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If you listen to the marketing of CBD Oil, also known as cannabidiol, you’d think it was a miracle health cure for almost everything that ails you. Product claims from manufacturers of CBD Oil include it’s effective at depression, weight loss, inflammation, pain, lessening anxiety, and even improving sleep, among a variety of other health benefits. In fact, one CBD product called Epildolex has actually been approved by the FDA for the treatment of epilepsy.
While CBD does show a lot of promise for a variety of health issues, like many other wonder supplements when they first hit the market, there are very few comprehensive clinical trials that back up all these claims out there. So far, only the use of CBD for two rare types of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome, has been through the true rigors of scientific testing.
While there has been scientific study of CBD, most actual clinical trials that have made it to publication, have not tested just CBD. These studies have used CBD in combination with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the active ingredient in marijuana, or marijuana itself. There have been very few studies on CBD by itself. Most of the studies have been on animals, although to be fair, that’s true of many health supplements that hit the market.
The Cannabis plant contains over 200 different cannabinoids, or substances, that can be extracted. The two most well known are THC and CBD. CBD contains none of the psychoactive properties that elicit a high. Those properties are contained in the THC. While more testing needs to be done, and the long term effects are not currently known, it’s believed that CBD is not addictive, nor is it associated with any serious or negative side effects. This is according to the World Health Organization. But again, more studies need to be conducted.
One of the main reasons there have not been many trials done that study the possible health benefits of CBD is because, until recently, law prohibited it. Previous laws placed marijuana and hemp together. Finally, back in December of 2015, the Food and Drug Administration changed the regulatory burdens on CBD. This paved the way for more scientific research to be conducted on CBD. There are trials under way looking into CBD for its possible uses in treating such diseases as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, Parkinson’s and more.
While all 50 states have legalized CBD, the government’s position is still confusing to many people.
While CBD is the talk of the natural health and medicine world, at this point in time, it’s only proven health benefit is the treatment of two rare forms of epilepsy. However, initial studies of CBD in the treatment of a variety of health ailments looks promising. Even so, a lot more research needs to be conducted to determine whether or not CBD really can help with the following:
• Acne
• Anxiety
• Arthritis pain
• Depression
• Inflammatory pain
• Muscle-spasticity in multiple sclerosis
• Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer
• Nerve-related pain
• Sleep disorders
If you’re interested in trying CBD, be sure and talk to your doctor first. It’s possible CBD may interact with certain medications. Also keep in mind that there are possible minor side effects such as nausea and irritability.
Like all supplements, which is how CBD is currently marketed, there are no regulations for safety or purity. So be sure and look for a reputable company that already has a track record with other health supplements. Otherwise you risk getting a CBD product that doesn’t actually have any CBD in it!
Another problem is the fact that, because so little research is available, no one has any idea as to what would constitute an effective dose.
[…] As mentioned earlier, CBD is derived from the cannabis plant, also known as marijuana. Over the years, people have selectively grown these plants in order to derive high THC levels and other compounds that are of use to them. However, hemp farmers rarely modify the plant, and it has been the prevalent source of CBD. […]