Cannabidiol oil (CBD) and other CBD products have become increasingly popular among consumers seeking an alternative treatment for a number of ailments, conditions and diseases.
Cannabis plants contain a group of substances called cannabinoids. Although there are more than 100 cannabinoids, the two most studied cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD.
THC is a psychoactive compound that is responsible for most of the psychological and high effects that people often associate with marijuana. CBD is not psychoactive in the same way.
Although THC has psychoactive effects, it does not cause high or euphoric feelings and other effects associated with recreational cannabis smoking.
Learn more about how high it feels to be here.
Researchers are studying CBD as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, but research supporting its benefits is limited.
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved one drug that contains CBD. He FDA also indicate that it is illegal to sell CBD as a dietary supplement or food additive.
Read on for more information on some of the potential effects of CBD oil that researchers are investigating, as well as the risks and side effects.
In 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex as the first pharmaceutical-grade CBD drug.
Epidiolex treats seizures in two rare and severe types of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in people 2 years of age or older.
Clinical trials found that when people with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes take Epidiolex with other medicines for seizures, they have fewer seizures than people taking a placebo with other seizure medications.
There is not enough research to confirm whether CBD would help people with other more common forms of epilepsy.
People around the world have been using cannabis for medicinal purposes, including pain relief, since 2900 BC.
Researchers have suggested that cannabinoids may be responsible for the analgesic effects associated with cannabis. However, currently few studies have proven how CBD affects pain independently.
A 2018 review examined 47 studies, including 4,743 people, on the use of cannabis and cannabinoids for chronic pain other than cancer pain. The review found moderate evidence that cannabinoids reduce pain compared to placebo groups.
Adverse side effects were more common in people taking cannabinoids than in placebo.
A review of observational studies in Journal of Central Nervous System Disease research It supports the use of nabiximols (Sativex), an oral spray that contains THC and CBD, combined with other therapies for pain related to multiple sclerosis. Some countries have approved Sativex, but the FDA has not yet approved Sativex for use in the US
He National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is funding new research on cannabinoids and their potential in pain management.
Studies they also show that the pain of peripheral neuropathy can also be relieved with the use of CBD.
New clinical trials are also being prepared to individually test CBD for chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain.
The relationship between cannabis and anxiety can be inconsistent. An article a Neuropsychopharmacology notes that some cannabis users complain that the main reason they use it is to reduce anxiety. However, others denounce panic and anxiety as side effects.
These contradictory results may be because low doses of THC in cannabis are related to reduced anxiety, while high doses appear to cause anxiety.
The article in Neuropsychopharmacology it also indicates that CBD decreases the anxiety-causing effects of THC. In animal studies, CBD also appears to inhibit anxiety in a similar way to other anti-anxiety drugs.
The study of 24 people with a generalized social anxiety disorder found that those who took 600 mg of CBD before a mock public speaking test had less anxiety than those who took a placebo.
While the results of this study were promising, researchers need to conduct more studies with more people to see if they get similar results.
Learn more about CBD oil and anxiety here.
Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, can cause nausea and vomiting. Doctors often treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) with a drug called an antiemetic.
One before to study found that, compared with placebo, adding a combination of THC and CBD to conventional antiemetic treatment provided better protection against delayed CINV.
A 2018 study in rats observed that CBD treatment prevented an increase in serotonin levels in the interoceptive insular cortex (IIC) of rats after an injection of a nauseating chemical compound.
In humans, IIC is the region of the brain responsible for nausea. These findings indicate that scientists could develop CBD in treatments for nausea for people with chemotherapy.
According to a 2019 article a Oncology of the futurecannabinoids can also prevent other side effects of chemotherapy, such as pain, loss of appetite, and organ toxicity.
Studies examining CBD as a treatment for nausea are relatively new and scientists need to do more research before they can confirm whether CBD prevents the side effects of chemotherapy.
Substance use disorder affects a person’s brain and behavior and can make them unable to control their use of legal or illegal drugs or drugs.
According to a 2015 systematic review, CBD may influence some of the brain circuits involved in addiction and drug-seeking behaviors and regulate the response to stress and compulsive behaviors.
A review of animal and human studies showed that CBD could help with opioid and psychostimulant addiction and could benefit cannabis and tobacco dependence.
In 2018, researchers conducted a to study in rats to see if CBD prevented relapse into drug use.
The researchers found that CBD reduced relapse caused by drugs and stress signals and decreased anxiety and impulsivity. In addition, relapse remained reduced 5 months after the experiment.
A 2019 double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial indicates that CBD may be useful for people with heroin use disorders.
In people abstaining from drugs with heroin use disorder, CBD reduced the anxiety and desire induced by drug indications compared to placebo. CBD also reduced physiological measures, such as heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. The researchers also observed these effects a week later, which may suggest that the results are long-lasting.
Researchers should conduct follow-up studies to investigate the use of CBD for substance use disorder.
Studies have shown that, along with psychiatric treatment, CBD can reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
A recent one to study, in particular, found that participants saw a reduction in sleep problems and nightmares. All participants continued to use CBD throughout the study and did not experience any side effects.
That said, the researchers noted that many more studies need to be done before there is conclusive evidence.
A Revision 2018 notes that some studies indicate antidepressant activity after CBD intake in animal models.
Researchers claim that CBD has a clear anti-stress effect after short- or long-term use, and in some tests, CBD acted as an antidepressant.
That said, human testing must be conducted before researchers can draw definitive conclusions.
The FDA has only approved one CBD product, Epidiolex, for two rare forms of epilepsy, and there is still limited evidence on how CBD affects the body.
During the Epidiolex review and approval process, the use of CBD was found to have potential risks and side effectsas:
- causing liver injury
- interact with other medications, which can cause serious side effects
- increasing the risk of sedation and drowsiness when taken with alcohol or medications to treat anxiety, stress, panic, or sleep disorders
- changing alert
- decreased appetite
- causing diarrhea
In addition, many aspects of CBD use go unanswered, such as:
- What about the sustained use of CBD?
- What dose of CBD causes known risks?
- Does the method of consumption affect intake (oral, smoking, steaming or topical)?
- Does CBD affect the developing brain?
- How does CBD affect the developing fetus and breastfed babies?
- Does CBD affect male fertility, as some animal studies have indicated?
CBD products are widely available and marketed as medicines, dietary supplements, food, cosmetics, and animal health products.
Unlike FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, non-approved products have not been subject to an FDA evaluation to determine if they are effective in treating the disease they claim to treat. In addition, the FDA would not have evaluated the products for the proper dose or side effects and safety issues.
False claims can cause people not to take their conventional medicine or postpone medical attention from a health care professional. A person should always discuss with their doctor the best way to treat illness or condition.
People may also ask questions about the quality of some CBD products. Some unapproved products that the FDA tested did not contain the CBD levels that the manufacturers claimed. Others may contain unsafe contaminants.
Doctors and health care providers also recommend using only products that have been tested by a third party for potency and contaminants, such as pesticides.
Because CBD is relatively new, many of the products available may not be what they seem or have not undergone quality control evaluations.
Most CBD product websites should have a certificate of authenticity. We advise avoiding those who do not.
Check out our guide to the best CBD oils here.
The FDA has approved a CBD product for use in two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. They have not currently approved any other CBD products for any purpose.
At this time, it is illegal to market CBD by labeling it as a dietary supplement or adding it to foods.
Studies examining CBD to treat various conditions and diseases are still in the early stages, and more research is needed to draw conclusions.
Some CBD products are of unknown quality and are marketed with unproven medical claims.
There is limited information on the risks and side effects of CBD.
