CBD oil has a growing interest as a supplement. Complete understanding is yet to be known, however quite a few study’s in recent literature has shown some beneficial effects.
The body has an internal endocannabinoid system, signalling molecules that regulate pain, memory, decision making, mood, appetite, sleep and many more systems. We know they exhibit their effects by binding to CB1 and CB2 receptors, and so does CBD oil. We can stimulate the endocannabinoid system from a nutritional, activity or exogenous stimulus. Nutritionally, herbs and spices, chocolate and some fatty acids stimulate the system. Most exercise up-regulates the activity of endocannabinoids and obviously CBD oil.
Some of the more common uses of CBD oil are to manage depression and anxiety. Acutely, this has been proven to show beneficial anxiolytic effects. The processes are unknown and further chronic testing needs to be done.
Endocannabinoids have these following effects, and so we could assume that CBD oil also has some of the same:
Modulate memory processing. This is done via neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity that essentially sees the brain undergo structural or physiological changes to facilitate better 're-wiring’ of neurons and enhanced memory.
Neuromodulatory effects. This is the control of over or under excitation of nerves in the brain. Too much activity and we see too much electrical current and transmissions in the brain, resulting in twitches, mood swings, sleep deprivation etc. Many studies show the control of over-excitation leads to a longer life span.
Anti-excitotoxic effects. This essentially means the reduction of damage to neurones and exhibiting and neuroprotective effect. The effects that neurone damage could see are all the neurodegenerative diseases we see today such as MS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease, Fibromyalgia and more.
Anti-inflammatory benefits which will see numerous advantageous effects, reducing the problems that we so commonly see with inflammation.
Vasodilation. CBD has also been shown to be a vasodilator which would consequently help with blood pressure and the multiple conditions we see in society today that rise from hypertension, including atherosclerosis, CVD and so on.
So, I haven’t fully dived into the studies of CBD oil supplementation because of the shallow evidence they have out there. But relating the effects of our endocannabinoids to exogenous CBD is a great place to start to understand the effects of the supplement. It exhibits its effects by binding to the same receptors within our endocannabinoid system, hence why I delved into the molecules that we produce naturally.
Luke French | Health Coach