If you use CBD every day, you'll definitely see some changes, but they may not be exactly
what you'd expect. Yes, CBD is responsible for a few health benefits, but that doesn't
mean it's going to cure all your ailments. This is everything that happens to your body
when you use CBD regularly.
One of the most common reasons people start to use CBD is to manage pain. According to
a 2017 study,
"[The] utilization of cannabis for pain can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts, dating
to 2900 B.C."
"CBD comes from Cannabis Sativa, which is the plant from which we get marijuana."
Thanks to the body's endocannabinoid system, CBD is able to relieve pain by attaching to
the cannabinoid receptors in your body and reducing inflammation.
Of course, that isn't to say that ingesting CBD in oil, gummies, or even muscle rubs will
immediately take your pain away. Users and physicians often report that pain is reduced
generally and gradually, not in a burst as one might expect from opiate drugs.
If you use CBD every day, it's fairly likely that your chronic pain will be reduced, which
makes CBD a viable natural alternative to pain relievers for many people.
CBD products are often used to treat anxiety. According to a 2015 study, CBD was able to
effectively reduce behaviors related to generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic
stress disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder, among others.
As Junella Chin, an osteopathic physician and medical cannabis expert told Health,
"[CBD] tells your body to calm down and reminds you that you're safe. It mellows out the nervous
system so you're not in a heightened 'fight or flight' response."
If you use CBD every day, you'll likely find that you are less anxious, a potential boon
for the forty million adults who struggle with anxiety in the United States. Although
you shouldn't look to CBD to get rid of your anxiety, it may help manage it.
Depression is "the single largest contributor to global disability" according to the World
Health Organization. In 2015, it was estimated that 300 million people were suffering from
depression.
All hope is not lost, though. Many people have found therapy, medication, and lifestyle
adjustments to be helpful in treating their depression. Others have turned to natural
remedies, such as Saint John's Wort or Sam E supplements.
According to Healthline, using CBD every day could also be potentially effective in helping
people who are struggling with depression, due to,
"CBD's ability to act on the brain's receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates
mood and social behavior."
While CBD shouldn't be taken in place of antidepressants prescribed by a doctor, using it on a daily
basis could help improve depression symptoms.
CBD is also sometimes used to treat epilepsy. In fact, according to the United States Food
and Drug Administration, the government approved a CBD drug called Epidiolex as treatment for
people with two kinds of epileptic seizure disorders: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut
syndrome.
Research has also shown that CBD may be effective in treating Angelman syndrome, a congenital
disorder that is particularly resistant to traditional epilepsy medication. Ben Philpot,
a cell biology and physiology professor and associate director of UNC Chapel Hill's Neuroscience
Center explained to ScienceDaily,
"There is an unmet need for better treatments for kids with Angelman syndrome to help them
live fuller lives and to aid their families and caregivers. Our results show CBD could
help the medical community safely meet this need."
Although useful in treating cancer, chemotherapy tends to make people feel awful and causes
certain stomach problems. Fortunately, according to Healthline, CBD,
"[May] help reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, which are among the most common
chemotherapy-related side effects for those with cancer."
In fact, a 2010 study discovered that "orally administered synthetic cannabinoids" were
actually better than "dopamine receptor antagonists" in fighting and inhibiting chemotherapy-induced
nausea and vomiting. That's a huge discovery for cancer patients.
Even if you aren't undergoing chemotherapy, daily CBD could help keep nausea at bay.
While there is still no known cure for cancer, there are many scientific advances being made
in the field. It's an urgent need. In just 2020, it is estimated that there will be one
point eight million new cases of cancer and more than six hundred thousand deaths in the
United States alone.
That makes any cancer prevention tactic seriously important. And, as it turns out, using CBD
every day may just help reduce your risk for certain cancers. According to a study from
the California Pacific Medical Center, CBD is the first nontoxic substance that has the
ability to,
"...decrease Id-1 expression in metastatic breast cancer cells."
Basically, CBD caused breast cancer cells to die during scientific observation. This
doesn't mean that CBD will stop people from getting cancer, but it may just reduce the
risk of certain cancers.
One of the most common yet frustrating conditions that many adults struggle with is acne. What
might start out as teenage pimples can quickly turn into hormonal or cystic acne with no
apparent cure.
While there are a lot of topical and oral treatments for adult acne, everyone is different.
Some people desiring a more natural approach to treating acne may find that using CBD every
day is the way to go.
One 2014 study uncovered that, due to CBD's "lipostatic, antiproliferative, and anti-inflammatory
effects," it has the potential to be used as a treatment for acne. According to the
International Dermal Institute,
"Between 40 and 55 percent of the adult population age 20 to 40 are diagnosed with low grade,
persistent acne and oily skin."
Now, that isn't to say that using CBD orally or topically will always heal acne breakouts,
but it has been proven to help because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
It's not uncommon for adults to feel stomach pain or discomfort in their daily lives. But,
according to Fox News,
"74 percent of Americans are living with digestive symptoms like diarrhea, gas, bloating and
abdominal pain."
That means there are a lot of people who currently struggle with digestive issues, and using
CBD products every day may actually be able to help with that. Often, digestive issues
could be a sign that something more serious is going on within your body, so you'll definitely
want to consult your doctor. Still, CBD may help with the symptoms.
In fact, a 2017 study stated the positive impact CBD had on, quote, "gastrointestinal
motility inflammation and immunity," as well as "intestinal and gastric acid secretion,"
and even "appetite control."
CBD can help with a whole host of digestive problems so if you, like 74 percent of Americans,
are struggling with stomach issues, you may want to consider using CBD daily.
Not getting enough sleep, or having poor sleep quality can be damaging to your health. In
fact, a lack of sleep can actually hurt your immune system and, if you're already sick,
it can make it harder to get better.
Obviously, sleep is important, but a lot of adults aren't getting enough. According to
a report by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, quote, "one in four Americans
develop insomnia each year." But, could using CBD every day really help you sleep better?
Well, it depends on how much you take.
Ethan Russo, neurologist, scientist, and the director of research and development at the
International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute, told HuffPost that while CBD may make you
sleepy, it's usually because of other compounds in the product. He explained,
"At extreme doses, CBD may be sleep-inducing, but it's a misconception that it does that
at low or moderate doses. Some preparations of CBD are often associated with high levels
of another compound called myrcene and that is sedating, but this creates a misconception
that CBD is sedating."
Having high blood pressure may be common, but it's definitely something that needs to
be taken seriously. According to the Mayo Clinic,
"Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability, a poor quality of life, or
even a fatal heart attack or stroke."
Thankfully, using CBD every day could help. Of course, if you already have high blood
pressure, you shouldn't stop your medication in favor of CBD.
According to Healthline,
"The stress- and anxiety-reducing properties of CBD are responsible for its ability to
help lower blood pressure."
In fact, a study conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom found that just one
dose of CBD reduced blood pressure in healthy volunteers. If you use CBD every day, you
could start to see your blood pressure decline, along with health benefits already discussed
that are too important to pass up.
Diabetes is a disease that plagues America and is seriously dangerous if not treated
properly. According to a report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 100
million Americans already either have diabetes or prediabetes. While using CBD every day
won't necessarily cure diabetes, it could reduce your risk for the disease.
A study from the Hadassah University Hospital found that,
"CBD can inhibit and delay destructive insulitis and inflammatory Th1-associated cytokine production,
[resulting in] a decreased incidence of diabetes possibly through an immunomodulatory mechanism
shifting the immune response from Th1 to Th2 dominance."
Basically, CBD reduced the instances of diabetes in the mice from the study. Of course, this
was an animal study and not a human study, but it's still important to note that CBD
has the potential to prevent diabetes in mammals.
While you could assume that CBD, like cannabis, would bring on the munchies, that isn't necessarily
the case.
"Graham crackers. Graham crackers with the marshmallows, the little marshmallows and
the little chocolate bars and I'ma make some S'mores, man!"
Of course, everyone responds to CBD differently, but it turns out that using CBD products every
day could help reduce your weight. As stress can oftentimes lead to weight gain, and CBD
reduces stress, CBD may, in turn, have the potential to aid in weight loss.
However, one 2017 study found inconsistent results, reporting that,
"10 [participants] showed decreased weight and 12 had gained weight."
Those changes could be because CBD had a small impact, or that weight and appetite are related
to so many genetic and lifestyle factors, that it might not have any detectable effect.
Although diet pills exist, there's certainly no such thing as an instant weight loss pill.
But, despite science's uncertainty, using CBD every day might just help you reach your
weight loss goals.
"CBD supplements are not tested, approved, or regulated by the FDA. But CBD fans are
not waiting for proof."
As with any supplements that aren't being watched by The Food and Drug Administration,
it's very important to be careful when purchasing CBD products. Rahul Khare, an emergency medical
physician and founder of Innovative Expressive Care told HuffPost,
"Because of the non-FDA approval, anyone can open up a CBD store and process it and try
to sell it for a profit, and that's what's happening right now."
So, don't just go into any old gas station and buy some CBD oil or gummies.
Your best bet is to find a CBD brand that does third-party quality and assurance testing.
But, if that's a little too confusing or, let's be honest, too much work, Brandon Beatty,
founder and CEO of Bluebird Botanicals, advises going to a natural grocery store. He explained
to Health,
"Typically they have a vetting process that does some of the legwork for you."
Not all CBD products are created equal so, even if you use the subpar stuff every day,
you won't get all the benefits CBD has to offer.
Because CBD is derived from the cannabis sativa plant, many people are under the false assumption
that you'll get high if you use CBD. But that couldn't be further from the truth. CBD is
completely different from marijuana, and most CBD products don't contain THC, the psychoactive
chemical most associated with a marijuana "high". Junella Chin told Health,
"CBD is the non-psychoactive portion of the plant, so what that means is you won't have
any effects like euphoria. You won't feel sedated or altered in any way."
Yes, CBD can relax you, but not in the same way smoking a joint would relax you. Of course,
if you want to be extra certain that CBD won't get you high, make sure you purchase it from
a trusted source and that it's third-party tested to contain no THC.
The fact is: Using CBD every day isn't going to change your life in an instant, but it
could just help with a lot of health issues you're facing, and could even prevent others
down the line.
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