You’ve seen cannabidiol (CBD)
products all over the media. It is in coffee, your post-workout drink, CBD-infused essential oils, capsules, and, of course, skincare products packaged with active CBD ingredients. But you’re not sure what the benefits CBD could have on the human body because you haven’t exactly read up about any of the science behind it.
Cannabinoids
You know that cannabidiol comes from the Cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa), often hyped as the herbal “drug” that offers a temporary ‘high’. You may not know that the Cannabis plant comprises more than a hundred phytochemicals including phytocannabinoids. CBD is just one of the major cannabinoids. And unlike some of its other phytocannbinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; which gives a high), CBD is not psychedelic.
Thus, CBD, with its relaxing, anxiety-reducing effects for the mind and body without its mood-altering hallucinating effects, is a great alternative to pharmaceutical meds. One such advantage of CBD is its results that prove to be anti-inflammatory for many medical conditions. Let’s take a look at how:
It might get a bit scientific, but don’t worry, we will walk you through everything.
CBD Can Aid in Pain Relief
The human body has a unique system that is in charge of an assorted number of functions such as sleeping, sensitivity to pain, appetite, and a responsive immune system. This is called the endocannabinoid system. Wow, sounds similar to CBD, right?
CBD acts on cannabinoid receptors, which are part of the endocannabinoid system found in cells that alter neurotransmitter release in the brain. CBD can also interact with these neurotransmitters, which can have positive biological effects.
These positive effects result in the reduction of inflammation and diminished chronic pain.
Studies show that CBD is especially effective for nerve and back pain and can be helpful in other painful diseases such as the dreaded multiple sclerosis (MS) and arthritis when used in combination with THC.
Voibon Tips
Whilst on the lookout for a perfect CBD product for you, you’ll come across a variety of options. You should always check the source of hemp, extraction methods, COA, third-party testing, users comments, potency etc.
What is Inflammation, and How Does CBD Help?
Inflammation is a response to stimuli that enter the body. It could also be a consequence of cell damage or tissue injury. It could be injurious in any way, through unknown foreign toxic substances entering the body or external objects causing injury through force. Both lead to vulnerable nerves or an impaired vascular system. It could also cause dysfunctions in various cells and tissues.
Of course, as we were taught in middle school, our body has a very competent way of dealing with all of this; it is through the immune system! There are specific immune cells and signaling pathways in our immune system. These signaling pathways exhibit a series of chemical reactions and molecules that work together and take control of cell functions.
One popular signaling pathway that is often studied is the signal transduction of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain enhancer of activated B cells.
This signaling pathway consists of five complex proteins. These proteins are responsible for facilitating many biological functions entailing multiple genes and proteins and are mediators of the inflammation process.
Does it all sound complicated? The bottom line is that our body works in complex signaling pathways to “signal” specific molecular targets so the body can release anti-inflammatory agents. Somehow, due to too complex systems within our bodies, molecular targets that could develop anti -nflammatory agents that would kick-start healing in our bodies are lost.
This is where CBD steps in.
The external help received through phytocannabinoids found in medicinal plants, such as CBD, assists in the upregulation of transcription factors and signal transducers. These regulate the general workings that help cell survival and development and rapidly accelerate the immune response.
That was all about how CBD can help jump-start your healing, but did you know before your body heals from whatever inflammation it is going through…
CBD in Daily Life
There are various CBD-infused products that can be easily purchased over-the-counter in the market. What products you’ll choose are dependent on the type of inflammation that you may be suffering from. You may select a CBD roll-on for joint pain, massage oil for skin inflammation, or even a post-workout spray to calm your muscles after an intense workout.
Some other things you should know is always to consult a physician when taking CBD-infused products or drugs simultaneously with other pharmaceutical medications. This can lead to serious side effects such as liver damage.
CBD for the Win
CBD is a plant-based ingredient that helps accelerate the network of immune systems fighting any external damage to the body and helps it to run smoothly. That’s what we hope you were able to extract from this article. But not only were you able to extract it, but you were also able to understand the scientific backing around it. So next time somebody ridicules you for buying expensive skincare or anti-inflammation products that contain CBD, you know how to explain the science behind it. And just in case you forget, you can always send them to this article.
