What is Cannabidiol?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a by-product of the cannabis plant and has been recently emerging as an alternative medicine wonder drug. It is touted to be a cure-all for ailments as wide-ranging as depression and chronic pain, such as rheumatism, arthritis, and muscle strains.
Many sellers use advertisements that promote it as a metabolism booster, add into your morning routine to give you a kick start, or even as a post work out additive to retain energy.
What Exactly is Cannabidiol
Cannabidiol is one of the second most common extracts of the cannabis plant. Its more infamous cousin is marijuana. Cannabidiol is an essential component of medical marijuana as it is currently being sold.
Cannabidiol is an extract from the hemp plant, which is related to the marijuana plant.
Cannabidiol is better accepted than marijuana because when taken on its own, it does not cause a high in the people who take it.
The World Health Organization reports that “Cannabidiol exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…. To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.” This means that Cannabidiol can be taken without running the risk of addiction or dependence on the substance.
Cannabidiol is readily obtainable in most places, with most countries legalizing its use. At present, most people that use Cannabidiol get it through mail order or online services without a medical prescription.
The Health Benefits From Cannabidiol Usage
Cannabidiol is widely promoted for many health issues. But it is said to be the most effective in treating childhood epilepsy and seizure linked syndromes like the Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). These two syndromes usually do not respond to conventional medicines for preventing seizures.
Many studies document Cannabidiol as being able to reduce and, at times, stop seizures entirely. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the USA approved the first ever antiseizure medication that uses Cannabidiol as a major component. This drug is called Epidiolex
Cannabidiol is also widely used as an over the counter drug (OTC) for anxiety and stress. Many patients who have insomnia also report that the drug helps in allowing patients to relax and fall asleep. It also proves helpful in enabling them to sleep for more extended periods.
Cannabidiol is also a good option for people suffering from any type of chronic pain. A study in the European Journal of Pain demonstrated that Cannabidiol applied externally helped reduce pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.
Yet another study has shown how Cannabidiol works to reduce the two most difficult forms of pain to treat; inflammatory and neuropathic pain. While the studies are conclusive, more studies are also underway to help substantiate the claims further about the effectiveness of Cannabidiol in treating chronic pain.
Is It Safe To Use Cannabidiol?
Some of the side effects of using Cannabidiol are fatigue, irritability, and nausea. Cannabidiol can also cause blood thinning in some people by increasing a chemical called coumadin in your blood. Cannabidiol can also increase the impact of some medications on your body.
It does so by the same process that grapefruit or other strong citrus juices do. A point of concern with Cannabidiol is that it is being marketed as a dietary supplement, while it is working as a medication.
There is a lack of regulatory oversight, with the absence of purity controls and processing safeguards. This means that for regular users, the constancy of results is not ensured. With a lack of control and the absence of rules in place, production standards can be compromised.
This means that you don’t know for sure that the product you are buying has the active ingredients it is advertising. This means that the doses listed on the label may not be effective because of less or more percentages of active ingredients.
Also, the product may have other unspecified ingredients. The most effectual curative doses of Cannabidiol for any particular medical condition are also not specified.
However, you must keep in mind that Cannabidiol is a plant extract. Its overdosage does not cause any significant side effects, apart from the crankiness and an upset stomach. These side effects would only occur when Cannabidiol is taken in substantial doses.
The Bottom Line
Some cannabidiol manufacturers have received negative attention for their exaggerated claims. The most notorious one is that CBD is a cure for cancer.
Cannabidiol is a viable alternative option for managing chronic conditions like anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain conditions like arthritis and rheumatism, and childhood epilepsy. Most of these conditions are not successfully treated by conventional medicine.
More research is needed to determine effective dosages according to conditions. Regulatory oversight is also required in order to ensure that high quality products are sold and adulterated and low quality product is filtered out.
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