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There’s a commonly stated misconception that the medicinal benefits of CBD have not been proven, and those who use CBD are blindly taking it according to the experiences of others. It’s true that much of what people say about CBD is backed by various claims from those who say they have the best CBD oil for sleep and pain, and everyone should try it.
But there are studies to prove CBD has merit worth studying further, even if much of the research is still in the beginning stages. Here are some of the positive CBD benefits being studied now.
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Anxiety Relief
One of the top uses of CBD is for anxiety relief. Those who experience situational anxiety or who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder claim that CBD has been a lifesaver for their mental state, and many of them use CBD in favor of prescription medications.
There are many studies showing the effectiveness of CBD on anxiety. One compelling study in Brazil considered the effects of 57 men who were given CBD or a placebo and then asked to complete a simulated public speaking test. They found that those on a high dose of CBD were much calmer and more confident than those on the placebo.
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Sleep Aid
Sleep problems affect as many as 70 million American adults per year and more than a third of the U.S. population experience some kind of insomnia throughout their lifetimes. CBD has been linked in many studies to helping individuals fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
You’ll find multiple studies over the years indicating the cannabis products like CBD are great for inducing sleep. A 2019 study examined the sleep habits of 72 adults and found that more than two-thirds of those using CBD had significantly improved sleep scores within the first month.
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Pain Reduction
Those with chronic pain often turn to CBD to help relieve their symptoms. CBD is often studied as an aid for those experiencing arthritis. The research dates back for years, but here are some notable modern-day findings:
A 2016 study of topical CBD cream on patients with arthritis proved positive for reducing pain and inflammation. Then, in 2017, researchers stated their belief that CBD was safe and effective at treating osteoarthritis.
CBD is also effective at treating other kinds of pain. A 2018 study, for example, showed that patients who suffered chronic pain as a complication of a past kidney transplant could ease their pain with CBD. A third of patients said it eliminated their pain while a little more than half said they felt at least partial improvement within 15 days.
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Anti-Inflammatory
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD have long been studied, and many of the arthritis studies mentioned above also indicated that CBD helped to relieve blood flow and swelling around the joints.
A 2008 study indicates that CBD users experience an influx of cannabinoids that suppress inflammatory responses in the body. The effects were researched against autoimmune disorders like MS, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, and certain types of cancers. All showed positive effects on inflammation.
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Neuroprotective Properties
The brain is a resilient organ, but if the slightest thing goes wrong, it can derail proper function. Damage to brain cells due to trauma, oxidative stress, autoimmune, or genetic disorders can cause temporary or permanent neural damage.
Some studies indicate that CBD might be able to protect against neurological damage and help repair cells that have been affected. There’s ongoing research to examine the positive effects CBD can have on spinal cord problems, strokes, traumatic brain injuries, MS, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, ALS, and more.
Some researchers also believe that CBD could be groundbreaking in helping to delay or prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Antioxidant
Your body naturally produces antioxidants to eliminate free radicals that can cause chain reactions leading to diseases and cancers. However, your body may experience oxidative stress due to higher exposure to free radicals like sun exposure, cigarette smoke, chemical exposure, pollutants, poor nutrition, and other bad habits. Oxidative stress reduces the amount of antioxidants the body natural produces, causing problems in the body.
Consuming antioxidants can help to reduce oxidative stress and prevent cancer. CBD is a proven antioxidant known to chase away free radicals and other damaging cells. There’s also some research to indicate it may have cell restorative properties.
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Serious Illness Relief
Along with protecting the body from certain physical or cognitive illnesses, CBD has helped provide relief for many patients experiencing severe symptoms from serious illnesses. Preliminary research indicates it could help to prevent heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and more.
It’s been used often in clinical settings to help patients feel more comfortable with the pain, inflammation, anxiety, and other side effects of their illnesses. Cancer patients, for example, often use CBD to help offset the side effects of chemotherapy.
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Acne Treatment
Acne is caused by a combination of clogged pores, overproduction of sebum, and hormones. Researchers believe that CBD could help with all three, and many beauty brands have started manufacturing cleansers, makeup, and face lotions with CBD as an active ingredient.
One compelling study looked at the effect of CBD on sebum production. They found that CBD significantly slowed sebum production, leading to far fewer clogged pores and sebaceous acne. Another study indicated that CBD has antibacterial and antifungal effects that might help to rid the skin of pollutants and infections on the skin.
It’s also believed that CBD activates your endocannabinoid system, a structure in the body known for its impact on hormone regulation. Overproduction of cortisol and other stress hormones can lead to cystic acne breakouts, and CBD’s effect on hormone regulation could reduce breakouts from the inside out.
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Epilepsy Remedy
One of the strongest pieces of evidence we have for CBD’s medicinal benefits is for the treatment of epilepsy. The proven research we have led to the production of the first-ever FDA-approved CBD-based drug, Epidiolex. There are other CBD-based drugs for the treatment of epilepsy as well.
The research leading up to the creation of these drugs stemmed from studies on particularly severe cases of epilepsy like Gastaut and Dravet syndrome, which cause hundreds of seizures per week in children. CBD drugs help to reduce these seizures to just a few per week, and some patients reported no seizures at all when using CBD.
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Addiction Recovery
Many people believe that CBD is addictive, but that’s not the case. In fact, it has been used in many addiction recovery settings to help alleviate symptoms of withdrawal and even replace the patient’s substance of choice as a non-addictive alternative.
A study published in 2015 stated the following: “A limited number of preclinical studies suggest that CBD may have therapeutic properties on opioid, cocaine, and psychostimulant addiction, and some preliminary data suggest that it may be beneficial in cannabis and tobacco addiction in humans.”
CBD is being used in practice as a response to many of these preliminary findings, and it’s helping to change people’s lives. This time of research and discovery of CBD benefits is exciting and just getting started. There will likely be many breakthroughs to come as studies continue in this vein.
