Should You Buy CBD?
Taking CBD, when it comes down to it, is about using a plant-based natural wellness approach to try to feel better. Being more focused with your family, more relaxed after work, or a little less sore after a workout.
Industrial hemp-derivatives like CBD oil products have been featured in various clinical trials and animal studies, but a lot of the evidence that suggests CBD may help comes from people like you. People who tried the products for an ailment and reported back to friends and family.
Below is a lot of info on the benefits of CBD oil—just keep in mind that these products work differently for everyone, and the Food and Drug Administration has not approved CBD to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
CBD may help with:
- Anxiety and mood
- Chronic pain and inflammation
- Insomnia
- Nausea and appetite
- Migraines
- Psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions
Of all the potential therapeutic and lifestyle uses for hemp, the ones we hear the most about are anxiety, pain relief, seizure reduction, and sleep improvements. So, we did our own research on several scientific studies of CBD to explain more about its potential wellness advantages.
Anxiety and Stress
It’s no secret that CBD may help reduce anxiety, it’s one of the most popular reasons people take CBD in the first place. This could include everyday stresses, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, or panic attacks. But does CBD oil for anxiety really work? Scientific research seems to think so.
According to a 2013 review, the role of the endocannabinoid system (how CBD works in the body) in mood disorders, including anxiety and depression, plays a key element in the positive effects of CBD for stress. Another review of nearly 50 different studies found conclusive evidence of CBD’s ability to reduce anxiety behaviors in rodent models, while human studies supported the potential of CBD in the treatment of anxiety disorders at a dose range of 300-600 mg. Further research indicated that CBD had minimal sedative effects and an “excellent” safety profile.
More research from a 2017 literature review investigated CBD’s regulation of emotion and found “converging evidence that acute CBD treatment is anxiolytic [reduces anxiety] in both animals and humans.” CBD oil may also help alleviate anxious feelings related to public speaking, as one clinical trial showed a significant reduction in anxiety, cognitive impairment, and speech discomfort in 24 patients with social anxiety while they were giving a public presentation.
Seizures and Epilepsy
The only FDA-approved CBD prescription medication is a drug called Epidiolex, which is intended for the treatment of a rare form of pediatric epilepsy known as dravet syndrome. Clinical trials have shown that CBD has anticonvulsant properties, meaning this cannabis compound may help reduce the frequency of seizures, or minimize seizure severity. With that being said, CBD works best for seizures when paired with other beneficial cannabinoids, suggesting that whole-plant extracts (full-spectrum CBD oils) may have more profound effects when it comes to seizure treatment.
Insomnia and Sleep Issues
As a potential natural remedy for insomnia, CBD oil tinctures may help modulate hormones related to sleep wake cycles through the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for maintaining balance among many important bodily functions. This means that CBD oil may help people get to sleep more easily, or stay asleep longer.
Many studies on CBD for sleep indicate improvements in sleep quality and reductions in sleep disturbances and sleep onset latency. A 2017 review concluded that research on cannabis and sleep is in its early stages, but that “CBD may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia” and “may hold promise for REM sleep behavior disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness.”
Pain and Inflammation
CBD can help balance the human body in many ways, including the regulation of the body’s inflammatory response, which may relieve pain by reducing inflammation. Anecdotal evidence supports CBD as a natural remedy for chronic pain relief and its anti-inflammatory effects have a “potential role as another option for treating challenging chronic pain” according to Mayo Clinic.
A 2009 review on the analgesic (therapeutic pain relief) potential of cannabinoids (like CBD). Preclinical animal study evidence for the efficacy of cannabinoids as anti-pain agents was compelling, but human study data is still emerging. In a concluding call-to-action statement: “the medical, as well as the general community, need to move beyond preconceived notions about cannabis, and focus on its potential advantages in treating a host of conditions, including severe pain.”
More recently, a 2019 clinical study found that a full hemp extract CBD oil significantly reduced opioid use and improved chronic pain and quality of life in patients with chronic pain. There are also benefits when it comes to the transdermal application of CBD oil, as one clinical trial displayed significant improvement in intense pain, sharp pain, cold and itchy sensations in patients with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy.
How do I take hemp oils?
Use the dropper to remove the CBD from the bottle. Some helpful brands will put measurements on the dropper to help you measure your dose. But generally, a dropper is about 1 milliliter.
Once you have the oil in the dropper, place the dose of oil directly into your mouth or under the tongue. I recommend holding the oil under your tongue for up to a minute. Holding the oil in your mouth may help your body absorb the cannabinoids. You can also add CBD oils to your favorite food or drink.
To find the right dose of CBD, it’s best to start slow and work your way up. Slow and grow, they say.
Pay attention to how the oil makes you feel and take your time. Also ask your self how long does CBD stay in your system? Do you feel effects for a short period of time or a while? It also may be good to take a CBD oil regularly, so the cannabinoids can collect in your system.
Dosing Suggestion
Dosing is the #1 question we get from our readers, but opinions on how much Cannabidiol to take vary. It’s almost impossible to find any clinical guidance, so people are left to experiment.
Since dosing guidelines are limited, the best advice is to start low and work your way up to a dose that is right for you. We suggest starting with 1-6 mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight, but for more comprehensive instructions, you can check out this brief CBD dosing chart featured below, or read our in-depth guide on CBD oil dosage.
