What Are the Benefits of CBD?

Clear and straightforward — what this tiny molecule can do for your whole body.

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Today’s Topics
* CBD benefits
* The endocannabinoid system
* What CBD companies can and cannot tell you about their products
* CBD uses
* CBD side effects
* Other helpful CBD resources and tips

Meet Your Author

CBD writer, Christina M Ward

3 1/2 years as a professional CBD and cannabis writer for 3+ international CBD/Cannabis derivative brands.

If You’re Here — Maybe This Is Something You Really Need to Read Today

As a cannabis writer, I spend a lot of time explaining the science of CBD in layman's terms. This can be quite challenging because the science is still heavily mysterious and lagging behind while anecdotal evidence is overwhelming and being shared widely. This creates a conundrum for the cannabis writer. And confusion for you.

My personal experience with what CBD can do to transform health — well, I have to keep that part to myself and just do my job. I write for big companies and they have the FDA to appease. Legalities to manouver.

The truth is — I just want to stop people in the streets and tell them all about CBD.

I want to tell people who are talking about their achy knee or their anxiety or how they never ever get a good night’s sleep — CBD can help you! Let me tell you how.

This seems a good spot to remind you that I am not a medical doctor nor can any of my advice be taken as a diagnosis or treatment for any condition or disease, nor should it replace the advice of your medical professionals. — CMW

What the Science Says (and doesn’t say!)

I also spend a whole lot of time looking at mountains of medical studies. The list of potential uses for this well-tolerated pant compound is simply astounding.

Currently, we wait for those studies to build a body of evidence (usable, quotable, solid evidence!)…and we operate with what we do know: that CBD helps many, many people to feel better. Perhaps because it’s calming. Perhaps because of its positive impact on our sleep cycle.

But….there is so much more you CBD than this. We all know it.

The FDA is now dealing with the ‘CBD thing.’ Studies are being demanded. Laws are being addressed…to our advantage. (I’ll address this legal stuff in a separate article.

There has to be something more to CBD. Otherwise, HOW is it that my blood pressure was so high it required medication — until I started taking CBD? And now it’s been normal for 3 years? And if I run out of CBD my BP goes up and up?

This is an actual measurable change in my body.

Can someone explain to me why it’s easier for me to read if I’m on my CBD? I don’t know how to measure this but when I first began taking CBD, I literally cried because I felt like my mind was opening up — and I could read.

Or why I feel normal when I am on it? Mentally and emotionally speaking — I feel tons better! It’s transformed my relationships too — because I am so much easier to communicate with when my mind isn’t roaring at mach 12 — CBD calms my mind so what comes out my mouth makes a lot more sense.

We Don’t Know the Full Truth

The truth is, we don’t have all of the answers about why CBD works and how. But scientists are working on it. It takes a lot of scientific studies — and some of these studies last for years — to build a base of evidence on each and every aspect of CBD, what it does, how CBD affects the human body and mind, and what the long-term effects of CBD are on, say, the liver, for example.

In the meantime; CBD use is exploding. Exponentially growing. It’s changed my life and the lives of many others! And the preliminary science is very very exciting!

Let’s Talk About How CBD Works

Today, I’ll explain a little bout how CBD works and provide an easy-to-understand summary of the CBD benefits and risks.

Pay attention to the language around what we can and cannot say — because this is evolving, even today. In North Carolina, where I grew up, for example, Bill 711 is now pushing its way into law to legalize medical marijuana — these types of bills pave the way for more funding and research on the medical applications of cannabis components like CBD! — CMW

Why Take CBD?

We take CBD to correct an endocannabinoid deficiency within the body. This seems to create greater homeostasis within the body, allowing your body systems to work more efficiently.

What Are Endocannabinoids?

Endocannabinoids are produced by your body. Two are of the highest interest: anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. There are others, but these are the two most widely studied.

Your body’s endocannabinoids help to regulate homeostasis in your bodily systems and help them to function more smoothly.

This means that CBD, which is a phytocannabinoid — a cannabinoid derived from plant material that mimics your body’s endocannabinoids — has the potential to help in a lot of areas:

• Appetite
• Digestion
• Immune function
• Inflammation, including neuroinflammation
• Mood
• Sleep
• Reproduction/fertility
• Motor control
• Temperature regulation
• Memory
• Pain
• Pleasure/reward

What is the endocannabinoid system?

The endocannabinoid system or ECS is a system in your body that includes receptors and enzymes to process the endocannabinoids your body produces or any phytocannabinoids (plant-based cannabinoids) that you take.

The CBD molecules (and other cannabinoids in CBD products) attach to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system. These receptors function as communication pathways to your other bodily systems, including the brain. Naturally, if your body is endocannabinoid deficient (a condition called Endocannabinoid Deficiency, or CECD), then any cannabinoids you take would fill in any deficiencies as they mimic your body’s endocannabinoids.

How does CBD work in the body?

CBD molecules bind to these receptors in the ECS system and then work with your body’s systems to make things run more smoothly.

Think of each CB1 and CB2 receptor as a blank space — if you don’t have enough endocannabinoids in your system. Flushing in cannabinoids from CBD products ensures that all these receptors are functioning and processing plenty of endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids.

The result is a system-wide improvement. Including the brain — because CBD does pass the blood-brain barrier!

What we can say — legally

1. Because the CBD industry has grown exponentially (due to the Farm Bill’s decriminalization of hemp-based products and also due to very strong anecdotal evidence) the scientific research simply has not had the time to keep up. Because of this — very few statements about the benefits of CBD can be made — legally and ethically. For example — we know it helps with pain and inflammation — but legally, because there are no studies definitively showing this, we cannot say that.
2. We can say — CBD helps create a better sense of calm and wellness, and that it helps regulate a healthy sleep cycle. Though this, alone, is worth using CBD products — it’s not even CLOSE to the wide variety of benefits you can get from a regular CBD regimen.

Anecdotal Evidence Suggests:

That CBD may help with ALL KINDS of conditions. Again, scientific research is either in the works, proposed, not completed, or inconclusive at this time. Research is looking into MANY…

Potential Uses for CBD

• Pain management
• Parkinson’s
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Neurological illnesses
• Neurodegenerative conditions
• Neurodevelopmental conditions
• Treatment for various psychiatric illnesses
• Acute and chronic kidney disease
• Autoimmune diseases
• Chronic inflammatory diseases
• Chronic pain conditions

The FDA has currently approved one CBD product, Epidolex, and some other CBD-related products:

To date, the agency has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for the treatment of any disease or condition. FDA has, however, approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drug products. These approved products are only available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

FDA has approved Epidiolex, which contains a purified form of the drug substance CBD for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome in patients 1 years of age and older. It has also approved Epidiolex for the treatment of seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex in patients 1 year of age or older. That means FDA has concluded that this particular drug product is safe and effective for its intended use.

The agency also has approved Marinol and Syndros for therapeutic uses in the United States, including for the treatment of anorexia associated with weight loss in AIDS patients. Marinol and Syndros include the active ingredient dronabinol, a synthetic delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is considered the psychoactive component of cannabis. Another FDA-approved drug, Cesamet, contains the active ingredient nabilone, which has a chemical structure similar to THC and is synthetically derived. — FDA

My Personal Testimony with CBD

I can offer, here, my testimony of benefits. These are the benefits I have experienced myself. For you, this may differ.

1. Improved cognition
2. Improved sleep
3. VERY much improved mood
4. More stable moods
5. DRASTICALLY reduced pain events (I have fibromyalgia and a chronic spine and neck issue.)
6. Less overall pain
7. I have not had any migraines since starting CBD.
8. I find it FAR easier to concentrate, focus, and be productive. (I have ADHD and some neurodivergent thinking patterns.)
9. Less anxiety, fear, worry, and panic attacks
10. The quality of my life is far improved. Under a neurologist’s care and direction, I was able to wean off of over a half-dozen pharmaceuticals and just stay on the CBD!
11. Reduced compulsive picking as related to excoriation disorder.
12. More energy that doesn’t feel like “manic energy” but just good, clean, positive, productive energy.
13. My appetite goes up, but only slightly when I use the full spectrum type of CBD.
14. I can relax so much easier, especially with the full spectrum kind. This is why on work days I take broad spectrum CBD. On weekends or at night I take the full spectrum kind so I can turn the motor in my mind down a little — and enjoy my non-work time without constantly being drawn back to the keyboard to work or check notifications or emails.
15. I can read a BOOK! Without rereading the same parts 10 times or losing my train of concentration altogether.
16. If I do any kind of weight lifting or exercise, my muscles recover faster. No drawn-out muscle pain that stirs up my fibromyalgia. This means — I can exercise! I had far too much pain before CBD to do this. Which meant I was putting on weight. With CBD’s help, I am finally getting in shape after a decade of pain and loss of mobility.

Who Can Take CBD?

To take CBD products of any kind (or to purchase them) you must be over the age of 21. There are a few other considerations:

• Check with your doctor. Some people may not be a good candidate for CBD based on current and past medical history, conditions, or medications. Remember that CBD is not meant to be a cure or to treat any type of medical condition — this may change as more scientific studies are completed.
• Some people are really sensitive to THC — this may determine the type of CBD you need to use.
• Are you pregnant or nursing? — CBD is not recommended if you are pregnant or nursing.
• Check the laws in your state. While CBD products are legal in all 50 states, some states have restrictions on the type of THC that is allowed in CBD products. Delta 8 THC, for example, is not allowed in some states.

What Are the Side Effects of CBD?

There are some side effects of CBD. Usually, they are mild and disappear as your body gets used to the CBD:

• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Gastrointestinal upset
• Tiredness

For more information about how CBD can help you, follow the author of this article. There will be more helpful CBD guides on her profile that may help you.

Thanks for reading today on the benefits of CBD and how CBD may improve your health.

Note: The author of this article uses a combination of CBD products from cbdMD and from Asé Pure Naturals. (Not affiliate link.)

Take care, dear human.

~Christina M. Ward: Freelance CBD, health, wellness, & beauty writer for 3 international companies; ghostwriter for several others. Writing is paving her way to the ocean. Here’s how you can learn more about writing for a living.