CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, has exploded on the markets and is being seen in a lot of products these days: from creams, to pet treats, chocolates and even gummies. This has got people confused and asking genuine questions as to what it exactly is and what it’s used for. Hopefully after reading this, some of your questions will get answered and you will get enough clarity on CBD to make an informed decision for or against it.
CBD is directly derived from the hemp plant (a family of the marijuana plant) and said to be one of the many cannabinoids found in the plant. It is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in cannabis aka it doesn’t get you high but instead provides healthy/therapeutic benefits. It’s not as well known as THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) the psychoactive ingredient, which occurs in marijuana as the core culprit that gets people high. There is a lot to be known about cannabidiol and you can read more here to gain more insight.
How Does Cannabidiol Work?
CBD interacts with our bodies in diverse ways and one of the main ways is by mimicking and amplifying the effects of the compounds in our bodies referred to as “endogenous cannabinoids”. This refers to the identical compounds found in the human body as well as the cannabis plant. These “endocannabinoids” are part of what scientists call the “endocannabinoid system”, a regulatory system that consists of naturally occurring cannabidiol -like molecules.
Pros of CBD
Pharmaceutical drugs have been used for a long time and have helped manage diverse health conditions. However, people want more. People want alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs with less harsh side effects. To have this, it has to be something close to nature and in sync with natural products and processes. This is where cannabidiol has been able to come in. There are so many health benefits especially when your purchase is made from a CBD Company that offer top quality products.
Some of the known pros of cannabidiol include:
- Fighting anxiety.
- Absence of any psychoactive effect
- Easing schizophrenia symptoms
- Reducing pain
- Handling insomnia – both falling and staying asleep
- Treatment of skin disease like acne, psoriasis etc
- Treatment of neuropsychiatric illness like PTSD, autism, alcoholism, ADHD
- Treatment of epilepsy – A drug called Epidiolex has been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the treatment of epilepsy.
Cons of CBD
It goes without saying that most things with pros will definitely have cons. It’s the gravity of the cons that now help see if it measures up and in some cases can be ignored.
Some of the common cons of cannabidiol are as stated below:
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea
- Reduced appetite
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Falling blood pressure
- Potential risk in pregnant women
- Interaction with other medication
- Unreliability of CBD content and purity in products
- Unreliability of dosage
It should be stated here that most of these side-effects can be avoided if the right product it used and at recommended doses.
How to Use CBD
cannabidiol is available in many forms allowing you to choose your preferred method. These include edible, topical, inhalable, and internal amongst others.
Edible
These comes in the form of
- Capsules
- Beverages
- Sweet treats
- Oils
They are ingested via the mouth by eating or swallowing and then gradually infused into the bloodstream.
Inhalable
These go through the mouth, windpipe, and lungs but are inhaled. This makes them very potent and easily absorbed. An example of this would be vape.
Internal
This is when it is administered as a treatment strategy by insertion into the body. This can be either anally or vaginally. This is geared towards wellness and sexual pleasure.
Topical
These come in the form of salves, ointments, oils, creams and the like to address skin issues. So whatever the skin issue and on whatever part of the body, there’s something suitable for it.
In Conclusion
In this article here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476, we find a brief summary about cannabidiol. It explains how it isn’t a threat to human life, its legality, safety and position by the necessary body which is the FDA. Though it is still being extensively researched, it should be noted that it works with minimal side effects.
The market is quite unregulated and so, there are quite a number of not so trusted manufacturers out there with bogus claims, inaccurate dosages and concentration of CBD in their products. Consumers need to be very aware when shopping for these products.
Please also do well to involve your doctor when picking out any of these products, carry out your due diligence and use responsibly.
