Hemp oil is also known as hemp seed oil. This is made from hemp, or a cannabis plant, that looks like marijuana, but it contains less THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, a kind of chemical that makes people get high. Hemp contains CBD or cannabidiol, not THC (read more). This CBD is a chemical that is commonly used to treat many things, from epilepsy to anxiety.
This oil is becoming increasingly popular to cure a range of conditions, including stress and skin issues. It has properties that can reduce risks of illness like cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s diseases. Yet, further research is necessary. It is also popular to reduce body inflammation.
Besides CBD, Hemp oil also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fats, good unsaturated fats, and several essential amino acids that are used by the body to make protein.
How CBD Works
The cannabinoids will give effect to the body after interacting with cannabinoid receptors. The body produces two receptors which are CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors.
The CB1 receptors are present in the body, specifically in the brain. They coordinate pain, movement, mood, emotion, appetite, thinking, memories, and other functions. In comparison, the CB2 receptors are found in the immune system. They affect pain and inflammation.
If there are THC intakes, it will attach to the CB1 receptors, but if you get CBD intake, it will stimulate Trusted Source, the receptors that make the body produce its cannabinoids or also known as endocannabinoids.
Benefits And Uses
In the wellness and health worlds, TBC gains momentum. Some scientific studies are conducted and confirm its benefits to ease anxiety and chronic pain. Here are several of CBD’s health benefits which are backed by scientific research.
1. To Relieve Pain
To relieve pain, people have already used marijuana from 2900 BC. Scientists discovered that the components of marijuana, including CBD, can give pain-relieving effects. The human body contains the endocannabinoids system or ECS, a specialized system that is involved in regulating several functions like appetite, sleep, immune system, and pain response.
As mentioned above, the body produces ECS, which are neurotransmitters that bind to the cannabinoid receptors in our nervous system. Cannabidiol will help to reduce pain by impacting the activity of the receptor, reducing inflammation, and also interacting with the neurotransmitters. Scientists hold studies on rats that show that CBD injections help them reduce pain response to surgical procedures. At the same time, other rats that are given oral treatment have reduced sciatic inflammation and nerve pain.
Meanwhile, a study on humans found that a combination of THC AND CBD is effective to treat pain related to arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
2. Reduce Depression And Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are treated usually with pharmaceutical drugs that can result in several side effects, including agitation, drowsiness, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, or headache. Some also result in addiction, like the use of benzodiazepines.
CBD oil now has become a promising treatment for those two health problems. It also has a little effect when being used to cure anxiety for both children and adults who suffer from PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.
It also has antidepressant-like effects, and it acts on the brain’s receptors for serotonin which regulate social behavior and mood.
3. Epilepsy
CBD was first discovered for its healing properties in patients with epilepsy. CBD that is found in hemp oil has been proven to treat the disorder. The FDA approved the use of Epidiolex that is commonly used to cure Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, the rare forms of epilepsy that are hard to control with other kinds of medication. Epidiolex is a purified form of cannabidiol that was widely produced in 2018. It helps to prevent seizures without giving any side effects.
4. To Fight Cancer
Scientists also found several shreds of evidence that it can help to prevent the spread of several types of cancer. The compound succeeds in suppressing the growth of cancer cells and promoting their destruction. The researchers stated that CBD could support standard cancer treatment since it has low levels of toxicity.
Along with chemotherapy drugs, it also helps to improve the immune system while the patients are doing cancer treatment. Other researches show that CBD might help to improve the action of chemo, reduce anxiety, prevent cancer cells’ growth, and decrease the chemotherapy side effects.
Side Effects And Risks
Research shows that CBD oil may trigger several side effects, and it varies from one person to another. Common symptoms include changes in appetite, anxiety, diarrhea, changes in mood, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, and vomiting.
This oil can also increase liver inflammation problems. So people who suffer from liver disease should use the oil with caution. Blood liver enzyme levels need to be checked regularly.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the use of CBD oil must be avoided since it increases some potential risks to the baby’s development (link: https://www.verywellhealth.com/cbd-oil-benefits-uses-side-effects-4174562). Specifically, the compound may resist the fetal development of neurons. At the same time, use among teens may cause issues concerning intelligence, behavior, and memory.
If you want to use CBD oil to treat a health situation, make sure to speak with doctors or healthcare providers to ensure that the oil is the right option. And because some oils have THC, avoid using heavy machinery or driving when taking this medication, especially when it’s your first treatment or you’re using a new product.
Be careful when you’re consuming more than one medication since it can react with other drugs and supplements. Also, ensure that the CBD product you found is approved by the FDA. To check it, the contents or the properties must be stated on the oil packaging. Domestically produced CBD oil would be safer.
