What Is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the compounds of the cannabis plant that’s mostly recommended for its immense medicinal properties. And CBD oil is simply the oil that’s obtained from cannabidiol. Cannabis comprises more than 130 compounds, known as cannabinoids. However, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most researched cannabinoids.
THC is famous for its psychoactive effects. And euphoria is probably what most people think of whenever they hear the word marijuana. But contrary to popular perception, marijuana and cannabis isn’t the same. Instead, marijuana is a variant of the cannabis plant that boasts a higher concentration of THC. Hemp is another variety of the same plant, from where CBD can be extracted. But unlike marijuana, Hemp-derived CBD usually contains THC below 0.3%.
Cannabis plants
How Does CBD Oil Work In The Human Body?
The human body is made up of a system known as the endocannabinoid system. As the name suggests, this system consists of several endogenous cannabinoids that are spread throughout the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
When you consume a cannabis-based product, the cannabinoids in the extract bind to the receptors in the ECS, the main ones of which include CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are more abundant in the CNS, while CB2 receptors are prevalent in the other tissues within the body.
After binding to the CB1 receptors in the brain, CBD oil directly contributes to improved brain function, thereby helping to restore normal homeostasis. In layman’s term, a person suffering from a mental condition, such as stress or anxiety, can overcome these conditions much faster on a dose of CBD oil.
Besides the relief of stress and anxiety, CBD oil also enhances the functions of the brain in other areas, such as regulating sensory and motor coordination, etc. And in addition to interacting with cannabinoid receptors, CBD oil also binds with other types of receptors like serotonin. Some of the results of the interactions between CBD oil and serotonin include faster recovery from pain as well as the ability to overcome insomnia and erratic moods.
What if you use a marijuana-derived CBD oil? In that case, the THC present in the product mimics the actions of the endogenous cannabinoid that binds to your CB1 receptors, known as anandamide, or the bliss molecule. As THC binds to the anandamide’s CB1 receptors more readily and effectively, it inhibits anandamide degradation as well as the ability of the brain to release other neurotransmitters. That’s when you experience the famous euphoria.
As you can see, a full-spectrum CBD product delivers more compounded benefits than a broad-spectrum extract or CBD isolate. And as you research on the potency of CBD oil to use, also find out more about the safety of the product. According to CBDfx, a company that offers lab testing, some CBD oils are laced with toxic pesticides and heavy metals. That underscores the importance of buying CBD oil from a reputable brand and ensuring the oil has gone through 3rd-party lab-test
A doctor recommending CBD oil to a patient
What Are The Various Ways CBD Oil Affects The Brain?
- Pain Relief
CBD oil comes with immense analgesic effects. The oil inhibits neuronal transmission but in the process, it doesn’t cause analgesic tolerance. That explains why researchers recommend CBD oil and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain.
- Relief from Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental disorder that researchers prescribe CBD oil for. The oil contains anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties that can help patients suffering from all kinds of anxiety-related disorders, such as stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders.
When CBD oil interacts with CB1 receptors in the Central Nervous System, it restores hormonal homeostasis by suppressing the secretion and activity of stress-activating hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. The best part about using CBD oil for anxiety relief is that while it inhibits the secretion of stress-activating hormones, it interacts more favorably with other hormones. For instance, the oil stimulates ovaries to secrete more estrogen, which helps stabilize the hormone levels in a woman’s body.
- Treatment of Neurological Disorders
In addition to relief from pain and anxiety, CBD oil may also help patients suffering from neurological disorders. That’s primarily because the oil prevents the degeneration of neurons. Examples of neurological disorders that CBD oil can treat include Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
In 2018, the FDA approved a CBD-derived drug known as Epidiolex for the treatment of seizures that are linked to two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. The disorders include Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, both of which are common in patients under the age of two years.
- Great for Opioid Withdrawal
Withdrawal is the worst part of opioid addiction. Without an effective remedy, opioid addicts struggling to quit the habit can easily slip back to the drugs. CBD oil interacts with opioid receptors to lower opioid cravings as well as withdrawals.
The fact that CBD isn’t addictive makes CBD oil the safer alternative to opioid prescriptions for chronic pain. However, remember that THC comes with mild intoxicating and addiction effects. So, if you’re looking for an effective remedy for opioid addiction, you should go for hemp-derived CBD oil.
- Anti-tumor Effects
CBD oil contains anti-tumor properties that make it excellent at inhibiting the growth and proliferation of tumors in the brain and elsewhere within the human body. The anti-tumor effects of CBD oil make it a particular recommendation for the treatment of leukemia and other related diseases.
- Boosts Sleep Quality
According to this 2005 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) poll, more than half of the participants reported various symptoms of insomnia a few times a week over the previous year. Some of these symptoms include the inability to fall asleep at night, interruption of sleep, and waking up too early.
CBD oil can relieve sleep disorders in two ways. At low doses, the oil causes alertness during the day, making you focus better. And at high doses at night, CBD oil relieves insomnia, increasing the quality and duration of sleep.
CBD gummies
CBD oil interacts with the brain in a similar manner as endogenous cannabinoids. But the effects of those interactions are far-reaching. From pain relief to treatment of anxiety and insomnia, there’s no limit to how much you can benefit from this oil. Just remember to go for full-spectrum CBD oil, as that enables you to leverage the synergistic properties of the individual compounds.