What Are the Main Benefits of CBD Oil?
The sales of CBD have been exploding over the last few years, with sales exceeding $11 billion dollars.
The market for CBD products is showing no sign of slowing down. What has caused this explosive interest in CBD? Is it a trend, or is there scientific evidence to support claims that CBD has health properties?
Keep reading to find out everything you want to know about the benefits of CBD oil.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD oil (cannabidiol) is very different from marijuana. Although it can be derived from the cannabis plant, CBD is not the psychoactive cannabinoid found in weed. That’s THC.
CBD oil is mainly sourced from the hemp plant. Hemp contains low levels of THC (0.3%). It’s the marijuana plant that typically has more than 0.3% THC.
Once the hemp plant is harvested, the plant is put through a processing procedure. This extracts the CBD oil. The most common method of extraction these days is the CO2 extraction method.
The way the oil is obtained from the plant will have an effect on the strength and quality of the CBD products.
The extraction method will also determine whether or not the oil is one of the following types of CBD:
- Full-spectrum (all cannabinoids present)
- Broad-spectrum (all cannabinoids and no trace of THC)
- Isolate (purely CBD)
The carbon dioxide method of extraction produces an isolate oil.
Each cannabinoid has slightly different health benefits. There is still a lot of research to be done on the specifics of each cannabinoid.
Benefits of CBD Oil
Many people take CBD oil these days due to the vast array of supposed health benefits. People claim it helps them with all sorts of ailments.
Here are some of the CBD benefits:
Can Help With Sleep
If you have a hard time sleeping or suffer from insomnia, CBD oil can be beneficial for helping you sleep.
Scientific research suggests that CBD oil can help with multiple sleep disorders, including insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and REM sleep disorder.
Can Help Reduce Pain
CBD can help to reduce chronic pain in the body. The way your body reacts with cannabinoids can help to reduce the pain receptors in your nervous system.
Taking CBD oil can be used to reduce period pain, headaches, back pain, as well as a whole host of chronic pain conditions.
Can Help With Anxiety and Depression
The calming effects of CBD oil can help people who suffer from anxiety or depression. Traditional anti-depression medicine can have some strong side effects that are hard to manage. They can also become addictive.
CBD is often used to help treat addiction too.
CBD is believed to help with depression and anxiety because it enhances serotonin production in our brains. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for our feelings of happiness and contentment.
May Support Lower Blood Pressure
Another benefit of CBD is that it has the potential to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is often associated with stress and poor health.
CBD oil can be used to manage stress which in turn can help to lower blood pressure.
May Help Relieve Inflammation
Studies show that the effects of CBD on the nervous system can help reduce inflammation. This is particularly true for arthritis.
The way the enzymes in CBD oil bind to your receptors can help to stop inflammatory reactions in the body. More research is still needed on this to fully understand why it happens.
Can Relieve Skin Conditions
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can help to reduce the appearance of acne and other skin irritations such as psoriasis and eczema.
Many skin products on the market now contain CBD oils due to their healing properties.
How to Take CBD
When it comes to how to use CBD, most people take it in drop form. You can put a few drops under your tongue. The number of drops you take will depend on the strength of the oil you are taking.
If you want more information on strains and strengths, click here for CBD guide.
CBD is also available in capsule form, as gummies or other edibles, or even as a topical lotion used on the skin to help heal painful joints.
You can also smoke or vape CBD oil. The fastest way it can get into your bloodstream is to take drops under your tongue.
The effects of CBD can last for anywhere between two and six hours.
How Safe Is CBD?
CBD oil is safe to consume, although there are some potential side effects (as with anything you put in your body).
These side effects include tiredness, lethargy, a dry mouth, and diarrhea.
The benefits tend to outweigh the side effects of CBD products. It is still unclear how CBD interacts with other medications you may be taking. If you aren’t sure, you can always talk to your doctor first.
Know the Benefits
Now you know the benefits of CBD oil, you can decide whether or not it will be useful for you.
CBD oil shouldn’t be taken just for the fun of it, it has a purpose and helps many people live a much better quality of life.
Choose the oil that suits you and your ailments best, and try different strains to find out which is the most effective for you. The cost will also be dependent on the strain and how strong the oil is. Remember that stronger doesn’t necessarily mean better!
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