CBD can alleviate anxiety symptoms in people suffering from clinical anxiety, as evidenced by one study in which those given CBD 90 minutes prior to an experimental public speaking test reported less stress and anxiety compared with their placebo counterparts. CBD may also help mitigate negative self-evaluations in individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder.
1. Anxiety
CBD has been found to reduce anxiety in animal and human models alike, with clinical studies documenting its anxiolytic properties. A 2022 study demonstrated this by showing participants receiving CBD 60 minutes prior to taking a public speaking exam experienced less stress and anxiety compared with those receiving placebo.
CBD proved effective at attenuating amygdala and medial temporal lobe activation in response to conditioned stimuli in a fear conditioning model, as well as decreasing skin conductance fluctuations associated with amygdala activity.
Human studies have confirmed that CBD reduces subjective measures of anxiety, with one double-blind trial showing it significantly improves performance when administered 90 minutes before public speaking task. Another report stated that those who consumed CBD experienced significantly reduced anxiety, agitation and depression as measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), than control group who didn’t consume CBD.
CBD’s anxiolytic effects depend on specific receptor mechanisms and brain regions. For instance, microinjecting CBD into the midbrain dorsal periaqueductal gray (DPAG) produces anxiolytic-like effects through 5-HT1AR activation; while in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), CBD induces panicolytic effects through GABA A receptor activation.
2. Pain
Though CBD products have become increasingly popular, few clinical studies have been conducted to examine its efficacy for relieving pain. However, some small trials suggest it could be an effective treatment option for certain forms of discomfort such as neuropathy and arthritis.
A double-blind study conducted to test the effects of CBD gel treatments for knee osteoarthritis pain found that they reduced both perceived and objective measures of pain while also decreasing use of other pain-management medications.
CBD’s unique molecular profile makes it an attractive treatment option for chronic pain management. CBD targets over 65 key targets, including serotonin receptors 1A and 5, vanilloid receptors TRPV1 and TRPV2, fatty acid binding protein (FABP), adenosine/glycine receptors and voltage-activated calcium channels.
Recent pilot research demonstrated the efficacy of CBD for treating pre-pulse inhibition alterations among schizophrenia patients, suggesting it has the ability to alleviate symptoms such as agitation, anxiety and hallucinations.
3. Depression
CBD has been shown to successfully alleviate depressive symptoms in clinical trials (e.g., by decreasing frequency and improving quality of life) while simultaneously alleviating anxiety. Furthermore, it may even act as an antidepressant as it binds 5-HT1A receptors in rodents producing physiological responses associated with this receptor, such as reduced food intake and increased locomotor activity [120,121].
Animal models of schizophrenia have demonstrated that CBD prevents psychomotor agitation caused by dopamine agonists in mice. Furthermore, CBD has also been found to normalize sensorimotor gating changes brought about by ketamine. Furthermore, CBD has also shown antipsychotic properties, blocking amphetamine and cocaine reinforcing properties in rats as well as significantly decreasing drug cravings among former heroin users (p 0.0001).
Preliminary clinical trials have demonstrated that CBD reduces PTSD symptoms when combined with other treatments. However, according to survey results, physicians and pharmacists should closely supervise those using psychoactive CBD as self-treatment for depression due to its potential as a potent competitive inhibitor of CYP isoforms, increasing risk of drug interactions with antidepressants or any psychiatric medications that utilize these enzymes for metabolism.
4. Sleep
Sleep is essential to good health, ensuring the proper functioning of our immune systems and helping reduce anxiety and depression. CBD can provide natural sleep aid that will enhance quality slumber.
CBD works by manipulating the endocannabinoid system, which regulates various bodily processes including pain management, memory, metabolism and sleep-wake cycle regulation.
Research has demonstrated that CBD can assist with treating sleep disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy. The chemical may prevent pauses in breathing which occur with sleep apnea.
Although there are various sleep supplements on the market, it’s essential that you select an effective product. A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) will show exactly how much CBD there is in it; additionally, Wells advises starting off slowly at 2.5 milligrams before bedtime to prevent tolerance and side effects.
