CBD, or cannabidiol, has become extremely popular in recent years, with an explosive growth in recent months. This has many people wondering what it is while others are trying it for the first time everywhere.
CBD is a phytocompound from cannabis and it is a cannabinoid. This is identified by its specific molecular structure. Not all compounds in cannabis are cannabinoids and some cannabinoids are found in other plant species all over the world. CBD, however, is only found in cannabis, with larger concentrations in hemp than in marijuana.
The reason that this product has gained respect and admiration from people all over the globe is the attributes that it has. CBD has shown that it is an amazing dietary supplement that can help to relieve symptoms of many types of chronic conditions, relieve overall pain, headaches, reduce inflammation and even improve moods. This seems like a lot and might even seem like a scam to some people.
The truth is out there though. Ask parents of children who have epilepsy and see what they think of CBD oil. It has been known to stop seizures from happening to the level of severe and even reduces the number of seizures that those with epilepsy suffer. Some people go from multiple severe seizures daily to one or two a week that are so minor they are not impactful.
CBD helps to address so many things because of the way it works in the body. Let’s discover how CBD works so that you can understand better how the claims you’ve heard could be possible.
How Does CBD Work in the Body?
The body of humans, and mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and probably amphibians (they haven’t been researched yet), contain something called an “Endocannabinoid System” which we refer to as the ECS. The ECS is responsible, according to research, for regulating moods, the immune system, managing pain, regulation of digestion and metabolism, and more.
The ECS is made-up of enzymes and receptors that are located around the body. There are two types of receptors, CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are located in the brain. CB2 receptors can be found almost anywhere in the body but are largely concentrated in the midsection of the body.
The enzymes prompt the ECS to produce endocannabinoids within our bodies. In fact, endo literally means “within” or “inside” and these cannabinoids are essentially the same as the cannabinoids you’d find in plants. There are at least 100 different types of cannabinoids found in cannabis alone. All of which are different than those produced in our body. That said, when plant cannabinoids are introduced to our ECS, they can interact with it in many ways, depending on the cannabinoid.
When CBD enters the body, it finds CB2 receptors. It prefers to bind with those and when it does, a lipid is formed that is released into the neural network. This lipid performs many tasks. To begin with, it coats and protects the walls of the neural network. This helps keep you mentally alert, assists in short-term memory, has been shown to improve the facial recognition length of time for Alzheimer’s patients, and also can help to repair trauma to the head via injury.
As it works its way toward cells where it will perform basic duties in maintaining homeostasis within the cell and bringing health and vitality in the form of antioxidant supplementation, it also is traveling in the opposite direction of messages that are being sent to the brain. These messages can be carrying signals to the brain that cause it to react and overreact to things like pain, constant negative though patterns, cravings, triggers that may cause seizures, tremors and more.
For Athletes
What all this adds up to is an excellent recovery supplement that helps the body to maintain balance, reduces inflammation and pain which can be a result of training and sometimes overtraining. When performance jitters are an issue, some athletes can’t sleep the night before a big race or event. CBD oil helps to regulate sleep patterns, ensuring that you can get a good night’s sleep when you need it. During the day, the work it does on your neural network helps to ensure that you’ll be focused and in the zone.
Some athletes have issues with upset stomachs during training and rigorous workouts. CBD oil works in the gut region of the body, assisting in relief of nausea, reducing flares from ulcers and also bring balance to the digestive system in general. CBD is often given to cancer patients undergoing treatment that leaves them nauseated.
CBD can help regulate your appetite, so if you find yourself undereating, it will stimulate your appetite. If you feel that you are overeating, it will soothe nerves and ease anxiety, helping to reduce the need to eat. If you are eating due to cravings of nicotine or even hard drugs you are trying to quit, CBD can help reduce the cravings by blocking the signals to the brain.
At the cellular level, in bringing balance, it helps to rebuild tissues by promoting the healing response of the body and reducing the swelling caused by inflammation that can be from rigorous workouts or sports related injury. Recovery after training happens faster with CBD and the joint relief you get is similar to that of an analgesic without the risk of stomach upset.
CBD oil was removed from the list of the World Anti-Doping Agency so that athletes can now feel free to use it even if they are competitive in sports as pro or semi-pro.