CBD products have become more common, including lotions, gummies, oils and vapes. Though legal to purchase, experts advise speaking to your health care provider first before starting any new supplement regimen and keeping a diary to track symptoms.
Clinical studies indicate CBD may assist with anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. But more evidence must be collected.
Anxiety
CBD, or cannabidiol (CBD), is an antianxiolytic phytocannabinoid which lacks psychoactive components associated with THC and has been discovered to possess many therapeutic properties. Animal studies have demonstrated its anxiolytic effects; human clinical, experimental, and epidemiological research suggests CBD as being effective against anxiety disorders.
Recent meta-analyses (Hundal et al, 2022; Bolsoni et al, 2022) of eight trials suggest that CBD helps alleviate anxiety-related symptoms. The results support the hypothesis that serotonin receptors interact with CBD to reduce anxiety; however, further studies will need to assess its effectiveness as an anxiolytic in chronic dosing and specific clinical populations.
CBD may help with anxiety by improving cognitive processing and attention. Studies have demonstrated its ability to decrease social anxiety while increasing concentration among some individuals. Furthermore, one small study demonstrated how combining CBD with THC improved sleep quality among those suffering insomnia–often tied with anxiety–in an insomnia sufferer population.
Depression
Depression is an increasingly prevalent psychiatric illness characterized by persistently low moods that significantly impair quality of life. Unfortunately, depression remains one of the hardest disorders to treat with current pharmaceutical options often failing to offer relief [90].
CBD exhibits antianxiolytic and antidepressant effects in animal studies and clinical trials, offering a favorable risk-benefit profile. Preclinical and clinical research has demonstrated CBD’s effectiveness by showing increased serotonin and glutamate levels in hippocampus, amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), which ultimately decrease anxiety and depression when administered orally to healthy volunteers.
CBD’s mechanism of action is multifaceted; it interacts with over 65 key targets, including cannabinoid receptors CB1r and CB2r, 5-HT1A receptor, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), type 1 equilibrative nucleoside transporter, adenosine and glycine receptors and voltage-dependent calcium channels. Furthermore, it inhibits dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibition without interfering with blood-thinning drugs or increasing liver enzyme levels as opposed to some psychiatric medications.
Pain
CBD is an all-natural analgesic that works with the body’s endocannabinoid system to ease pain signals in the brain. CBD interacts with GPCRs such as opioid receptors and also enhances activity of Glycine – which acts as an antineoceptive neurotransmitter – providing relief.
CBD’s pain-relieving effects were demonstrated in an animal model of spared nerve injury neuropathic pain where it reduced mechanical allodynia. Oral CBD administration enhanced 5-HT1a receptor desensitization and increased glycine currents in spinal cord neurons in an animal model of neuropathic pain; this effect was partially blocked by CB1 and CB2 antagonists as well as by WAY100135, a selective 5HT1a receptor antagonist.
Topical CBD products such as creams and balms may help alleviate arthritic discomfort as well as chronic discomfort associated with rheumatic diseases like fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, studies evaluating oral dosages vary, making consultation with your healthcare provider before starting any supplements including CBD necessary.
Sleep
CBD interacts with the ECS to regulate sleep and wake cycles, decreasing amplitude of both short and long ripples, decreasing delta activity, slowing spindles, nonREM ripples and quiet wake ripples (Figure 3), as well as decreasing phase coupling of long ripples with slow oscillations during REM sleep (Figure 4).
People who use CBD for sleep typically report it helping them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer; however, these results need to be verified in an accredited sleep lab using accurate instruments.
When purchasing CBD for sleep, choose products manufactured in the US using domestically grown and manufactured ingredients. When shopping, make sure your company follows good manufacturing practices established by the Food and Drug Administration for pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements (CBD isn’t federally regulated as either). Look for quality assurance certificates from laboratories using valid testing methods endorsed by American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, US Pharmacopoeia or NSF International; always double-check that label to confirm correct dosage amounts of CBD.
