The prominence of cannabidiol (CBD) within the nutraceutical and “healthy-living” industries has gained increasing momentum in recent years. Widespread anecdotal accounts are being corroborated by preliminary clinical studies and breadth of encouraging scientific research. The non-psychoactive cannabinoid features a toolset of health-boosting skills that reach both the mind and body. The power of CBD If you think of yourself as relatively fit and healthy, is there an area for CBD in your medicine cabinet? When you start to feature up the potential benefits of normal CBD consumption, the benefits to your heart, skin, and mental wellbeing become clearer and clearer.
With no other single substance presenting an equivalent host of advantages could CBD be the key to a healthy and happy life? To understand how anyone can use CBD to positive effect, the evidence of this cannabinoid and our endocannabinoid system will start you off on the proper foot.
How CBD Works CBD is a cannabinoid, a compound which will trigger responses from our endocannabinoid system via CB1 and CB2 receptors located throughout the body. Although hemp may be a complex organism made from many different compounds, it's the inclusion of cannabinoids and therefore the health-bolstering properties they supply that has attracted the attention of scientists, healthy-living groups, and more importantly, the general public.
The endocannabinoid system is present in all living mammals and regulates and monitors many processes throughout the body. Cannabinoids bind to or influence these receptors, prompting a spread of responses.
Interestingly, CBD features a low affinity for both the CB1 and CB2 receptors—meaning it doesn’t bind to them within the same way that the cannabinoid THC binds to CB1 like a key in a lock. However, CBD still stimulates the endocannabinoid system, triggering the discharge of 2-AG, a natural endocannabinoid produced by the body. Furthermore, CBD stops the activity of carboxylic acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which successively slows down the deterioration of another essential endocannabinoid, anandamide.
CBD and health CBD’s influence on the ECS system is very intense, positively influencing all manner of systems throughout the body.
Metabolism The World Health Organisation estimates that in 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults over the age of 18 were overweight. 650 million would be classed as obese. Those statistics bring alarming reading, and although diet and regular exercise play a key role in managing weight, most are different then too is their metabolism.
Metabolism involves breaking down molecules to obtain energy. People with a high metabolism can break down food molecules at a quicker rate than those with a slower metabolism. As such, any products that assist metabolism might be used as a tool to support weight loss. A study by Korean scientists discovered that CBD stimulated the proteins and genes liable for breaking down fat. CBD also displayed a capability to support “browning” of fat cells. White fat cells have links to many potentially serious ailments, while brown fat cells promote weight loss by burning energy.
Heart health The importance of the guts needs no introduction, and keeping this hard-working organ in excellent shape may be a primary concern. Fortunately, CBD features a hand in healthy hearts also. Our cardiovascular system, a collection of veins and arteries all leading to the heart, requires clear pathways for oxygenated blood to be pumped around the body.
A review of CBD’s use as a therapeutic remedy for the circulatory system by the varsity of Graduate Entry Medicine & Health found that CBD took protest on isolated artery walls, reducing tension in blood vessels. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant attributes of CBD also helped protect against reperfusion injury, which is broken tissue caused by a scarcity of oxygen.
Healthy skin Our skin is the protective barrier against infection, harmful chemicals, and physical damage. On its own, the skin does a superb job of being multi-layered flexible armour; however, with the inclusion of CBD, the skin’s natural defence capabilities might be improved. Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne are all made worse by inflammation.
CBD has been found to be very effective as an anti-inflammatory substance, thus reducing the discomfort experienced on regions of damaged or irritated skin. While more studies are being undertaken to further understand CBD’s role in lowering bacteria build-up, it is obvious that with a more detailed understanding of CBD’s antioxidant properties, the superb job our skin already does might be further improved.
Happy with CBD All of the topics we have discussed so far show how CBD benefits the body physically. But mental wellbeing is just as important. Stress and anxiety can contribute to negative conditions like diabetes, and obesity, among an entire host of others. Any reduction in our stress level helps us to form clear, rational, and healthy decisions.
When fifteen healthy English patients took part during a double-blind, randomised study, the results were very compelling. Using CBD and a placebo, to carry out the experiment the patients administered with CBD experienced a trend in anxiety reduction. CBD showed to positively help suppress the stimulation of several chemical responses when subjects were processing intensely fearful faces. Authors of the study did conclude that the action of CBD on a molecular level remains unclear, but theorised several ways during which the inclusion of cannabidiol could reduce feelings of anxiety.
Moreover, by contributing to a slower breakdown of anandamide, there's reason to believe that CBD can also be an effective way to take care of an elevated mood. Regardless of whether you would like to require CBD as a therapeutic approach to a selected condition or as a way of promoting greater overall wellbeing, it's clear that preliminary studies show incredibly encouraging results.
Undoubtedly, as the depth of research increases, we will see an increasing number of benefits enter the limelight. CBD doesn't just need to be a targeted approach to handling a condition naturally; instead, CBD taken daily in numerous forms can help reinforce the health of your mind and body.