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cannabinoid

Tag: cannabinoid

  • Ever Wondered How CBD Can Potentially Help With Anxiety?

    Ever Wondered How CBD Can Potentially Help With Anxiety?


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    What Exactly Is CBD Oil & How Can It Fight Anxiety?

    You’re seeing it in supplements, beauty products, and even chocolate bars, but what the heck is CBD oil, and could it help with anxiety, so what is all the fuss about? You know it has something to do with marijuana, so is the wellness world just a bunch of potheads? Well, not exactly.

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    The basics of CBD oil: hemp vs. marijuana.

    CBD is short for cannabidiol, a cannabinoid compound that is found in hemp and marijuana. Both hemp and marijuana are part of the plant family known as Cannabis. The main difference between marijuana and hemp is the level of THC in each. THC, like CBD, is a cannabinoid compound. There are 60 different known cannabinoids, but THC is the most well-known—the Beyoncé of cannabinoids if you will. The reason THC is so famous is that it’s associated with the psychoactive high that people experience after smoking or ingesting weed.

    The definitions of hemp and marijuana can get pretty confusing, but for basic purposes, marijuana contains high levels of THC, and hemp contains low levels of THC. The ratios of CBD to THC in hemp oil can vary, depending on the product and the specific plant the oil was extracted from. CBD oil, a concentrated version of the cannabidiol compound, is typically derived from hemp but can be extracted from marijuana as well. CBD oil products on the market have varying levels of CBD and THC. Many have little to no THC, while some contain small amounts.

    The health benefits of CBD oil.

    OK, so CBD oil won’t get you high, turn you into a drug addict, or give you the munchies, so why is everyone talking about it? If THC is the Beyoncé of cannabinoids, then CBD is the Adele: Both you and your grandma will love it. CBD is just as talented as THC but safe for the whole family. CBD oil can provide amazing health benefits naturally, and there is a growing body of research to support it.

    While there are many different pathways driving the positive health benefits of CBD, the centre of its awesome abilities seems to be that CBD is a very effective natural anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation is really the commonality between most (and by most, I mean basically all) chronic health problems that we face today as a modern society. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, and hormonal problems are all inflammatory in nature. What the heck, right?

    Despite this, it’s important to know that inflammation is not inherently bad; in fact, it’s a brilliant aspect of our immune system. When balanced, inflammation heals wounds and fights off infections. The problem with inflammation arises when it increases and never calms down. Like a forest fire burning on in perpetuity, people get hurt. Same goes with the fiery squall of insidious, chronic inflammation. As a natural anti-inflammatory, CBD can help quell the flame and fight chronic inflammation.

    CBD oil, inflammation, and anxiety.

    Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. An estimated 30 percent of adults in the United States (that’s 66 million people) and an estimated 25 percent of teenagers and preteens are affected by anxiety. As a functional medicine practitioner, I see many people who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, and from these statistics, it should be no surprise. But just because something is common doesn’t make it normal. Fortunately, new insights into the cause of anxiety may help with the development of more effective treatment options.

    Most people do not associate cognitive health issues like anxiety, depression, brain fog, ADD, ADHD, and autism with inflammation, but it turns out that is exactly what the research is finding. There is actually a whole field of research known as the cytokine model of cognitive function studying how inflammation messes with our brains and may cause anxiety disorders. One finding is that elevated levels of NF kappa B (NFkB), an inflammatory bad guy, is associated with anxiety while people with lower levels of NFkB often have lower rates of anxiety.

    Enter CBD oil: an anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety compound. I have seen in my own life, and many of my patients’ lives, the positive impact CBD oil can have on anxiety. Studies have found that CBD oil is a natural anxiolytic (anxiety calmer) and is effective in treating social anxiety. CBD calms anxiety naturally without the potential side effects of pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications.

    In addition to fighting inflammation in the body, CBD oil may reduce anxiety by directly affecting the brain. Studies have found that CBD actually lowers activity in the amygdala and increases prefrontal cortex activation, two parts of the brain involved in anxiety. There is also evidence that CBD is able to activate hippocampus neurogenesis, aka regenerate new neurons! This activates CB1 receptors, which has a positive balancing impact on GABA and glutamate levels, associated with reducing anxiety.

    CBD Oil: How much should you take?

    The studies done on CBD oil have a pretty wide dose range (anywhere from a few milligrams to hundreds of milligrams). I suggest starting at the lower end (around 10 milligrams) and slowly increasing over a few weeks or months to see what works for you. Some people also do well with splitting the dosage throughout the day instead of taking the dose all at once. As with everything, it is always a good idea to talk with your prescribing doctor if you are on any medications. CBD is generally very safe, but there are some pharmaceutical medications CBD oil could potentially interact with and increase or decrease the pharmaceutical drugs’ effectiveness.

    There are a growing number of quality CBD oils on the market. Just make sure the product you buy is getting third-party tested for quality and potency—and that the hemp was organically grown.

  • WHO Report Finds No Health Risks Or Abuse Potential For CBD

    WHO Report Finds No Health Risks Or Abuse Potential For CBD


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    A World Health Organization (WHO) Report Finds No Public Health Risks Or Abuse Potential For CBD

    A World Health Organization report has found no adverse health outcomes but rather several medical applications for cannabidiol, a.k.a. CBD, despite U.S. federal policy on this cannabinoid chemical.

    According to a preliminary WHO report published last month, naturally occurring CBD is safe and well tolerated in humans (and animals), and is not associated with any negative public health effects.

    worldhealthorganisation CBD 1024x614 1

    Experts further stated that CBD, a non-psychoactive chemical found in cannabis, does not induce physical dependence and is “not associated with abuse potential.” The WHO also wrote that, unlike THC, people aren’t getting high off of CBD, either.

    “To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD,” they wrote. In fact, evidence suggests that CBD mitigates the effects of THC (whether joyous or panicky), according to this and other reports.

    The authors pointed out that research has officially confirmed some positive effects of the chemical, however.

    The WHO team determined that CBD has “been demonstrated as an effective treatment for epilepsy” in adults, children, and even animals and that there’s “preliminary evidence” that CBD could be useful in treating Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, psychosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious conditions.

    In acknowledgement of these kinds of discoveries in recent years, the report continued, “Several countries have modified their national controls to accommodate CBD as a medicinal product.”

    But the U.S., the report noted, isn’t one of them. As a cannabis component, CBD remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it has a “high potential for abuse” in the federal government’s view. Nevertheless, the “unsanctioned medical use” of CBD is fairly common, experts found.

    For many CBD users in the U.S., the substance’s mostly unsanctioned and illegal state creates problems, especially as a wave of online (mostly hemp) and store-bought CBD oils and extracts have allowed patients to take the treatment process–and the risks involved in buying unregulated medicine–into their own hands and homes.

    While CBD itself is safe and found to be helpful for many users, industry experts have warned that not all cannabis extracts are created equally, purely, or with the same methods of extraction.

    And while reports of negative reactions to pure CBD are very few and far between, researchers are able to say that the cannabinoid wouldn’t be to blame alone. “Reported adverse effects may be as a result of drug-drug interactions between CBD and patients’ existing medications,” they noted.

    As the cannabis reform nonprofit NORML reported, the WHO is currently considering changing CBD’s place in its own drug scheduling code. In September, NORML submitted written testimony to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opposing the enactment of international restrictions on access to CBD.

    The FDA, which has repeatedly declined to update its position on cannabis products despite a large and ever-growing body of evidence on the subject, is one of a number of agencies that will be advising the WHO in its final review of CBD.

    Perhaps this time around the FDA will listen, and learn something.

    The report was presented by the WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, and drafted under the responsibility of the WHO Secretariat, Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products, Teams of Innovation, Access and Use and Policy, Governance and Knowledge.

    Reference Forbes

    Report PDF WHO (World Health Organisation)

  • Everything You Need To Know About CBD Oil

    Everything You Need To Know About CBD Oil


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    There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that CBD can help treat a variety of ailments. It’s said to help with everything from epileptic seizures to opioid addiction, PTSD to arthritis.

    But despite CBD oil’s high profile status, there’s still a lot of confusion about what it actually is, and what it’s made from. Certain types of CBD oil are already legally available in the UK – such as those made from hemp – whereas other types are very much illegal in the UK – though are available to buy in other countries

    CBD oil extracted from hemp is often marketed as a food supplement to promote well-being – similar to other herbals like Echinacea – and boost the immune system. Although Hemp CBD oil is legal, it is not a medicine and should not be confused with the recent confiscation of 12-year-old Billy Caldwell’s CBD oil at Heathrow airport.

    Billy had flown with his mother to Canada to buy the CBD oil – which helps to keep his daily epileptic seizures at bay. But his oil was confiscated because it was made from cannabis flowers and leaves, and so was classed as illegal in the UK, pushing childhood epilepsy and CBD oil into the spotlight.

    Cannabis law explained

    So far, so confusing, but part of the problem is that terms like cannabis and hemp are often used interchangeably – which masks the nuances and complexities of the cannabis plant.

    Cannabis sativa L, the scientific name of the cannabis plant, is cultivated to produce two distinctive products – industrial hemp, and cannabis. The main difference between hemp and cannabis is based on two criteria. First, the levels of cannabinoids – a family of chemical compounds, the cannabis plant naturally produces – and second, the end use.

    According to current UK drug laws, cannabis is classified as an illegal drug because of the psychoactive properties of THC, the component in it that creates the “high”. And under UK law, cannabis is deemed to have a high potential for abuse – with no accepted medical properties.


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    Hemp vs cannabis

    But this is where it gets even more confusing because cannabis can be bred to create different strains. Cannabis consumed for recreational purposes is selectively bred to optimise high THC content strains – to maximise the “high” feeling. But cannabis also contains CBD, which is a non-psychoactive component.

    Hemp, on the other hand, is harnessed as seed, oil and fibre to produce a wide range of products. It is cultivated to produce a low concentration of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC – as well as higher levels of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD.

    Cannabis is classified as hemp if it has a maximum level of 0.2% THC. Billy’s CBD oil, confiscated at Heathrow, was made from cannabis with a higher level than 0.2% of THC – so it was classed as cannabis, which is why it was confiscated.

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    Medical marijuana

    A recent survey conducted by Sky News found that 82% of their poll subjects agreed that medical cannabis should be legalised. Professor Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, who was appointed to investigate the current scientific and medical evidence, about the therapeutic properties of cannabis-based products, also believes this. She recently said that “doctors should be able to prescribe” cannabis.

    Davies has recommended the removal of cannabis from schedule one classification – which covers a group of drugs considered to have no medical purpose, that cannot be legally possessed or prescribed.

    In Billy Caldwell’s case, the home secretary, Sajid Javid, made the decision to grant Billy access to imported CBD oil. This fresh approach to reconsider the classification of cannabis has been seminal and mirrors wider sentiment in other countries. In the US, for example, medical cannabis programmes have been initiated in 30 states. Hence, medical tourism to Canada – where cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes – and the US to gain access to CBD oil.

    In the UK, however, Sajid Javid will not reclassify cannabis until the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs provides recommendations about the public health implications – which will include the abuse potential of cannabis-based CBD. Though it seems very likely that the home secretary will continue to move towards a patient-focused resolution.

    For patients like Billy then, what this means is that cannabis-based CBD oil could soon be prescribed in the UK under controlled conditions, by registered practitioners, and for medical benefit.

    Reference: The Conversation

  • Ever Thought About Supplementing Your Pet’s Diet With CBD

    Ever Thought About Supplementing Your Pet’s Diet With CBD


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    Over the last several years, CBD has increasingly been shown to aid in the treatment of seizures. The evidence is so strong that the FDA, an organization notoriously opposed to cannabis, approved the first CBD-based medication for one particular seizure disorder at the end of June.

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    Multiple studies have shown CBD is effective in treating these ailments in humans, but a small pilot study conducted in Colorado has also suggested it may be useful in helping ease tremors in dogs. Researchers at Colorado State University, Fort Collins conducted a study of 16 dogs that suffer from seizures and found 90 percent of those given CBD oil experienced a reduction in seizures versus 20 percent that were given placebo treatment.

    This is not the first time veterinary researchers have investigated the potential health benefits of CBD for dogs. Last year, researchers at the Fort Collins veterinary school sought to determine the effects of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid on arthritis. Other researchers at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania have also attempted to study the effects of CBD on dogs, but Dawn Booth of Auburn University’s veterinary school was forced to wait for federal approval. Researchers as the University of Pennsylvania halted their study after the DEA declared CBD is still considered part of cannabis’ Schedule I designation.

    In the meantime, the American Veterinary Medical Association has expressed its desire for the DEA to reclassify CBD. “The concern our membership has worries about people extrapolating their own dosages, looking to medicate their pets outside the realm of the medical professional,” Board Chairman Michael Whitehair said last year. “This is an important reason for us to continue the research.”’

    CBD products for pets have gained popularity in the years since legalization has become the norm in states around the country, but there is still limited research on its benefits because of federal laws, which has also hindered research into the use of cannabis for human consumption.

    The small study at Colorado State University shows promise but requires a larger scale. “Although really exciting results, it still has to be taken with a little bit of a grain of salt, because the power of the study is diminished when you don’t have a lot of dogs involved,” said Dr Stephanie McGrath, a veterinary neurologist who led the study, while discussing her findings at a press conference on Monday. “Unfortunately, epilepsy is a fairly common condition in dogs,” she said, noting that there are currently very few options to treat it.

    Though the pilot study was small and requires further research, more in-depth study into the effects of CBD on dogs may open a door for improved care for them, just as it has for humans suffering from similar ailments.

    Referece:theantimedia.com

  • What’s The Difference Between Non-Intoxicating CBD & THC

    What’s The Difference Between Non-Intoxicating CBD & THC


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    Why is THC intoxicating and CBD is not? How can one cannabinoid alter the mind, & the other not at all?

    When we’re talking about cannabis and euphoria, we’re dealing exclusively with CB1 receptors, which are concentrated in the brain and the central nervous system. The difference between CBD vs. THC comes down to a basic difference in how each one interacts with the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor. THC binds well with CB1 cannabinoid receptors. CBD has a low binding affinity for CB1 receptors. That’s where the two diverge.

    Think of it like an electrical plug connecting to a wall socket. A THC molecule is perfectly shaped to connect with CB1 receptors. When that connection happens, THC activates or stimulates those CB1 receptors. Researchers call THC a CB1 receptor agonist, which means THC works to activate those CB1 receptors.

    THC partially mimics a naturally produced neurotransmitter known as anandamide, aka “the bliss molecule.” Anandamide is an endocannabinoid which activates CB1 receptors. Animal studies have taught us that anandamide can increase appetite and enhance pleasure associated with food consumption, and it’s likely responsible for some of the rewarding effects of exercise (e.g. the “runner’s high”). Anandamide also plays a role in memory, motivation, and pain. THC is a “key” that so closely resembles anandamide that it activates CB1 receptors, allowing it to produce some of those same blissful feelings.

    CBD, by contrast, is not a good fit with CB1 receptors. It’s categorized as an antagonist of CB1 agonists. This means that it doesn’t act directly to activate or suppress CB1 receptors—rather, it acts to suppress the CB1-activating qualities of a cannabinoid like THC. In other words, when you ingest THC and CBD, the THC directly stimulates those CB1 receptors, while the CBD acts as a kind of modulating influence on the THC. As Project CBD co-founder Martin Lee once wrote: “CBD opposes the action of THC at the CB1 receptor, thereby muting the psychoactive effects of THC.”


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    ArticleCBDvsTHC 1024x813 1
    Left: THC directly stimulates the CB1 receptor. This interaction underlies the major psychoactive effects of Cannabis consumption. Right: CBD reduces, or “antagonizes,” THC’s ability to stimulate CB1 receptors. This can decrease some of THC’s effects, especially negative effects like anxiety and short-term memory impairment.

    How does that work in real life? Let’s say you vaporize cannabis flower with 24 percent THC. If that flower has 0.2 percent CBD, the THC is going to excite your CB1 receptors with almost no interference from CBD. You may feel extremely high, and you might also experience some of the less desirable effects of THC, such as a heightened feeling of paranoia. If you consume cannabis with 24 percent THC and 6 percent CBD, though, the CBD should have a dampening effect on the THC. You’ll still feel high, but perhaps not stupefyingly so—and the CBD should help keep the paranoia in check.

    This difference has had profound political implications. As the founders of Project CBD have noted, some have mistakenly labelled THC the “bad cannabinoid” and CBD the “good cannabinoid.” Legislators have passed many “CBD-only” laws in Southern states in an effort to allow patients access to this potent cannabinoid while prohibiting its euphoric sibling. But the pioneering cannabis researcher Raphael Mechoulam has often spoken of the “entourage effect,” the idea that cannabinoids and terpenes may work better together than in isolation. The GW Pharma product Sativex, for example, is a drug approved outside the U.S. for treatment of MS-related muscle spasticity. Sativex contains with a nearly 1:1 CBD-to-THC ratio.

    As researchers learn more about CBD and the role of other cannabinoids and compounds in the treatment of conditions like MS, we may be able to more accurately dose CBD in combination with other cannabis-derived compounds.

    Reference: Leafly

  • Herb Spoke To Parents Treating Their Children With CBD

    Herb Spoke To Parents Treating Their Children With CBD


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    Autism spectrum disorder affects one in 68 American children, but what’s the relationship between CBD and autism? Parents treating children with CBD?

    Although there are currently no published studies on the subject, there is tons of anecdotal evidence that says CBD and autism is a good fit, especially considering how strong the prescription alternative can be. We did the research and spoke with mothers of children with autism, to teach you how CBD and whole plant medicine can be an effective treatment for autism.

    What is Autism?

    Autism is a developmental disorder that affects people’s ability to communicate and interact with others. It is known as a spectrum because it affects individuals in varying degrees. Some other behaviours that are common in autism spectrum disorder include delayed language, difficulty making eye contact and having a conversation, sensory sensitivities, intense interests, and repetitive behaviour. Because it’s a spectrum, folks with autism may display many or few of these signs – it depends on the individual.

    Autism is frequently accompanied by other medical issues, like gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, sleep disturbances, anxiety, phobias, ADHD, and OCD. But that’s the first place where CBD and autism link, many of those medical issues can be relieved by cannabis.

    What’s more, the inability to communicate can be very frustrating for those with autism. It can cause lead to other behaviours, like anxiety, rage, and self-harm, as well as body rocking and other repetitive self-soothing behaviours. But this is where CBD and autism meet again, because of cannabis’ anti-anxiety and calming effects.

    The Endocannabinoid System and Autism

    The Endocannabinoid system is where the CBD and autism connection really starts to make sense. A lot of autism’s symptoms are directly related to the functions of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is the largest regulatory system in the body and controls:

    • mood
    • pain
    • sleep
    • appetite
    • pleasure and reward
    • motor control
    • memory

    Plus, our bodies have endocannabinoid receptors in almost every cell. When a 2013 study found dysfunctions in cannabinoid receptors on immune cells in autistic children, it was an “aha” moment for CBD and autism researchers. Could supplementing autistic people with cannabis improve their symptoms?

    CBD and Autism

    Some parents, like Shifra Klein, would say yes. Her 12-year-old son was diagnosed with severe autism at age two and has been on over 13 medications to help control symptoms since.

    “Our son is almost completely weaned off of drugs [since beginning CBD treatment],” says Klein. “He is more focused in school, able to stay on task, understand and follow classroom multi-step directions, complete schoolwork, and is no longer at a ‘plateau’ and able to grasp new concepts. His eye contact is better, his language is more thought-out and he is able to create meaningful sentences and his annunciation is clearer. He also seems happier, in general.”

    CBD and autism have been a great fit for Klein’s son, but because there is practically no clinical evidence for its success, autism isn’t a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in most states. However, the anecdotal evidence is growing and has sparked the formation of activist groups like Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism (MAMMA).

    Klein is an early education teacher as well as parent and so she understands the doubt, fear, and stigma parents experience when considering CBD and autism.

    “I still encourage other parents to use resources available to them, such as therapies, but this is such a wonderful addition and has really been effective for us,” says Klein.

    As far as dosing CBD goes, Klein warns it might be a bit of trial and error, but it will be well worth it. She also urges parents to make sure their CBD oil is from a reliable source and is tested by a third-party lab to ensure quality and safety.

    “I would never recommend anything to another child that I would not give to my own,” says Klein. “You will not harm your child by trying CBD to see if it works for them. You will not overmedicate your child with CBD.”

    The Problem with Other Medications

    CBD and autism come as a relief for parents because other drugs prescribed to children with autism are powerful. Often these kids are prescribed Abilify or Seroquel: anti-psychotics not specifically for autism, or children for that matter.

    “You won’t find even one single study that shows what happens to a very young child who’s treated lifelong with antipsychotics,” says Abigail Dar, mother of an autistic son, researcher, and advocate for cannabis for autism in Israel. “None of them [antipsychotic medications] have been targeted for children. I’m talking five [years old].”

    These antipsychotic drugs have tons of negative side effects, including dizziness, drowsiness, stomach pain, and weight gain. And yet, they are most doctor’s first choice for treating autism. However, many criticize them for being too strong and turning kids with social disabilities into zombies. Or, as Dar puts it: “You give it to children who can’t communicate how they feel.”

    Dar also pointed out another troubling dilemma with antipsychotic medications. One of their side effects includes lowering the seizure threshold, yet autistic children are at high risk for epilepsy; 30% of those with autism also have epilepsy. Dar’s son didn’t have epilepsy until he was 16 and she isn’t sure if it was caused by medications for the autism rather than the autism itself.

    “If he didn’t have epilepsy we may have triggered it,” says Dar. “I’m asking now, why did you give my son who’s already at risk for seizures [these drugs]?”

    Cannabis, on the other hand, is anecdotally more effective at treating symptoms and much less harmful. In fact, CBD oil without THC is non-psychoactive and has no side effects aside from possible drowsiness. CBD and autism is such a great match because children are more engaged whereas anti-psychotics leave them the opposite. Plus, hemp-derived CBD oil is available in all 50 states.

    CBD and autism have tons of potential. The anecdotal evidence is building and soon, we’ll have scientific evidence to back it up. For families looking for alternative treatment, CBD and autism might be the answer they were searching for.

    Reference Click Here


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