- Diabetes
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Smoking
- And more.
CBD SHOWS ANTIBACTERIAL QUALITIES
In-house hospital infections, multi-drug resistant bacteria, and “new” bacterial infections are on the rise with the potential to be a crisis in the very near future.
The ones that have scientists, researchers, and medical professionals around the world most concerned – with good reason – are drug-resistant bacteria.
Because of the overuse of antibiotics, multiple bacteria have “evolved,” to develop a resistance to treatments that would have been effective not all that long ago.
Just a few decades ago, only 1-5 percent of bacteria and “bugs” were considered resistant to drugs. Today, that number has risen to somewhere between 60-70%.
According to the CDC, each year in the United States, over 2 million individuals become infected with a drug-resistant bacterial strain, and over 23,000 pass away. The age of superbugs has arrived. (source)
While researchers scramble for answers and new treatments, a more historically-trusted, natural alternative might be more widely available than any of us would have thought: CBD.
Research has shown that certain cannabinoids, including CBD, have antiseptic properties. Used both topically – as a cream on skin lesions and injuries – and internally, CBD – and other cannabinoids – have shown promising results against even the most deadly of drug-resistant bacteria (like MRSA). (source)
When applied to the skin, some studies have shown CBD and other cannabinoids to be more effective than traditional treatments and antiseptic lotions. Notably, the skin lotions had a lower number of negative reactions, in addition to their powerful results. (source)
Imagine the possibilities!
At the very least, CBD’s potential ability to mitigate a current cultural crisis – drug-resistant bacteria – warrants additional research, which is currently underway around the world. (source)
CBD OIL FOR SLEEP AND INSOMNIA
Sleep disorders come in many shapes and sizes. One thing remains clear: a lack of regular, quality sleep can have detrimental effects on the overall health of anyone.
CBD has shown promising potential for providing relief from many sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, REM sleep behavior disorder, excessive daytime sleepiness, nightmares associated with PTSD, reduced sleep due to chronic pain, and more. Then there’s the big one… CBD is proving to help with insomnia. (source)
This is significant: insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting 30 percent of adults in the short term, and 10 percent on a chronic basis. (source)
The inability to obtain quality sleep doesn’t just lead to tiresome days; it can impact regular functioning. Each year, numerous individuals make life-altering mistakes on the job, in vehicles, and more, leading to fatalities. In the medical field, sleep deprivation among practitioners may be responsible for up to 100,000 deaths in the United States.
Sleep. Matters.
But, when it’s hard to come by, what’s someone to do?
Traditional medications for helping an individual sleep have major side effects, including:
- Dependency on worsening symptoms after medications are discontinued
- Dizziness
- A loss of balance
- Addiction and Withdrawal difficulties
- Digestive issues
- Impairment upon waking
- Shaking
- Changes in appetite
- And more
While many sufferers of insomnia depend on CBD due to its natural qualities and low rate of side effects, early scientific studies have begun to explain why.
It’s thought that the endocannabinoid system may be critical for regulating sleep and sleep stability, which makes sense, as it promotes balance throughout the body. Research seems to show that when CBD interacts with this system, sufferers may achieve longer periods of overall sleep. Furthermore, earlier research demonstrated that CBD may provide relief for insomnia sufferers who struggle to achieve REM sleep due to anxiety. (source, source)
CBD SUCCESSFULLY TREATS DRUG WITHDRAWAL
The opioid crisis – the drug category responsible for most addictions in the United States – is very real.
Opioids were responsible for over 42,000 deaths in 2016, rising over 5 times from just a decade earlier, and over 20 percent from 2015 alone. Today, over 800 individuals die from overdoses each week in the US. (source, source)
Many of these addictions are born with prescription painkillers (prescribed by medical professionals) used to treat varying levels of pain following accidents, medical and/or dental procedures, surgeries, chronic conditions, and more.
After initial use, the brain’s chemistry changes to require the drug – often in higher doses – to achieve the same level of pain control. When the drug’s usage is stopped, the brain still “needs” it, causing (sometimes) debilitating symptoms including:
- Low energy
- Headaches
- Body twitching and shaking
- Digestive symptoms
- Muscle pain and body aches
- Hot and cold sweats
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- And more
In most cases, the discomfort caused by these withdrawals (along with the brain’s need for the substance) force users to continue, often requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect. (source)
This cycle, along with the growing issues of synthetic drugs and Fentanyl lacing, leaves users forced to risk death from usage – OR – face life-threatening/life-altering withdrawal symptoms.
How could CBD make a difference?
Research is still in the early phases but has shown promising results. (source)
Because CBD helps reduce cravings for other addictive substances – like nicotine – it’s logical to believe it might be helpful for other addictions as well.
Those who have used CBD to reduce drug withdrawal symptoms have reported lower levels of anxiety and reduced side effects. But, why?
It’s believed that while CBD helps activate and regulate the body’s endocannabinoid system, it also helps regulate the neural pathways that are responsible for withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. In early rat trials, those treated with CBD were less likely to exhibit anxiety-related withdrawal symptoms and drug-seeking behaviors after being exposed to cocaine. (source)
There’s more work to do… but multiple studies are underway to learn more.
SUPPLEMENT IBS TREATMENTS WITH CBD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ranges in severity for sufferers, affecting daily functioning and requiring diet, lifestyle, and (sometimes) medication for management.
- Abdominal pain
- Cramping
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- And other unpleasant effects
There’s no known cause for IBS. Theories held by different medical professionals include muscle contraction control in the intestines, inflammation, nervous system malfunction, imbalanced gut bacteria, infections, and more.
Symptoms sometimes have no identified triggers. Other times, sufferers can find a link between certain foods, stress, and even hormones.
Because CBD has proven effects on many of these potential causes – especially inflammation, bacterial infections, and nervous system malfunctioning – it’s reasonable to believe that it may play a role in regulating the disorder.
It all starts with the connection between the endocannabinoid system and intestinal function/motility. Recent studies have found that the transmitters regulated by the endocannabinoid system are located throughout the human body. Some of these transmitters are responsible for gut function; when imbalanced, negative effects are likely to occur. (source)
A study highlighting this was performed approximately one decade ago. The study found a link between IBS sufferers and clinical endocannabinoid deficiency, which relates back to the fact that the system directly impacts intestinal motility and function. When CBD was used to activate and regulate the endocannabinoid system, sufferers of IBS saw significant symptom improvement. (source)
Another study (performed in 2011) found a link between nervous and immune system involvement and IBS. When CBD was used to treat IBS patients, regulation of gliosis in the nervous system (commonly associated with negative IBS effects) seemed possible, without the psychoactive and other common effects of traditional treatments or even medical marijuana. (source)
CBD OIL FOR ADHD
Often thought of as a childhood disease – which it is – ADHD has been known to last well into adulthood and throughout an individual’s entire life.
ADHD, or attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity, is often first noticed and diagnosed in school-aged children (it is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood). Many sufferers must learn to adapt to difficulties in paying attention, remembering seemingly simple tasks, being over-compulsive, and more, over the long term. (source)
This can lead to difficulties in performing at work, keeping a job and growing in a given career track, and even interpersonal relationships. Because an estimated 6.1% of American children are estimated to suffer from ADHD – a number that has skyrocketed in recent years – there’s clearly room for improvement. (source)
Current protocols include managing ADHD with a combination of behavioral therapy and medications. Numerous medications, both stimulants, and non-stimulants have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat ADHD. Because each individual reacts differently to each medication, finding an appropriate protocol can be a challenge associated with many negative symptoms, including:
- Sleepiness
- A loss of appetite
- Increased blood pressure
- Weight loss
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- And more
Researchers have begun to search for a better way. One potential option? CBD, of course!
Because CBD works with specific neurotransmitters to reduce anxiety and increase the ability to focus, initial studies have shown promise in its ability to increase the quality of life by decreasing the symptoms of ADHD for many sufferers. Much of this research is still in the early phases (with a lot of room to learn more), however, CBD may be worth adding to a daily routine for those frustrated with traditional treatment options.
CBD OIL FOR ARTHRITIS
Arthritis hits close to home for many individuals. As a conservative estimate, around 54 million American adults, and 300,000 children suffer from arthritis that has been diagnosed by a medical provider, with many more believed to suffer in silence.
That means nearly a quarter of the US population is suffering from daily pain, swelling, and other negative effects caused by the disease. (source)
Furthermore, this number is expected to grow. According to the CDC, it is estimated that by 2040, over 78 million adults will have arthritis that has been diagnosed by a doctor, with 43% of those individuals limited in terms of activity because of the disease, without taking into effect other conditions that contribute to arthritis side effects, like growing obesity numbers and more.
Current arthritis treatments have a variety of negative side effects, including:
- Cardiovascular effects
- Hair loss
- Digestive issues like nausea
- Swelling and water retention
- Elevated blood sugar levels
- Breathing difficulties
- And more
In many cases, avoiding traditional treatments is not an option. Because the disease itself can harm the body due to chronic inflammation, many sufferers feel trapped; forced to decide between the “lesser” of two evils: allowing arthritis to continue its course – or – accept the side effects. (
source)
There might be a better way: CBD.
One cannabis Sativa-derived medication, Sativex, has already been put to the test with impressive results, including an improvement in pain levels at rest and during movement, and increased quality of sleep due to lower levels of pain. (source)
Additionally, because of CBD’s ability to reduce inflammation, it has been noted that nerve damage (caused by inflammation) may be prevented or lessened by the consumption of CBD by arthritis sufferers. (source)
CBD – nature’s wonder drug – may reduce other effects of this debilitating disease, including cardiovascular damage, chronic pain, and more.
AUTISM IMPROVEMENT WITH CBD
Autism. Most of us have been touched by a disorder that falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. That’s because its diagnosis is becoming more common than most other childhood conditions.
Today, 1 in 59 children has been identified as having symptoms consistent with autism spectrum disorders. This is up from 1 in 150 in the year 2000. (source)
Disorders that are classified as relating to autism are often shrouded in mystery. While some hereditary links seem to exist, other causes – though hotly debated – have been difficult to nail down with any clarity.
The symptoms range in both type and severity, from one individual to another. These could include:
- Difficulty in communication
- Struggles to connect
- Hypersensitivity to specific sensory situations and stimuli
- Emotional outbursts
- Lack of speech and/or eye-contact
- An inability to understand the emotional cues of others
- Inability to handle specific textures
- Lack of coordination
- And more.
More severe forms are often identified in childhood, while others are often masked – or misidentified – as other conditions like anxiety or OCD. Treatments are often prescribed based on symptoms, in addition to behavioral and cognitive therapies, varying based on the individual patient.
This range of symptoms and lack of treatment leaves many parents and adults on the spectrum, wondering where to turn and/or where to start.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, CBD has shown promise in the treatment of autism-related symptoms.
Current studies, including one carried out by the UC San Diego School of Medicine, are looking into how the endocannabinoid system may be linked to reducing symptoms associated with autism. This is due to its role in social reward responsivity, neural development, and circadian rhythm, and anxiety regulation – all of which are often affected by autism. (source)
If these links are found, regulation of symptoms may be possible using therapeutic CBD. (source)
CBD OIL CAN HELP DEPRESSION
Depression and major depressive disorders are the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in the world.
In the last year, nearly 7% of adults have suffered from one major depressive episode – lasting two weeks or longer – with 10 percent of physician office visits mentioning depression as a topic of conversation. (source, source)
The potential negative effects of depression are great; each year, over 44,000 American lives are lost to suicide, with depression noted as a common link.
For those who seek help, therapy, lifestyle changes, and medications are often recommended. Unfortunately, finding a targeted treatment is often a long process with periods of worsening depression and other side effects, including:
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Dry mouth
- Appetite changes
- Sexual side effects
- And more.
Currently, researchers are looking for a better way. Studies are currently being conducted to create a novel line of anti-depressants (that effect and help regulate the endocannabinoid system) using cannabinoids like CBD as a more natural treatment option. (
source,
source)
Preclinical and research findings indicate that, by enhancing the signaling of the endocannabinoid system, CBD may be able to reduce activity related to neuroendocrine stress while enhancing serotonergic and noradrenergic transmission – similar to how current anti-depressants function, but without the side effects.
Other research indicates that CBD may provide more fast-acting benefits, with a shorter time period between consumption and positive effects for those suffering from depression. (source)
The fact that CBD can help to combat the side effects of depression, allowing sufferers to function at their optimal level of performance, is nothing short of positive.
IMPROVE FIBROMYALGIA WITH CBD
While many of us associate fibromyalgia as a pain-related condition, pain is not all the disorder causes.
It’s true that nerve pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of fibromyalgia, but it goes further than that. Sufferers are often faced with fatigue, memory problems, mood changes, and much more. (source)
Unlike other chronic conditions, fibromyalgia is not known to cause muscle or joint damage, but the symptoms it causes are no less devastating. Today, 3.7 million Americans are living with fibromyalgia, often in tandem with other conditions, including depression, anxiety, arthritis, and more.
Because the cause of fibromyalgia cannot be pinpointed, treatments are often prescribed to lessen the side effects, providing a better quality of life for those who are afflicted with the disease. (source)
These often include pain medications, sleeping pills, anti-seizure drugs, and anti-depressants.
As mentioned in previous conditions, these treatments are often associated with devastating side effects, ranging from mild mood changes, sleeping problems, and/or appetite changes to depression, dependence, and more. In many cases, as patients become acclimated to specific doses, they are increased, leading to a higher potential for negative effects.
Once again, CBD – nature’s miracle compound – may provide a better alternative. Because of its role in treating chronic pain, depression, nausea and appetite issues, and even nerve pain, CBD may provide benefits to fibromyalgia sufferers as well.
One study (in 2009) found that CBD may be more effective at treating neuropathic pain than opioids. A 2013 review demonstrated similar findings. (source, source)
Because the endocannabinoid system may help regulate the way various neurons fire, this is promising for fibromyalgia patients looking for a better way to treat symptoms.
The original article by Laura Pyne was published at cbdcentral.com
About the Author:
Laura Pyne – CBDC Lead Researcher
