CBD products include capsules, tinctures and topical creams. You should always consult a healthcare provider prior to trying CBD, particularly when used by children or pregnant women.
CBD may interact with several medications, including corticosteroids, clobazam (Aronex), and some antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil). Furthermore, it might interfere with some sedatives; therefore, it’s wise to speak to your physician prior to beginning to take CBD.
1. Decreases Stress
CBD interacts with receptors in the body to lower stress levels by increasing serotonin production and improving mood, as well as decreasing heart rate. Furthermore, CBD may even help improve sleep – something often compromised by stress-induced worries.
One study demonstrated how CBD could significantly decrease PTSD symptoms for participants. Another demonstrated its efficacy against emotional exhaustion related to burnout syndrome. Furthermore, CBD can help alleviate nightmares caused by PTSD-induced nightmares.
Neuropsychopharmacology conducted a small experiment which demonstrated how CBD helped people suffering from social anxiety to reduce anxiety and improve performance on simulated public speaking tasks. CBD has been shown to inhibit serotonin reuptake, thus mitigating anxiety responses, while also helping prevent depressive symptoms by regulating dopamine activity within the brain.
This quasi-experimental study recruited participants through digital advertisements who self-identified as wanting to try CBD for stress. Participants received either a 30-day or 60-day regimen of either an isolate or broad spectrum CBD product and were required to regularly complete surveys rating the effectiveness of each product in managing stress.
2. Improves Sleep
CBD products have recently gained attention as natural sleep aids; however, more research needs to be done before drawing any firm conclusions about them. Also, any medications you currently take could interact negatively with CBD; therefore it’s wise to check with your healthcare provider first before trying any CBD products.
Studies suggest CBD helps people suffering from anxiety and poor quality sleep to get better rest, though results vary over time. One 2019 study, for instance, discovered that CBD had improved both sleep quality and anxiety in 72 adult patients over one month period.
Importantly, CBD doesn’t seem to affect circadian rhythms (the approximately 24-hour internal biological clocks that control when we feel awake and sleepy). Instead, it impacts receptors in your body that control chemicals like serotonin that impact sleep quality – perhaps accounting for its success with anxiety and poor sleeping issues while helping reduce nightmares in those suffering PTSD.
3. Reduces Inflammation
CBD interacts with many receptors throughout the body to control and modulate the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), which regulates various biological functions including pain sensation, mood regulation and immune responses. By stimulating ECS receptors with CBD oil, stress and inflammation levels can be decreased significantly.
CBD can also serve as a powerful lipid mediator class-switching agent, shifting pro-inflammatory leukotrienes and prostaglandins towards inflammation-resolving specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), produced naturally by host defence cells to reduce inflammation and enhance cell health.
CBD enters your bloodstream via your digestive tract and lymphatic system, from which it is distributed throughout your body. Before taking CBD orally, consult with your doctor in order to understand how much and for how long to consume it. It is also important to be aware that it may interfere with certain medications such as warfarin (blood thinner) and some antidepressants including Elavil, Citalopram and Fluoxetine (Celexa and Prozac). CBD may alter how effectively your liver processes such medication.
4. Improves Digestion
CBD interacts with various receptors that control gut function, including 5-HT1A receptors responsible for controlling bowel movement and motility. Studies have also demonstrated how CBD helps alleviate frequent and severe abdominal spasms among individuals living with Crohn’s disease.
CBD may provide relief for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy treatments, while improving appetite (common in Crohn’s disease). Furthermore, CBD can also reduce inflammation in the esophagus that contributes to acid reflux or GERD symptoms.
CBD’s interaction with the ECS allows it to decrease stress, lower anxiety levels and foster feelings of tranquility. Furthermore, its interactions with serotonin receptors involved with anxiety and depression may bring about true relaxation – helping remove everyday noise while discovering inner peace.
