What exactly is CBD?
CBD is a chemical constituent from the Cannabis sativa L. plant. It's the shortened form of the word cannabidiol. This constituent is extracted from the leaves and flowers of the plant. How is it extracted? Methods of extraction include: Liquid solvent, Oil solvent, CO2 extraction. Terms to know: Cannabinoids = natural chemicals made by all vertebrates and cannabis plants. When made by plants, they're called phytocannabinoids. When made by humans, they're called endocannabinoids. Raw Hemp Extract = the product obtained after first extraction of Hemp essential oil. It contains chlorophyll, waxes, terpenes, and other cannabinoid chemicals. CBD Concentrate = CBD Distillate = the product obtained after raw hemp extract has been filtered to remove the chlorophyll and waxes Full Spectrum CBD Oil = Hemp extract that consists of CBD and all the terpenes and other cannabinoids found in the plant (including the small amounts of THC) Broad Spectrum CBD Oil = Contains all the terpenes and cannabinoids of Full Spectrum with the exception of the THC which has been filtered out. CBD Isolate = solid crystals of only pure CBD CBD Infused Oil = a plant oil (i.e. Olive Oil) that has been infused with a CBD product. If it was infused with Concentrate, Full, or Broad Spectrum, it will contain all of their properties. If infused with Isolate, it will only have CBD. How does CBD work? In this section, I'm discussing Broad Spectrum CBD (with no THC). CBD works with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) - specifically with our CB2 receptors. CB2 receptors work with our immune system and have an impact on pain and inflammation. What scientists believe is that CBD prompts our bodies to use a greater quantity of our own cannabinoids, thus balancing pain and inflammation signalling. What are the benefits of CBD? The benefits obtained are not necessarily coming directly from CBD. Rather, CBD interacts with our ECS which triggers our bodies to return to a balanced state. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory: The human CBD ligands in our ECS travel backwards to the synapses to stop or slow down the excitation of the nerve cells. Phytocannabinoids support and help stimulate our endocannabinoid ligands anandamide and 2-ag. As a result, our bodies are then able to control/reduce pain and swelling. Scientific studies have been on-going for over a decade to try and understand exactly how this works and to determine what conditions can be helped. Studies on arthritis (both OA and RA), MS, fibromyalgia, and IBS are showing promising results in reduction of pain and inflammation as well as improved range of motion. For those suffering from chronic pain, CBD can be an effective tool in pain management. Studies on migraine compared Amitriptyline to CBD that contains THC. The studies found that CBD/THC had a slightly higher percentage of reduction in the number of migraines than Amitriptyline. They also found that the intensity of the migraine pain was reduced by 43.5%. Antitumoral/cancer: Aside from potentially being able to help with nausea, pain, and appetite during cancer treatments, CBD may eventually have a place in a cancer treatment protocol. In vitro and animal studies are currently small and preliminary, but they are promising. Some of the studies are focused on CBD's potential to inhibit tumor growth. Other studies focus on specific Cancer cell types. * A test-tube (in vitro) study demonstrated that CBD induced apoptosis and programmed cell death in estrogen receptor-positive and receptor-negative breast cancer cell lines, but didn't harm normal breast cells. * Other ongoing CBD - Cancer research that is showing promise include: glioblastoma multiforme cells, non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines, CBD as a potential preventative in colon cancer, and CBD as a potential preventative to cancer metastasis. Many more studies are required before we'll know for sure whether CBD can be an effective agent in a cancer treatment plan, but what has been done looks promising. Sleep: a small amount of CBD may provide energy, a larger amount just before bedtime may help with natural sleep cycles. Neurological: Anandamide is a human endocannabinoid ligand made by our CNS to get our brains to use serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that lifts the spirits. If anandamide levels are low, serotonin uptake in the brain may also be low. CBD inhibits the enzyme that breaks down anandamide (the FAAH enzyme), so using CBD allows anandamide to stay in the body longer. In turn, that allows anandamide more time to balance the serotonin levels in the brain. Implications for this include relief from stress, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, withdrawl from addictions, and loss of appetite. Studies have also demonstrated that CBD is able to reduce muscle spasticity for those with MS, and reduce the number of seizures for those with severe epilepsy. Other studies have found positive links between CBD and addiction recovery, CBD and reduction of brain degeneration, and CBD and improved brain function. There are studies implicating that CBD may be able to help slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Skin : acne - Overactive sebaceous glands lead to acne. CBD reduces over-activity in the sebaceous glands. This, combined with its anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce acne when used topically. What are the side effects of CBD? Repeated over and over again, the only side effects I can find for CBD oil include trouble sleeping, tiredness, irritability, diarrhea, and nausea. In each source, these are stated as usually being mild, and often as a result of using too much CBD. CBD may interact with certain medications so be sure to discuss with your doctor before using it. Bioavailability/Methods of application: Bioavailability refers to how much of a product that you use can be used by your body. For example, if you ingested 1 mL of a 500 mg CBD tincture, that 1 mL would contain 16.7 mg of CBD. The bioavailability of that 16.7 mg ranges from 10 - 40%. This means your body actually uses between 1.67 mg and 6.68 mg. When you inhale CBD, the bioavailability is even higher and more immediate because the molecules are going straight to your brain and lungs where they pass into the bloodstream. Inhalation has a 25 - 60% bioavailability. Topical application bioavailability (for essential oils) is up to 10% with an average of 5% getting into the bloodstream. I'm surmising here that it is similar with CBD. Final Notes: * Research on CBD and the endocannabinoid system are still in, IMHO, infancy stages. Scientists have learned a lot, but there's even more to learn about both. More studies need to be done with CBD in all aspects of potential benefits to the human body. *It's important to note that the FDA is not recommending using CBD to cure or mitigate any condition or disease. Like the use of herbs, fixed oils, and essential oils, it is up to individuals in conjunction with their doctors to determine their best approach to living a happy, healthy life. *As with the use of essential oils, I strongly recommend doing a small skin test on the inside of your wrist or elbow with any CBD oil you may try. If you get a skin reaction, wash the area with whole milk, then soap and water. Sources: 1. Haze, Sarah, How is CBD Extracted from Hemp?, MeetHarmony.com, March 7, 2017, https://meetharmony.com/2017/03/07/how-is-cbd-extracted-from-hemp/ Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 2. Joy Organics, The Ultimate Guide to CBD Oil, chapters 1 - 2, JoyOrganics.com, https://joyorganics.com/ultimate-guide-to-cbd-oil/#Chapter2CBDHealth Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 3. MontanaBio Tech, Cannabinoid Facts: THC, CBD, CBN, CBC, THCV, CBG and Other Unique Phyto Cannabinoids, MontanaBio Tech, March 25, 2013, https://montanabiotech.com/2013/03/25/cannabinoid-facts-thc-cbd-cbn-cbc-thcv-cbg-and-other-unique-phyto-cannabinoids/ Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 4. Johnson, Jon, Everything you need to know about CBD oil, Medical News Today, Last updated July 27, 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317221.php Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 5. Grinspoon, Peter, MD, Cannabidiol (CBD) -- what we know and what we don't, Harvard Health Publishing, August 24, 2018, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476 Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 6. Welty, Timothy, PharmD, et. al., Cannabidiol: Promise and Pitfalls, NCBI Resources, Epilepsy Curr Sep-Oct 2014, PMCID:PMC4189631 doi:10.5698/1535-7597-14.5.250 PMID: 25346628, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189631/ Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 7. CBD SCHOOL, 10 Interesting Facts About CBD, CBD SCHOOL, March 15, 2017, https://www.cbdschool.com/10-interesting-facts-about-cbd/ Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 8. leaf science, 10 Facts About Cannabidiol (CBD), leaf science, October 11, 2017, https://www.leafscience.com/2017/10/11/10-facts-cannabidiol-cbd/ Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 9. Kubala, Jillian, MS, RD, 7 Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil (Plus Side Effects), healthline, February 26, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cbd-oil-benefits, Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 10. Burgess, Lana, Can CBD oil relieve arthritis pain?, Medical News Today, Last updated August 2, 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319796.php, Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 11. Whiteman, Honor, Cannabinoids could prevent migraine, study finds, Medical News Today, June 28, 2017, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318145.php, Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 12. Cannabis Law Report, Understanding anandamide, and how it's influenced by CBD, https://cannabislaw.report/understanding-anandamide-and-how-its-influenced-by-cbd/, Accessed July 29 - 31, 2019 13. Johnson, Jon, CBD for Cancer: Everything you need to know, Medical News Today, Last reviewed March 19, 2019, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324745.php, Accessed July 31, 2019 14. Morris, Michael, CBD and Cancer, CBD Education Online, copyright 2018, https://cbdeducationonline.com/cbd-and-cancer/, Accessed July 31, 2019 15. PDQ® Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. PDQ Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389198], Accessed July 31, 2019 16. Tisserand, Robert, Essential Oil Safety Masterclass: Presentation Handout, Tisserand Institute, 2018, Lesson 3, slide 12 Comments are closed.
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