How To Use CBD Oil For Crohn's Disease

Many people use CBD oil to help with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's. This article guides how to use CBD oil for Crohn's disease.

People dealing with inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s often look for alternatives for their treatment. It is reasonable for such people to look for alternatives since the condition does not have a specific cure. One of the alternatives for inflammatory conditions people turn to is CBD oil. In the UK, CBD oil can be legally bought in stores as a supplement or gotten as a subscription. Evidence shows the benefits of using CBD for Crohn's disease. This article looks into how CBD can help with Crohn's disease and how one can use it effectively.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory disease that affects tissues of the digestive tract leading to swelling. It affects mostly the small intestines but can spread to deep areas of the bowel. Crohn's disease is characterised by abdominal pain, fatigue, excessive diarrhoea, reduced appetite, weight loss, blood in stool, and malnutrition. The exact cause of the disease is unknown and may lead to other complications. Different treatments like antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are used to relieve the symptoms. Still, none of them is a cure for Crohn's disease. CBD oil may be used as an alternative to relieve the symptoms and improve the lives of people suffering from the condition.

What is CBD Oil

CBD oil products are common in the market. Extracted from cannabis species, CBD's full name, cannabidiol, is one of the most known compounds. It has been used in medical research and has therapeutic benefits. One of the reasons CBD is used for its benefits is that it does not cause intoxication or addiction problems. The compound tetrahydrocannabinol and THC cause these problems associated with cannabis plants. Legal CBD in the UK is manufactured and extracted from industrial hemp plants allowed to have not more than 0.2% THC content. CBD products are made into oils, edibles, topicals and vape, sold legally as long as they do not exceed 1mg THC. These products are marketed for their therapeutic and well-being benefits.

Benefits of CBD Oil on Crohn's Disease

Most medications used to help with Crohn's disease are aimed at its inflammatory effects. These medications have their fair share of side effects that are not well managed. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Millar et al. (2019) mentioned that CBD properties include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and anxiolytic, among others. These have been studied in cases of different autoimmune diseases. Naftali (2019) mentioned that CBD is effective in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Patients in the study were confident that using CBD could reduce the disease's manifestation and adverse effects. CBD oil has anti-inflammatory effects on the body without causing side effects seen with common medications. Naftali & Dor (2020) found that using CBD can improve the quality of life for people with Crohn's disease. Though no significant effect was found on inflammation, the study ruled out that it might be because of the short time used and low doses. More studies need to be done on the anti-inflammatory effect of CBD on Crohn's disease.

How To Use CBD Oil for Crohn’s Disease

CBD oil or tincture provide a discreet and easy way to administer cannabidiol. CBD oil can be used daily as a supplement or specifically to address the symptoms. The fastest way to take CBD oil is sublingual. Placing drops under the tongue allows fast absorption through the blood capillaries. Since most CBD oil comes in droppers, it is easier to control the dosage amount depending on the product's strength and desired effects. However, someone needs to speak to their doctor before using CBD oil for Crohn's disease. CBD has been known to inhibit enzymes involved in other medication metabolism leading to accumulation which can have adverse effects.

Side Effects of Using CBD Oil

Though it is uncommon to get adverse side effects with CBD use, there are some unwanted side effects one can experience. Boehnke et al. (2021) observed that some side effects associated with using CBD include dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, sadness, fatigue, vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea. These are usually mild and go away after one's body gets used to CBD. It is also good to note that CBD works differently in individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions on CBD Oil Use

Is CBD Oil Safe?

CBD oil is extracted from natural plants and used for medical benefits. In the market, many CBD oil products are sold. One should be careful to buy from a certified producer following the regulations. Gibbs, Yates & Liebling (2019) noted that some CBD oil products in the market contain less CBD than indicated and might not have desired effects.

What is the Best CBD Oil Dosage?

Some manufacturers indicate a dosage recommendation on their products. One can choose to follow this dosage for a start. However, the best dosage of CBD depends on one's symptoms, CBD oil potency, metabolism and body chemistry, the severity of symptoms and frequency of use. The best way to determine that besides speaking to a medical provider is to start low and small. New CBD users are advised to start with a small dose of the lowest potency, observe how their body reacts and increase gradually until they get their ideal dosage.

Can I Use CBD Oil Daily?

Some people observe that they get effective results when they use CBD as a daily supplement. On the other hand, some people only use it when they need to address specific issues. The choice of how to use CBD is personal, sometimes with aid from a medical provider. Learn more about breaking down cbd: is there thc in oil?

Conclusion

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel condition that forces people to look for alternative treatments besides prescribed drugs. CBD oil is one of the alternatives because of its anti-inflammatory properties and general well-being. People with Crohn's can use CBD oil daily or when they need relief. Sublingual administration of CBD oil offers quick relief. Due to CBD oil interactions with other drugs, it is wise to seek medical advice before use. A professional caregiver can also discuss the dosage amount, or one starts low and small and increases gradually over time until one gets the best dose.

References

Boehnke, K. F., Gagnier, J. J., Matallana, L., & Williams, D. A. (2021). Cannabidiol uses for fibromyalgia: prevalence of use and perceptions of effectiveness in a large online survey. The Journal of Pain, 22(5), 556-566.

Gibbs, B., Yates, D. A., & Liebling, J. (2019). CBD in the UK. London, UK: Centre for Medicinal Cannabis.

Millar, S. A., Stone, N. L., Bellman, Z. D., Yates, A. S., England, T. J., & O'Sullivan, S. E. (2019). A systematic review of cannabidiol dosing in clinical populations. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 85(9), 1888-1900.

Naftali, T. (2019). Is Cannabis of Potential Value as a Therapeutic for Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 64(10), 2696-2698.

Naftali, T., & Dor, M. (2020). Cannabis for treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a true medicine or a false promise? Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, 11(1).