CBD Oil and Why It Has Suddenly Become So Popular
CBD seems to be the new order of the day. No single day passes without it being mentioned on social media, news streams, etc. But do you know that CBD was not always this popular? In fact, if you asked me what the acronym ‘CBD’ stood for a few years back, I would not have known.
CBD, short for Cannabidiol is one of the over 120 chemical compounds (cannabinoids) found in the marijuana plant. Unlike THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, another popular cannabinoid, CBD won’t make you high.
So why has CBD oil become so trendy? You ask.
According to a publication by HelloMello, a renowned natural wellness company specializing in CBD products, CBD has a number of health benefits. This coupled with the fact that CBD is not psychoactive is definitely one of the reasons why CBD has become so popular especially among medical marijuana patients.
Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil
According to a growing body of research, CBD can help treat several health conditions not only in human but also in pets and animals. In this section, we will talk about some of the health benefits of CBD oil and why it might be the next big thing in the wellness industry.
- Can Help Relieve Pain
You probably don’t know this, but the use of marijuana to alleviate pain goes up to at least 3000 years back. However, it is not up to recent years that scientists have discovered the exact compounds in the marijuana plant that are responsible for its pain-relieving properties. One of these compounds is CBD.
According to experts, the human body comprises of a specialized system popularly known as the ECS. ECS, short for endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating vital body functions such as appetite, immune system response, sleep, and pain.
Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids which act as neurotransmitters and binds to the cannabinoid receptors in our nervous systems.
Research shows that CBD may help treat chronic pain by interfering with the normal functioning of the endocannabinoid receptors, interacting with neurotransmitters and reducing inflammation.
- Can Help Treat Anxiety and Depression
According to WHO, anxiety and depression are some of the major causes of disability in the world.
Although these conditions can be treated with pharmaceutical drugs, most of these antidepressant drugs can lead to serious side effects such as headache, insomnia, agitation and even sexual dysfunction. Besides, some of these drugs are addictive and can, therefore, lead to substance abuse.
However, all is not lost since CBD has been found to be an effective natural treatment against these conditions.
In a study, a group of 24 participants was subjected to a test where some people received 600mg CBD, and others received a placebo. The people who received CBD experienced less cognitive impairment, were less anxious and were more comfortable in a public speaking test that followed than their counterparts who received a placebo.
CBD has also exhibited some antidepressant properties in several animal studies.
It is believed that CBD is able to achieve these effects due to its ability to act on brain receptors responsible for social behaviour and mood regulation.
- Can Help Treat Cancer-Related Symptoms
Not only can CBD help treat cancer-related symptoms but it can also help alleviate effects related to cancer treatments such as pain, nausea, and vomiting.
In a study involving 177 cancer patients, it was discovered that those who received a combination of THC and CBD experienced less pain than those who received THC only.
Although you can easily get pharmaceutical drugs to deal with these symptoms, they are not always effective, and some people are forced to look for alternative methods of dealing with the pain.
In another animal study, it was discovered that CBD prevented the spread of cancerous breast cells in mice.
All these studies point to one thing; CBD’s potential to alleviate cancer-related symptoms.
However, more study is needed to ascertain these claims.
- Heart Health
According to recent studies, CBD can benefit the heart in several ways including but not limited to lowering high blood pressure.
As you probably already know, high blood pressure increases the risks of contacting other life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.
In a test, ten men were given a dose of CBD oil and then subjected to stress tests. According to experts, stress tests normally increases blood pressure in patients. However, in this case, the men experienced a small increase in blood pressure than is normal for such tests.
The CBD’s ability to lower blood pressure has been accredited to its anti-anxiety and anti-depressant properties.
- May Help Treat Acne
If you don’t know this, acne is a very common condition affecting more than 9% of the general population.
It can be caused by several factors such as bacteria, genetics, and overproduction of sebum.
Researchers believe that CBD oil may be an effective natural treatment against acne due to its ability to lower sebum secretion as well as its anti-inflammatory effects.
According to a recent study, it was discovered that CBD hindered the production of excessive sebum and prevented the activation of inflammatory cytokines (pro-acne agents)
However, more research is still needed to explore the potential effects of CBD as a treatment against acne.
Other Reasons Why CBD Oil Has Become So Popular
Apart from the health benefits, the popularity of CBD oil has been fueled by other factors such as legalization of CBD in many states and countries, awareness and market projections.
According to a post on Forbes, the cannabis market is expected to reach at least $2.1 billion markets in consumer sales by 2020. As researchers continue to discover more benefits of CBD, more and more consumers are getting in the game, and the demand for CBD products is expected to continue growing.
CBD bloggers have also not been left behind and are continuously posting informative posts regarding this subject. This means that more people are becoming aware of the existence of this product as well as the conditions it can help treat.
