CBD is an all-natural compound that may provide relief for anxiety. Available in various forms and proven effective at alleviating symptoms of anxiety. Furthermore, it has also been known to enhance mood and relaxation.
CBD has proven its anxiolytic capabilities in animal models of anxiety, including the elevated plus maze (EPM) and Vogel conflict test. Furthermore, CBD has also been demonstrated to facilitate extinction training in a fear memory paradigm.
Efficacy
Studies indicate that CBD may be effective in the treatment of anxiety. These standardized protocols have yielded results covering anxiety, sleep quality, mood regulation and quality of life measures; furthermore one research paper demonstrated that patients taking CBD were able to reduce their use of other drugs like benzodiazepines.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa that lacks psychoactive effects of THC. As such, it exhibits antianxiety and anxiolytic properties and works through various mechanisms; according to one preclinical study conducted using CBD in combination with fearful faces it was shown to decrease blood-oxygen level dependent activation of both left amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex activation as well as skin conductance fluctuation which are directly correlated with amygdala activation.
Studies conducted on lab animals have demonstrated CBD’s potential to alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms; however, very few comparison studies exist between it and other treatments. It’s wise to consult your physician prior to trying CBD as some medications could interfere with its effects.
Safety
CBD is well tolerated, showing few adverse side effects and without the potential for abuse or addiction. Furthermore, research indicates it enhances cognitive behavioral therapy’s efficacy for anxiety disorders.
Studies of CBD’s effects in animal models of anxiety- and fear-like behaviors demonstrate its anxiolytic, antistress and anticompulsive actions, including decreasing fear expression levels while simultaneously improving fear extinction rates and blocking reconsolidation of learned fears – with 5-HT1AR activation playing an essential role.
Studies involving human volunteers have yielded similar findings; oral administration of CBD reduces experimentally induced anxiety and depression in healthy subjects, as well as symptoms of PTSD and SAD. Furthermore, CBD may lead to decreased amygdala activity and altered medial prefrontal cortex connectivity – two positive associations for health.
While more research must be conducted to understand the long-term efficacy and safety of CBD as an anxiety treatment, experts currently advise patients to use FDA-approved medication, only trust reputable products with third-party lab testing and obtain Certificates of Analysis (COA), avoid unregulated CBD products that contain high amounts of THC which could result in positive drug tests as they could contain untraceable ingredients and thus trigger positive drug tests.
Side effects
CBD has been shown to effectively alleviate experimentally induced anxiety in healthy humans. When undertaking the Fearful Faces Task, CBD attenuated oxygen level dependence activation of amygdala and medial temporal regions involved with emotion processing; further reducing skin conductance fluctuation magnitude as an indicator of anxiety [106]. Furthermore, it enhanced contextual fear conditioning paradigm training with similar efficacy as diazepam [106].
CBD may help alleviate anxiety through its interactions with the ECS. CBD works to prevent the breakdown of anandamide, an endocannabinoid that promotes feelings of happiness and well-being naturally produced in your body by FAAH enzyme, thus protecting its production. Furthermore, it’s thought to regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which governs body’s response to stress.
Case series at a psychiatric clinic revealed CBD to be safe and well tolerated by adults reporting anxiety and sleep disturbances, with somnolence and decreased appetite being its most frequently occurring side effects.
Dosage
There are various methods available to reduce anxiety symptoms. Traditional methods include benzodiazepines and psychotherapy; both may provide effective yet potentially side-effect-laden treatments. CBD is an all-natural compound that reduces anxiety without inducing drowsiness or addiction. Furthermore, CBD was found to significantly decrease subjective anxiety in patients diagnosed with PTSD on two questionnaires: Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Furthermore, CBD mitigated cognitive deficits associated with trauma event recall – this result can be seen visually in Fig 3.
Researchers conducted a 2019 study where they gave participants various doses of CBD and placebo before giving a public speaking test, finding that its effectiveness at curbing anxiety reached its maximum at 300 mg. Other studies have confirmed this claim; for example, one showed CBD reduced both human and animal anxiety when subjected to restraint stress; it also enhanced extinction/reconsolidation blockade via 5-HT1AR activation.
