5 little-known uses for CBD!

Did You Know?

Among the cannabinoids in cannabis, the main psychoactive compound, THC, often outshines the one that provides a natural anti-anxiety, antiepileptic and antipsychotic effect.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, lacks the colorful high commonly associated with your traditional marijuana high and doesn’t have much of a noticeable effect when isolated. When combined with THC, the relaxing effect combats any feelings of paranoia or panic that can sometimes be felt under the influence.

While lauded for its effect on epilepsy, recent cannabis research has identified CBD as the component responsible for a great deal of marijuana’s medical benefits. Here are 10 medical use for CBD that you might not have known about:

1. Cigarette Addiction

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 24 smokers were randomly chosen to receive either an inhaler of CBD or a placebo. Participants were asked to take a puff every time they had an urge to puff a cigarette. Over the week, those with placebo inhalers saw no change in their total number of cigarettes consumed, while those who were taking CBD saw a nearly 40 percent drop in their intake. Using the inhaler decreased the number of cigarettes without increasing their craving for nicotine, pointing towards a purpose for cannabidiol in the withdrawal process.

2. Acne

A study published in the Journal Of Clinical Investigation and the National Institute Of Health discovered that CBD can provide treatment for acne. Researchers used cannabis-derived cannabidiol on the human sebaceous glands and came to the conclusion that CBD acts as a highly effective sebostatic and anti-inflammatory agent by inhibiting lipid synthesis.

3.Diabetes 

In a study using CBD, the development of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice was prevented. Although there wasn’t a direct effect of cannabidiol on glucose levels, the treatment prevented the production of IL-12 by splenocytes. Preventing this cytokine is important because it plays a huge role in many autoimmune diseases.

4. Fibromyalgia

Common treatments for fibromyalgia are anti-inflammatory medications, opioid pain medications, and corticosteroids. A 2011 study that focused on CBD treatment for fibromyalgia produced very promising results for future uses in treatment. Half of the 56 participants used CBD, while the other half used traditional methods to treat their condition. Those that used cannabis saw a great reduction in their symptoms and pain, while those using traditional methods didn’t see much of an improvement.

5. Prion/Mad Cow Disease

Cannabidiol has been shown to halt prions, the proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow. The formation and accumulation of prions was prevented with the aide of cannabidiol during a study published in the Journal Of Neuroscience in 2007. For mice that were infected, CBD increased their survival time by about a week.