CBD has often been hailed as a “miracle cure.” That’s because cannabidiol has so many benefits to offer.
When it comes to the uses of CBD, there’s what we know and has been proven by research, and then, there’s what is still under study. So, CBD has lots of health-related benefits already as well as potential uses that you can expect to see in the coming years.
Perhaps, the most studied and known use of CBD is for treating inflammation. But to really examine how CBD works in reducing inflammation, and whether it is an effective anti-inflammatory treatment or not, let’s look at what researchers are saying about cannabidiol.
What is Chronic Inflammation?
Inflammation is a vital immune system response that occurs due to an injury, toxins, or infection to the body. It is often characterized by swelling, reddening, soreness, pain, and hotness. When someone experiences inflammation, it means that their body is trying to heal itself by fighting off something dangerous.
In some cases, however, chronic inflammation, which is when the inflammation response stays with someone for more months to years, may occur in the absence of a foreign or external invasion of the body. A good example is when a person develops arthritis.
Acute inflammation may arise from an untreated cause and autoimmune disorders. Furthermore, excessive exposure to chemical toxins can also cause chronic inflammation. In the light of that, according to Thrive Global, these toxins in the home or at work can lead to inflammation.
Through the body triggers an inflammatory response as a natural way of curing itself, chronic inflammation can also be detrimental to the body. With time, this response can begin destroying healthy body cells and organs, which could further lead to DNA destruction, cell death, and internal scars.
How Is Inflammation Treated?
Until the discovery of CBD, medical professionals had three main methods of dealing with inflammation. These include:
- NSAIDs: these are the medications that people can buy over the counter to help them manage pain and inflammation. However, these drugs have been linked to other, more severe health conditions with prolonged use.
- Corticosteroids: this steroid-based treatment option works by suppressing a person’s immune system and thereby, reduces chronic inflammation. According to the New York Times, using steroids to treat inflammation can cause other health problems, like the increased risk of bone fracture, even in the short term.
- Supplements: some supplements have been linked to a reduction in inflammation symptoms. However, supplements are effective when used, along with other treatment methods.
As you can see, NSAIDs and Corticosteroids, which are what people have depended on over the years to deal with severe inflammation, have their downsides. CBD oil, which has emerged as a non-dangerous yet effective method of dealing with chronic inflammation, is now being considered by many as an alternative to pharmaceuticals.
What Is Cannabidiol (CBD)?
Cannabidiol, known to many as CBD or CBD oil, is a compound found in hemp and marijuana plants. However, it is derived from hemp, which contains tiny amounts of THC (a psychoactive agent) as compared to marijuana. According to Marina Turea at CBD Kyro, CBD is completely separated from THC when it is extracted to comply with federal legislation, which stipulates that CBD oil must have no more than 0.3 percent of THC.
Though being not very new as a form of treatment, CBD has only seen an increase in popularity in recent years, especially with the realization that many trusted medications have long-term adverse effects. That has led to a lot of research interest in cannabidiol.
The ability of CBD to reduce inflammation has resulted in it being prescribed for managing various conditions. As seen on Daily CBD Mag, CBD is applied to patients suffering from acne, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, among many more diseases.
Research on Cannabidiol Effects on Inflammation
As the popularity of CBD increases with each passing day, more and more researchers have ventured into fact-finding missions to gauge whether the hype behind CBD as a viable treatment is valid. There is already a substantial research-backed proof indicating that CBD can be an effective treatment for various anti-inflammatory ailments.
Case in point, a study in mice revealed that CBD hindered the development of type one diabetes. This ailment is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects the beta cells located in the pancreas. Another study revealed that CBD safeguarded a mouse with MS from the detrimental effects of inflammation.
Researchers have also assessed the impact of CBD on male rats ailing from osteoarthritis. After a fortnight of observation, acute inflammation of joint areas was minimized when local CBD treatment was administered in the area. Furthermore, the application of CBD hindered the progression of nerve damage and nerve discomfort.
With that said, so far, studies on animals have revealed that CBD regulates the immune system. And even though CBD doesn’t have that much of a connection with the cannabinoid receptors in biological receptors, it affects other receptors and targets. Research has disclosed that CBD attaches to and numbs receptors that are responsible for pain, inflammation, and temperature.
Even though these developments are good news to many, there is still the need for more controlled trials on people. Recently, the FDA warned about the lack of research on the possible risks of CBD. For this reason, only after conclusive, human tests can CBD be considered as a viable treatment.
Already, there’s evidence to support the fact that not all medication serves to improve our health. According to the BBC, some medications change who we are, making us become pathological gamblers and even less neurotic. In light of such cautionary information, it is plain to see why we need to take care while using various treatments, among them CBD.
Verdict
So far, research on animals has shown that CBD is an excellent treatment for inflammation. This news is encouraging to the medical community, and the whole world by extension, to say the least. However, there is still a need to tread these waters with caution, especially since the effects of CBD on humans have not been researched thoroughly.
Now, and possibly for the foreseeable future, we can expect people to continue touting this cannabis compound as an effective way of treating a slew of ailments, among them inflammation. In light of that, the public should always be keen to find out whether there is accepted and verifiable evidence to support the same.