Some CBD manufacturers have come under government scrutiny for wild, indefensible claims, such that CBD is a cure-all for cancer, which it is not. We need more research, but CBD may prove to be an option for managing anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. Without sufficient high-quality evidence in human studies, we can’t pinpoint effective doses. Because CBD is currently mostly available as an unregulated supplement, it’s difficult to know exactly what you are getting. If you decide to try CBD, talk with your doctor — if for no other reason than to make sure it won’t affect other medications you are taking.

Related: What is the difference between THC and CBD?

CBD has been touted for a wide variety of health issues. Still, the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating some of the cruelest childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which typically don’t respond to antiseizure medications.

In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures, and in some cases, it was able to stop them altogether. Videos of the effects of CBD on these children and their seizures are readily available on the Internet for viewing, and they are quite striking.

Recently the FDA approved the first-ever cannabis-derived medicine for these conditions, Epidiolex, which contains CBD.

CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD may help with falling asleep and staying asleep.

CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis.

Another study demonstrated how CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. More study in humans is needed to substantiate CBD proponents’ claims about pain control.

Is cannabidiol safe?

Side effects of CBD include nausea, fatigue, and irritability. CBD can increase the level in your blood of the blood thinner coumadin, and it can raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the same mechanism that grapefruit juice does.

A significant safety concern with CBD is that it is primarily marketed and sold as a supplement, not a medication. Currently, the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements.

So you cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label. Also, the product may contain other (unknown) elements. We also don’t know the most effective therapeutic dose of CBD for any particular medical condition.

CBD Oil Benefits

CBD Oil contains cannabidiol, and often other cannabinoid compounds in an oil suspension called carrier oil. CBD Oil is available in various forms such as tinctures, soft gel capsules, and sprays, and is typically ingested orally.

Topical CBD such as balms and creams can be applied to the skin. The concentration of CBD varies from product to product.

The Health Benefits of CBD Oil

CBD oil benefits for the human and mammalian bodies are indeed numerous. It exhibits potent antioxidant, analgesic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antipsychotic effects. It alleviates the cognitive decline associated with aging, and it also reduces the risk of diabetes.

Cannabidiol and the Immune System

The immune system is comprised of structures and processes within the body that protect against diseases and destroy foreign and infectious microbes.

In some instances, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, resulting in a condition known as autoimmunity. Researchers have shown cannabidiol (CBD) to be an immune system suppressor: one of the reasons why it’s useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease, and why it has improved the quality of life of those suffering from such diseases.

The Profile of Immune Modulation by Cannabidiol (CBD) Involves Deregulation of Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT)

Cannabidiol and the Sleep Cycle

According to research, Cannabidiol improves insomnia and increases the amount of sleep because it reduces anxiety and chronic pain instead of making one sleepy. Interestingly, Cannabidiol has also been shown to induce alertness when awake, and it has also been shown to improve REM Sleep Disorder.

CBD Oil Benefits For Psychological Conditions

A great deal of research has found that CBD Oil benefits various psychological conditions such as:

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Anorexia
• Anxiety
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Autism
• Bipolar
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Headache
• Hypertension
• Insomnia
• Migraine
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Parkinson’s
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Phantom Limb
• Schizophrenia
• Seizures
• Stress
• Blood Pressure

CBD for ADD/ADHD

ADD/ADHD symptoms are typified by low dopamine and high cortisol levels and can be reduced by CBD, increasing dopamine and lowering cortisol levels in the body. While some studies have investigated cannabis as a treatment for symptoms of ADD/ADHD, few have considered the efficacy of CBD in particular. However, there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence supporting the effectiveness of CBD as a treatment for symptoms of ADD/ADHD.