CBD Oil: Cannabidiol Uses and Benefits

Ron is a 50-year-old manager at a major movie studio in Los Angeles. He works long hours, constantly on the go, goes to bed stressed and then wakes up stressed. He sleeps little and has little time outside of work for his family.

For many years he has suffered with low back pain that prevented him from sitting for long periods. He had surgery and was given pain medications, which helped – a little. He eventually ended up on three different opiate drugs, taking multiple pills throughout the day, which made him groggy and unable to function. Even though they made him drowsy all day, he was still suffering with significant pain.

He came to see me hoping to get off these drugs and be pain-free, and after discussing the options, we decided to try CBD oil, which didn’t require a prescription or make him high and groggy. Over just a couple of months, he was able to wean off most of his medications, needing only one pill two or three times per day, instead of nine. He was also functioning better at work because he wasn’t sleepy all day.

CBD —it’s everywhere! Cannabidiol, or CBD oil, is fast becoming a household word. You’ve heard all the talk about pain relief, curing Alzheimer’s disease and neurological disorders, as well as many other illnesses. CBD has been touted as a cure for almost any illness. One source has over 50 different illnesses that may be affected by CBD oil.[1] You can buy it in the supermarket, in a pharmacy, and even in convenience stores!

What is CBD?

The cannabis plant is made up of two main players: CBD and THC:

• THC stimulates the brain, nervous system and immune system receptors to cause a “high.”
• CBD doesn’t produce any mental and emotional effects of its own, but tends to interact with the parts that reduces inflammation.

Marijuana has almost pure THC while hemp is almost pure CBD. There are some strains of cannabis that have both. CBD is extracted from the hemp plant and diluted with oil such as vegetable, coconut, or MCT oil. It’s hard to find pure CBD oil.

Is CBD legal?

Since CBD oil is not psychoactive, the Federal government does not regulate it. CBD oil is also considered an herbal extract in all 50 states. If there is more than 0.03% THC in CBD, then the Federal government has passed a law that it is not legal for use. However, some states have laws that legalize marijuana, allowing people in those states to get CBD oil with more THC than the federal limit.

What does CBD do?

Cannabidiol doesn’t bind to the CB receptors, the marijuana receptors, like THC. In fact, it has some inhibitory effects on THC. Instead, CBD causes the body to make more of its own “endocannabinoids,” the natural substance your body makes that binds to these receptors. That’s why THC can cause a “high” while CBD does not.

Nervous system

CBD can decrease inflammation and prevent over-stimulation of nerves. It has been shown to protect neurons from damage,[2] by two different actions:

1. Preventing cell death from over-stimulation
2. Blocking cell damage from inflammation

There is now a prescription CBD oil that has been approved for seizures in children. It also seems to help bipolar disorder and neuropathy from diabetes. Any type of over-stimulation, including all conditions that are treated with anti-seizure medications, may benefit from CBD.

Immune function

CBD has multiple effects on the immune system, both directly and indirectly. Many illnesses are due to over-stimulation of immune function. These inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases can be suppressed by CBD. People have successfully used CBD oil for arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel diseases.[3]

Cancer

Cancer may be treated by CBD oil. CBD works in vitro (in a test tube) to inhibit many cancers.[4] While there are case histories of people using CBD oil effectively for cancer, there are no studies to determine types of cancer, the correct dose of CBD, and so forth.

What about pain?

Marijuana, or THC, didn’t fulfill the promise of helping people with chronic pain. A 4-year study in England of over 1500 people with chronic pain found that people reported more pain with the use of cannabis (THC) and didn’t use less opiates.[5]

CBD oil seems to work, however, through its effects on the immune function to decrease inflammation and pain.[6] It has become a standard treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. CBD oil doesn’t work for all pain; it seems that certain types of inflammation from nerve pain is mostly affected. Other kinds of pain may not directly benefit from CBD oil. You won’t know until your try it!

Sleep and CBD

There is little evidence of CBD oil’s effect on sleep. A few studies in rats showed that the more CBD they took, the more likely they were to sleep, but didn’t get deep or restorative sleep.[7] The higher doses were using the equivalent of about 3000mg per night (most people take between 10 and 100mg).

Are there any side-effects?

CBD itself has few side-effects. However, most of the plant extracts have other oils as well, including THC. Thus, there is a possibility of sedation, nausea, dizziness, and changes in your appetite. If you have any of these, you can change to a different formulation.[8]

Can I overdose on CBD?

The real answer to this question is, no. The reason is that even 33 tablespoons per day would not cause an overdose. Compared to the amounts you would likely be using would not even get close.[9]

Where do I get CBD?

There are many CBD suppliers. You can get it at retailers, grocery stores, and vitamin outlets – even at Bed, Bath, and Beyond! There are also many online CBD suppliers.

One study of 84 different CBD oil products bought online found 26% contained less CBD than advertised on the label and 43% contained more. Moreover, 21% contained detectable amounts of THC.[10] While slight differences are expected in a natural product, the authors of this study did not specifically state how much more or less CBD was found in these oils.

It is most important to look for a supplier that has undergone testing by a third party. Some CBD oils are very diluted, so look for labels that are reviewed by a third party lab.

Ron, the patient above, took a few different CBD oil products and found that the brand Charlotte’s Web worked for him. He was taking about 90mg twice per day. Often it takes using different products to find what works because they are not all the same.

There are several different extraction methods, which change the nature of the oil. Some are also purified CBD, while others have a spectrum of cannabinoids from the plant. Since it CBD oil is a plant extract, there are differences even from the same supplier. There’s a lot we don’t know so seek out one that works for you.

How much CBD do I take?

If you go online and look for the proper dosing of CBD oil, most of the writers will tell you to “ask your doctor.” The problem with this advice is that doctors have NO training in the use of CBD. ZERO. Therefore, they are not equipped to give you any advice on the use and dose of CBD oil (or any natural substance, for that matter).

The rule is to start with a low dose. This is not like a drug where effectiveness increases as the dose goes up. CBD has different effects at different levels. Lower doses affect the immune system differently than higher doses. The lower dose has more of an inhibitory effect, while higher doses cause more stimulation. [11] So, consider a lower dose for immune suppression, and a higher dose for calming the nerves.

Start your dose around 15 mg twice per day. Until your desired effect is achieved, gradually increase your dosage. The final dosing will change depending on the need, the form you take, and the way you take it.

For example, the CBD seizure prevention prescription, Epidiolex, has a dosage of 500-700mg twice per day for an adult, or 100mg twice per day for a child. This might be on the high end of the spectrum; most people using it for other purposes will need much less.

The key is to consider what you want to accomplish. What is the desired effect and evaluate from there. If you aren’t getting what you want, change the dose or the form – or try something else entirely.

What CBD form is best?

You can get CBD in many forms. The following are readily available:

• CBD creams
• CBD suppositories
• Under-the-tongue CBD drops
• CBD capsules
• CBD vape mist

Consider your needs to determine the form.

• Suppositories are often used for inflammatory bowel disease.
• Creams seem to work well for arthritis.
• Those with fibromyalgia or chronic pain mostly take sublingual drops or capsules.
• Vaping is not an option I recommend because abosrbed amounts vary.

If you take the sublingual or oral capsule forms, there is a significant improvement in absorption if taken with food – especially if there is oil or fat in the food.

There are many products that are not for serious treatment because they have tiny amounts of CBD for marketing purposes. The sprays and body washes, as well as cosmetics and creams may not be worth the cost. Also, avoid those that try to sell a subscription or multi-level marketing program because you may find it doesn’t help, or you need a different form than they provide.

Final Notes

Don’t get into all the hype about CBD, which is marketing to try to get you to buy a product. If you need it, it can be very helpful, but if you don’t, you may find more harm than good. Don’t use CBD just to be using CBD because you are told it will inhibit cancer or Alzheimer’s. The jury is still out on many purported benefits of this natural oil. Moreover, we don’t have any data on the long-term effects of using it.

One more thing: in my experience with vitamins, minerals, herbs, extracts, and many natural treatments for all kinds of illnesses, I have found that intermittent use is better than daily use. Most stimulating substances require some time off or the body gets resistant to it. We don’t know that maybe daily dosing of CBD will eventually cause less endocannabinoids to be made and cause more problems. So, my personal recommendation, without any data other than experience, is to use this oil on an intermittent basis, such as 5 days on and 2 days off, or one week on and one week off. This will allow you to notice the difference in taking it versus being off it as well.

 

 

 

 

Sources:
[1]https://cbdorigin.com/cbd-benefits-many-conditions/
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19228180
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22585736
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3579246/
[5]https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(18)30110-5/fulltext
[6]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22163000
[7]https://www.green-flower.com/articles/468/how-does-cbd-affect-sleep
[8]https://www.foriawellness.com/blogs/learn/how-to-take-cbd-correct-dose
[9]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319475.php
[10]https://www.pediatricneurologybriefs.com/articles/10.15844/pedneurbriefs-32-3/
[11]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319475.php