What is CBD, and what can it do?
In recent years, however, the attention of scientists, doctors, and also patients has turned to CBD. Animal research and first clinical trials suggest that CBD has a significant therapeutic potential for several health conditions, from anti-inflammatory action, neuroprotective effects to psychiatric use. So how is CBD different from THC, and how can it help us?
CBD vs. THC
As already mentioned, THC is psychoactive, causing the well-known feeling of getting high or stoned, while CBD does not have such effects. Although both of these substances are so-called phytocannabinoids ('phyto' means plant origin), each has a slightly different impact on the human body. THC mainly targets cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), which is present primarily in the central nervous system.
CBD regulates the effects of THC (moderates the feel of being high) by acting on different receptors. In short, if a person feels uncomfortable after ingesting cannabis and experience signs of anxiety or depression as a result of consuming a higher amount of THC, CBD should help them get back to normal.
How to use it
Cannabidiol is most commonly used in the form of oils nowadays, in which extracts rich in CBD are dissolved. However, some oils also contain other cannabinoids, or you can come across purified CBD products (without the content of other cannabinoids).
In the plant form, hemp teas and blends obtained from hemp varieties, which contain up to 3 - 4 percent CBD and a minimal amount of THC, are becoming increasingly popular.
Patients with severe health conditions, such as various oncological diseases or epilepsy, often use extracts high in CBD and other cannabinoids, known as Phoenix Tears. They, however, are not yet widely available in the Czech Republic.
How CBD works
Like other cannabinoids, CBD is a trigger, which binds to specific receptors in the human body, initiating certain reactions. Such cannabinoid receptors are present in the central nervous system, while others occur in the so-called peripheral organs. They also are present in the skin.
Imagine cannabinoids are a key fitting into a lock represented by cannabinoid receptors. When using cannabis, the patient lets such keys into their system, which fit into different cellular locks. These receptors form perhaps the essential system in our body – the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
According to scientific knowledge, it affects everything from mood, memory, motor functions to the functioning of the immune system, reproduction, bone growth, perception of pain, craving for food, or sleep. The main task of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis in the body. Many studies and researches suggest that CBD with other cannabinoids seems to help restore balance if it is lost or disrupted.
Therapeutic potential of CBD
CBD can act on multiple areas in the body at once. This makes it challenging to study because it is almost impossible to determine what effects these different interactions show together. Nevertheless, despite the lack of quality clinical research (which is, fortunately, changing nowadays), many patients turn to products high in this cannabinoid (liquids are available in addition to the products mentioned above) to find relief from their physical or psychological troubles.
Below, you will find a list of health conditions in which the therapeutic potential of CBD turns out to be the most promising:
- Epilepsy
- Intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic and neuropathic pain
- Parkinson's disease
- Antibiotic-resistant infections
- Diabetes
- Lupus and other skin diseases
- Arthritis
- Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
- Cancers
- Drug addiction
In our e-shop, we offer only such CBD ointments and supplements, which may also contain other cannabinoids that are entirely legal and will not expose you to any law violation. You can browse the full range here.