CBD products have been experiencing a real boom for some time. They contain the valuable active ingredient cannabidiol, which is obtained from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant. Initially, the products were viewed with suspicion because many people associated cannabis primarily with its psychoactive effects and the associated intoxication. Today it is common knowledge that the plant contains both CBD and THC, each of which is said to have different effects. CBD is said to have many health-promoting properties, and it is not psychoactive.
What is cannabidiol and how does it work?
The hemp plant has been used for thousands of years. Due to its anti-inflammatory effect, it was used in the past to treat wounds, among other things. CBD is one of the more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Science is now showing great interest in CBD. Through the research on the substance, which has been intensified in recent years, we are learning more and more about its properties and potential effects on us humans.
To the most valuable insights into cannabinoids what counts is that they are very similar to our endogenous endocannabinoids. These are substances similar to cannabis that our body produces itself. CBD from the hemp plant can dock to our endogenous cannabinoid system and support processes in the organs. This process can have a positive effect on our health. Successes have been recorded with cannabidiol, for example, in the treatment of spasms in MS patients and in children affected by a rare form of epilepsy. They benefited from the antispasmodic properties of CBD. Numerous other pharmacological potentials are suspected, but there is still a great need for research.
In the 1980s, our endocannabinoid system, or ECS for short, which also contains cannabinoids, was discovered. Not only we humans, but every vertebrate has it. Essentially, this is composed of special receptors and corresponding ligands, the latter bind to the former. There are both CB1 and CB2 receptors. They can be found throughout our body, scientists assume that our endocannabinoid system is able to influence many other processes and systems in an individual way.
Cannabidiol can interact with our ECS, various studies point to positive effects of CBD products. Cannabidiol oil is considered the classic – albeit still relatively young. However, more and more alternatives are emerging, including CBD crystals, flowers, creams, and more. Food and drinks enriched with cannabidiol are also very popular. You can easily make your own tea, smoothies, CBD cookies and cakes, among other things.
You can think of the endocannabinoid system as something like a control center. When our own cannabinoid receptors are activated by those of the hemp plant, we can benefit from positive influences and modulations on various bodily processes and systems, including:
- appetite
- fertility
- immune system
- body temperature
- cognitive and neurological processes
- sleep-wake cycle
- pain perception
- mood
Various studies
We now have the results of some studies on the use of cannabidiol in people with different diseases. Subsequent investigations, for example, yielded interesting findings.
Double-blind epilepsy study
120 children with Dravet syndrome received CBD or placebo in combination with the existing medication. In the young patients who received cannabidiol, seizures were reduced by at least 50 percent. At 27 percent, it was comparatively significantly less in the placebo group. These results confirm previous results from open-label studies in patients suffering from treatment-resistant epilepsy. In addition, parents reported in a survey of the positive effect of CBD treatment on their children regarding this condition.
Double-blind study Anxiolytic effect
A total of 60 study participants were treated with either CBD (100, 300 or 900 milligrams), clonazepam (1 milligram) or placebo. This was followed by a test called “Public Speaking in a Real Situation”. Clonazepam provided a marked anxiolytic effect during the speech, taken about 2.5 hours beforehand. An hour later, this effect was still evident. The same applies to subjects who received CBD (300 milligrams). It is interesting that both the cannabidiol dosage of 100 and 900 milligrams produced no discernible result.
Another double-blind study took place with 24 people with social anxiety disorders. They received either 600 milligrams of CBD or a placebo. Cannabidiol showed a significant, reducing effect on the subjective assessment of their anxiety and cognitive impairment. Equally good results were achieved by administering 400 milligrams of CBD to ten subjects with social anxiety disorders.
double-blind sleep study
A resounding effect was seen in 15 people who suffered from insomnia by taking 40, 80 and 160 milligrams of CBD. With all three dosages, the test persons noticed a significantly longer sleep duration. Furthermore, a crossover study was conducted with 34 patients who had problems sleeping due to chronic pain. They were treated with THC, CBD, a 1:1 mix of both, or placebo. The results (percentage of subjects who slept well) were as follows:
- Combination of THC and CBD: 55 percent
- THC alone: 43 percent
- CBD only: 37 percent
- Placebo: 17 percent
Double-blind study of tobacco addiction
24 smokers participated, they inhaled either CBD ad libitum or placebo. Within a week, the number of cigarettes smoked by cannabidiol users decreased by about 40 percent.
Double-blind Parkinson’s study
The 21 participants with movement disorders received either CBD (75 or 300 milligrams) or placebo. For the evaluation, the “Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire“ added. Significant effects on the patients could not be determined. In terms of quality of life, however, things looked much better: 300 milligrams of CBD daily improved them significantly.