Modern advances in sciences have brought to light the miracle compound cannabidiol (CBD). The numerous benefits cannabidiol holds are truly remarkable, considering it’s been largely kept secret for so many years. The evidence can no longer be hidden from the public, CBD is going to change the lives of many for the better and we can’t wait.
1. Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a condition that’s been hindering the life of many with debilitating tremors, unconsciousness, and staring spells. Many forms usually appear in early childhood, such as Dravet Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Cannabidiol has shown to almost fully relieve the symptoms of all these ailments.
Epidiolex is CBD derived pharmaceutical that has been approved for all childhood-onset, treatment-resistant epilepsy. The amazing thing is that it’s been standardized by the European Union.
2. Depression
Cannabidiol has been proven to bring positive effects against, depression, anxiety, psychosis, and many more psychiatric symptoms. Thanks to CBD’s reaction to our endocannabinoid system, depression can be alleviated through its use.
Cannabidiol directly effects our serotonin signaling system, which is an important player in regulating our mood and feelings of pleasure and reward. Thus raising our overall mood and bringing our well being to a better place.
Related Article: CBD for Anxiety: Using Cannabis to Regain Control of Your Life
3. Diabetes
Diabetes has been the main focus in North American disease research in recent years. It’s estimated 10% of Americans suffer from a form of diabetes, and 27% of those cases are undiagnosed. Research into the effects of CBD on diabetes has ramped up since the discovery of how the endocannabinoid system works in correlation with our metabolic process.
Our main metabolic functions including appetite, fat and glucose regulation, and satiety are extremely delicate systems. When they aren’t functioning as they should problems such as diabetes and obesity rear their ugly head.
Studies have shown that CBD has positive effects on managing existing cases of diabetes and even prevents the occurrence of it in the first place.
A study done on mice saw that the group given CBD helped prevent the formation of diabetes! Another study from 2006 showed that Cannabidiol reduced oxidative stress in diabetes cases in rats, leading to improvement of diabetic retinopathy symptoms (this is a complication of diabetes that causes pain, swelling and blindness).
4. Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS is an incurable condition in which our immune system attacks the nerve endings on our brain and spinal cord. The results are an almost constant pain with flare-ups in certain parts of the body.
Unfortunately, as we stated, MS is incurable, but the symptoms that plague peoples day to day lives can be reduced greatly by the use of CBD. GW Pharmaceuticals has a THC-CBD spray known as Sativex. The amazing thing about Sativex is that it’s been approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The downfall is that it’s currently expensive and not easily accessed by the ones who need it most.
THC and CBD have anti-inflammatory compounds that offset certain effects MS has on the spinal cord receptors. Certain forms of MS are thought to arise from a viral infection transmitted through white blood cells. Cannabidiol can prevent the transfer of white blood cells, as a result preventing the development of MS in the first place!
5. Schizophrenia
Research on CBD and schizophrenia has been well documented over the past decade. CBD has shown the ability to control psychosis, one of the main forms of schizophrenia.
A 30-year review of all studies done on CBD and schizophrenia was released stating “CBD prevented human experimental psychosis and was effective in open case reports and clinical trials in patients with schizophrenia with a remarkable safety profile.”
The exactly reason CBD helps the psychosis symptoms is still not fully understood, although medical marijuana research ramping up the correlation will be brought to light soon.
6. Arthritis
Arthritis is a broad term for a number of different kinds of arthritis. The main constant is that there are inflammation and pain within the joints. And today, CBD has come to the forefront in treating joint pain associated with arthritis.
The 2016 study on CBD for arthritis found that transdermal administration of CBD (topical application) is a ‘good candidate’ for treating arthritis. This is because it has long-lasting therapeutic effects without the psychoactive side-effects. It makes it perfect for patients that need relief but want to remain productive and go about their day.
7. Cancer
Last but not least, CBD is being described as a miracle cure for cancer. In preclinical trials on CBD and cancer, cannabidiol has shown over and over again that it has antineoplastic properties, meaning that it inhibits the growth of neoplasms (tumors). CBD has been seen to stimulate the immune system’s response to apoptosis, a type of cell death.
Apoptosis occurs naturally in cellular biology. It’s the method in which our bodies discard old and damages cells to be replaced with new, healthy cells. Cancer cells due to their mutated DNA are able to duck and dodge apoptosis, giving them an abnormally long life span. CBD has shown the ability to promote apoptosis anyways and destroy the damaged cancer cells.
CBD not only breaks down a cancerous cell, but it can also prevent it from ever becoming that way. Tumors need “food” to survive, this food being blood and nutrients. To grow in size the tumor must create new blood vessels to send messages for extra nutrients to grown. CBD effectively stops those signals, starving the tumor of its nutrition.
Cannabidiol – Safe & Effective
Even with all this miraculous information about CBD, it seems like research on it is still lagging behind. Since it is derived from the cannabis plant many laws and stipulations are put in place that effectively make it very difficult to research on.
The undeniable truth is CBD has many healing properties and ailments it helps that it can only be kept secret for so long. CBD can be used to treat pain, anxiety, depression, arthritis and much more.
Studies, researches, and clinical trials have come a long way and is being actively tested on humans.
In the years to come countless new ways to utilize cannabidiol will come to light, saving lives that were thought to have been lost.
