What is Cannabidiol?

While modern-day CBD might be new, CBD has been around for centuries. Does CBD get you high? What are its benefits? Will it show up on a drug test? There are many questions surrounding this cannabis product. This article will answer some of the most common ones.

CBD is one of the active compounds in marijuana. After delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is the most common cannabinoid in marijuana. Over 400 distinct active chemicals, including 60 cannabinoid compounds (of which THC and CBD are just two), are found in marijuana. The hemp and cannabis plants are viable sources of CBD oil. Cannabidiol extracted from hemp plants has only trace quantities of THC, but THC is present in cannabidiol extracted from marijuana plants.

Types of Cannabidiol

Cannabidiol, or CBD, may be found in a wide range of products and can take many various forms. There are primarily three kinds of cannabidiol: This product is full-spectrum, which means it includes a wide range of cannabinoids, not only THC. Spectrum refers to a broad range of cannabinoids, including those in cannabis that are not psychoactive. Clarke et al. (2007) showed that cannabidiol is present in trace amounts in other cannabinoid forms but not in the isolate. CBD oil, sprays, pills, lotions, candy, and drinks are just some of the possible forms its use might take. It is available for ingestion, application, or inhalation. Due to the entourage effect, full-spectrum CBD products have shown promise in several studies. Essentially, the medicinal effects of CBD and THC, when taken together, are amplified.

Will CBD Get Me High?

CBD and THC are the two most prominent cannabinoids out of the hundreds found in cannabis plants. CBD is the non-psychoactive part of the plant, implying that you will not experience any effects like euphoria. You won't feel drugged or affected at all. Two situations may be outside this rule. For starters, CBD may have a varied effect on various persons for unclear reasons. Dr. Chin claims that only approximately 5% of CBD users report experiencing altered states. Dr. Chin noted that these patients "tend to be the same ones who experience adverse reactions to acetaminophen" (Advil and Tylenol). The body's reaction to CBD is unpredictable, so it's best to try it under medical supervision. Ensure you're getting high-quality CBD by only purchasing it if it has been analyzed by an independent lab (more on later). Since the FDA doesn't oversee CBD, you can end up with a product that's stronger or weaker than promised or that even has trace levels of THC. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not directly oversee the production of CBD products, they will send warning letters to businesses that break the law by using THC in their goods or making unsubstantiated health claims.

What Does Hemp Have To Do With CBD?

 Van Bakel et al. (2011) commented that the plant genus cannabis sativa comprises two basic species, hemp and marijuana. Both include CBD, but there's a significantly larger percentage of CBD in hemp, which also has very low (less than 0.3%) amounts of THC compared to marijuana. When people talk about hemp oil, they're talking about oil produced from the hemp plant's seeds. There are no cannabinoids CBD or THC in hemp oil. This ingredient is filled with healthy fats and typically appears in cosmetic products for its moisturizing effects.

What Are the Health Benefits of CBD?

CBD has shown promise as a therapeutic agent due to emerging evidence of its anticonvulsive, sedative, hypnotic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective effects.  Furthermore, it has an anti-inflammatory impact that is more powerful than that aspirin, according to animal studies (acetylsalicylic acid). It is important to note that, unlike other marijuana derivatives, CBD does not produce the undesirable psychotropic effects associated with cannabis use.

It has excellent potential for application in creating new kinds of medicinal marijuana. Freeman et al. (2015) commented that anxiety and paranoia, two of the negative effects of getting high on marijuana, appear to be caused by THC and alleviated by CBD. Although research into the topic is still in its infancy, preliminary findings suggest that CBD may have neuroprotective effects. In studies comparing the brains of chronic marijuana smokers with the amounts of THC and CBD in their hair, researchers found that while THC appears to have a neurotoxic effect, diminishing grey matter in areas of the brain, CBD appears to have a protective effect on the same areas of the brain. An additional drug-effects study on dementia suggested that cannabidiol (CBD) may mitigate some of the disease's behavioral symptoms. CBD can alleviate psychotic symptoms in PD patients. Learn more about why does cbd taste bad?

Tips When Taking Cannabidiol

Cannabidiol may help you, but you need to know your goals before using it. To alleviate symptoms of a disorder like sadness or anxiety, oral or inhalational administration is preferable to topical treatment. Lanz et al. (2016) added that cannabidiol is effective almost immediately after inhalation; however, it may take longer to take effect when taken orally. For targeted relief of skin issues or muscular discomfort, a cream, ointment, lotion, or salve may be the best option. Think at the product's quality as a whole, too. Less than a third (31%) of cannabidiol products marketed on the internet were appropriately labeled, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2017. There was a large quantity of THC in several of them, and many contained far less CBD than was stated.

Conclusion

The potential of CBD oil to treat the symptoms of a wide variety of diseases and illnesses has been the subject of much research. In addition, it may improve cardiovascular health and alleviate certain kinds of discomfort. It's important to remember that the health advantages listed above are tied to using CBD in conjunction with THC and not CBD alone. There is still a lot to learn about the potential benefits of CBD, and research into its impact on particular illnesses is underway. Before using CBD to treat an existing medical issue or for preventative purposes, talk to your doctor. They'll be able to advise you on whether or not incorporating CBD oil into your regimen is healthy and which brand will serve you best.

References

Clarke, R. C., & Watson, D. P. (2007). Cannabis And Natural Cannabis Medicines. In Marijuana And The Cannabinoids (Pp. 1-15). Humana Press.

Freeman, D., Dunn, G., Murray, R. M., Evans, N., Lister, R., Antley, A., ... & Morrison, P. D. (2015). How Cannabis Causes Paranoia: Using The Intravenous Administration Of∆ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) To Identify Key Cognitive Mechanisms Leading To Paranoia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 41(2), 391-399.

Lanz, C., Mattsson, J., Soydaner, U., & Brenneisen, R. (2016). Medicinal Cannabis: In Vitro Validation Of Vaporizers For The Smoke-Free Inhalation Of Cannabis. Plos One, 11(1), E0147286.

Van Bakel, H., Stout, J. M., Cote, A. G., Tallon, C. M., Sharpe, A. G., Hughes, T. R., & Page, J. E. (2011). The Draft Genome And Transcriptome Of Cannabis Sativa. Genome Biology, 12(10), 1-18.