due to its close relationship with the central nervous system. As research has suggested, CBD hemp oil use could help because it may activate the serotonin 5HT1-A receptor (the ‘feel-good’ chemical) found in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala — areas in the brain involved in mood and anxiety disorders.
One study found that a 600mg dose of CBD helped those with social anxiety give a speech, while earlier research with animals has shown that CBD can help reduce anxiety by:
- Relieving stress
- Reducing physiological effects of anxiety, like an increase in heart rate
- Promoting sleep in cases of insomnia
CBD and chronic pain
Because CBD may be able to have a positive impact on your brain’s receptors, regular hemp oil usage may also help with how you manage pain in conditions such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, headaches, and fibromyalgia.
That’s because CBD releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin that can lessen pain and discomfort while disrupting the activity of pain receptors in the body (scientifically known as the TRPV-1 receptor). Studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is looking into how CBD can relieve symptoms caused by:
- Muscle pain
- Arthritis
- Spinal cord injuries
- MS pain
CBD and skin conditions
Another one of CBD hemp oil’s uses is that it may help the body with overall inflammation – and so help skin conditions such as acne. Researchers suggest that CBD oil prevents activity in sebaceous glands – a natural oily substance that hydrates the skin. However, too much sebum can lead to acne. More recently, researchers at the University of Colorado have stated that CBD could be a successful alternative, natural product for people to try in treating symptoms related to skin diseases, such as eczema and psoriasis.
CBD and our brains
A potentially surprising health benefit of CBD is that it may be able to protect our brain, due to its antioxidant effect.
As many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by toxicity in our brains and the accumulation of a neurotransmitter called glutamate, CBD produced a reduction in toxicity levels and lessened neural inflammation (in studies on mice).
CBD and diabetes
One preclinical trial found that CBD lessens the incidence of diabetes from 86% to 30% in diabetic rodents. It appears this is partly due to CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties, which can slow down the onset of diabetes.