What are the Benefits of CBD?

CBD is a compound found in marijuana and hemp. Read this article to know more about CBD, the difference between CBD, THC, hemp, and marijuana, and the benefits of CBD.

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is extracted from the cannabis sativa plant. CBD does not have psychoactive qualities like marijuana because it has a negligible amount of THC, the compound responsible for making you "feel high." When CBD is applied topically, inhaled, or eaten, it interacts with neuro receptors in the endocannabinoid system. The ECS subsequently sends signals to your cells to enable movement, improvement of mood, homeostasis, and boosting your immune system. Over the years, CBD continues to be more popular as it is used in products, so avoiding it is almost impossible. CBD can be infused in candles, soap, cream, oils, some scents, gummies, and lotions. Read on for more on CBD and its benefits.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a component of marijuana. CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most prevalent components of marijuana. CBD does not have the psychoactive properties THC has, making it more advantageous than marijuana, which has a higher percentage of THC. This makes marijuana illegal in some countries. At the same time, CBD is legal and can be shipped to most countries worldwide.

How Does CBD Work?

Pagano et al. (2022) stated that CBD attaches itself to the central nervous system receptors, which help regulate pain, memory, mood, and appetite.

The Difference Between CBD, THC, Hemp, and Marijuana

Arkell et al. (2019) explained that CBD and THC are present in marijuana and hemp. Hemp has a lot of CBD compared to THC, while marijuana has a lot of THC than CBD. The presence of THC determines if the plant will have psychoactive properties or not. Since marijuana has a lot of THC, it has psychoactive properties, making you high. On the other hand, hemp does not have a lot of THC. The percentage of THC in hemp is 0.3%, and therefore hemp cannot intoxicate you. CBD will improve your mood, but THC will make you feel euphoric.

Benefits of CBD

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

According to Moltke & Hindocha (2021), many people suffer from stress and anxiety. Manufacturers of CBD products made an effort to include it in almost every consumable product, including food, so that people who were stressed out or anxious would have many options to choose from. Moreover, CBD is infused in different products and forms, making users chose what be they are comfortable using. You can find CBD in oils, candles, massage creams, soap, gummies, hair oil, and beard oils.

Reduces Pain

CBD can reduce pain and has been used as a painkiller. Smith et al. (2017) explained that you could use it to reduce arthritis and even multi sclerosis pain. The best deal with CBD is that you do not have to swallow it; it comes in whichever form you may seem comfortable with. You can use it for your pain as a CBD candle, oil, soap, cream, etc. CBD can be used by people who use opioids to reduce pain as the opioids may be addictive. CBD does not have intoxicating qualities and will not make you feel “high".

Use of CBD to Enhance Products

CBD can be used in products to enhance them with its benefits. The benefits of CBD range from healing, relaxation, and managing stress. CBD is packaged in many forms, e.g., spray, powder, edibles, and oil. Evans (2020) explained that the main reason why CBD is popular is that it is effective yet not intoxicating. CBD has been used to heal addiction to drugs such as opioids by being the alternative. CBD can also be mixed with essential oils for aromatherapy and massage.

Does CBD Work?

Using CBD is not a new practice. People have been using it for years and have proven its effectiveness depending on the results. Frequent users of CBD state that CBD is effective. There's still no evidence that it can treat cancer. Still, if it is used for relaxation, massage, aromatherapy, or as a painkiller, it has generally been agreed by most people to be effective, and that's why industries are working harder to infuse CBD into as many products as possible. You can find CBD in oils and shampoo, candies, gummies, and lotions.

Is CBD Safe?

CBD in its pure form is safe, but some side effects could be diarrhea, fatigue, and drowsiness. There could be contra-indications when using CBD. The main problem with CBD is regulation, as some people sell them as supplements. They do not provide the right dosage. There are also products meant to pass off as if they were CBD products, but they may have a high amount of THC. You may have a health condition that could worsen if you use CBD. Therefore, you should seek your doctor's advice before trying any CBD product.

How to Buy CBD

To buy CBD, you must know that t comes in the following three forms;

Full-spectrum

Full-spectrum CBD contains THC, terpenes, and cannabinoids. It is worth noting that the presence or lack of THC will determine if the CBD can have intoxicating effects or not because THC is responsible for the psychoactive qualities. The full-spectrum CBD is considered the most effective.

Broad-spectrum

When cannabis is described as a broad spectrum, it contains all the other compounds of cannabis except THC.

CBD Isolate

CBD isolate is pure CBD and does not contain all the other compounds of cannabis.

Where to Buy CBD?

Do not buy CBD in the backstreet joints because you won't know if the components are right for your body and health. Also, you can't know the dosage; you could easily buy poison masquerading as CBD. If you are a beginner, the best bet is to consult your doctor so that they may recommend the best place to buy CBD.

Conclusion

CBD is popular, especially for the medical properties that it possesses. As it is infused in various products, you can purchase it in the form you want. Since CBD does not contain THC, many countries have no issues with its use. Therefore, it is easy to obtain. You should be careful while purchasing it because there are CBD products that contain impurities and can be harmful to you. Moreover, you should consult your doctor on the best CBD product to use so that you do not purchase CBD that does not suit your health condition. You will need to know the dosage too to enjoy the benefits of CBD.

References

Arkell, T. R., Lintzeris, N., Kevin, R. C., Ramaekers, J. G., Vandrey, R., Irwin, C., ... & McGregor, I. S. (2019). Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition. Psychopharmacology, 236(9), 2713-2724.

Evans, D. G. (2020). Medical fraud, mislabeling, contamination: all common in CBD products. Missouri Medicine, 117(5), 394.

Moltke, J., & Hindocha, C. (2021). Reasons for cannabidiol use: a cross-sectional study of CBD users, focusing on self-perceived stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Journal of cannabis research, 3(1), 1-12.

Pagano, C., Navarra, G., Coppola, L., Avilia, G., Bifulco, M., & Laezza, C. (2022). Cannabinoids: therapeutic use in clinical practice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(6), 3344.

Smith, A. L., Cohen, J. A., & Hua, L. H. (2017). Therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis: current treatment goals and future directions. Neurotherapeutics, 14(4), 952-960.