Inflammation is part of the body’s natural healing process, but chronic inflammation can become a painful nightmare. It affects millions of people globally and makes day-to-day life difficult. People suffering from autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or Sjögren’s syndrome often have to rely on heavy medications to keep their inflammation in check.
CBD, a natural plant compound derived from cannabis plants, has shown promising results in keeping inflammation in check, as per recent trials and anecdotal reports. You can easily find CBD gummies for sale on the web and in physical health stores all across the country. But is it a reliable product to reduce inflammation? Is it safe? Is it backed by science? Let’s find out!
What causes inflammation in the body?
Whenever there’s an internal injury, external injury, disease, or infection, our body sends an army of white blood cells to deal with it. In the process, the body raises its temperature and swells the tissues to take care of whatever is causing the trouble.
The process causes inflammation, which then goes away once everything is repaired. But for someone who is suffering from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other such chronic autoimmune disorders, the body’s natural inflammatory response gets puzzled and becomes chronic. So, instead of healing, it acts as a source of pain and discomfort.
What areas are affected by chronic inflammation?
Chronic inflammation can happen in any part of your body. For example, it can happen in your guts, kidneys, brain, joints, cardiovascular system, muscles, kidneys, pancreas, and practically every body part you can think of.
Chronic inflammation makes our body’s natural response haphazard. Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, IBD, and sclerosis make our immune system go haywire. In such conditions, the body’s natural immune system starts to go berserk on its cells and organs. If not addressed on time, chronic inflammation can also lead to the development of diabetes and obesity.
What is CBD? Can it reduce inflammation?
CBD (cannabidiol) is a plant compound with tons of healing and therapeutic properties. It’s extracted from hemp plants to make edible and topical products like oils, gummies, and creams. The latest research shows that CBD has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. So there’s no doubt that it can reduce inflammation.
For internal inflammation, you can try CBD gummies, oils, capsules, vapes, etc. For inflammation in specific joints or muscles, you can rub CBD-infused creams and gels on the affected area. Plus, using CBD regularly will also improve your mood, anxiety, stress, appetite, and sleep.
How does CBD work to reduce inflammation?
Scientists still don’t understand the exact working mechanism of CBD in our body. For now, it’s speculated that CBD interacts positively with the body’s natural balancing system, called the endocannabinoid system, commonly known as ECS.
This system is present in all mammals with vertebrae; that’s why you’ll notice CBD is also available for cats and dogs these days. The ECS is responsible for controlling all crucial biological functions, including pain perception, inflammatory response, memory, metabolism, appetite, sleep rhythm, and more.
It has three major parts: endocannabinoid receptors (CB1, CB2 ), endocannabinoids (2-AG and anandamide), and specific enzymes (FAAH, MAGL) that help break down these endocannabinoids when they interact with receptors. Our body releases these endocannabinoids; they go and interact with receptors, and as they break down, our bodily functions get regulated.
CBD makes this process efficient by slowing the breakdown speed so that effects can last much longer. It does not bind to these receptors directly, though. Also, it increases the amount of anandamide produced by the body, and higher anandamide levels lead to a reduction in pain and improvement in energy levels and mood.
Also, some early data suggest that increased anandamide levels due to CBD consumption result in the blocking of inflammatory-causing molecules. Plus, activation of CB2 receptors also results in a reduction of pain and inflammation.
So, there’s no one clear answer, but it’s very much scientifically clear that CBD is capable of reducing inflammation. You’ll find millions of anecdotes on the web from people who regularly take CBD to manage their inflammatory conditions. It also affects various non-endocannabinoid receptors TRPV1, glycine, NF-kB pro, and PPAry, all of which play a crucial role in controlling inflammation.
How much CBD do I need to consume to reduce inflammation?
There’s no proper body out there that releases CBD dosage guidelines for specific use cases. The exact amount can differ from one person to another depending on their use case, medication history, tolerance levels, severity of inflammation, body weight, and metabolism.
It is recommended to start with a low dose of 10-15mg, observe the effects for some time, and gradually increase it on a weekly or monthly basis until the perfect amount is identified. It also depends on what kind of product you are using, its cannabinoid formula, and whether you are taking it for internal or external inflammation.
For example, oils work much faster than gummies but wear off much earlier. Just put a few drops under your tongue, and within 10-15 minutes, you’ll feel at ease. Gummies will take around an hour or two, but the effects will last around 6-8 hours.
The best part is that you don’t have to worry about side effects or cognitive issues. CBD is quite safe and works well with the human body. However, some people might feel slight dizziness, fatigue, or nausea until their body gets used to the compound.
The End Note
In short, based on research data and anecdotal reports, it’s fair to conclude that CBD can reduce inflammation. It works on the body’s natural support system and improves its working efficiency. Both topical and ingestible CBD products are available in the market, and you can use either or both depending on how severe and what kind of inflammation you have.
No one’s saying that CBD can fully replace pain and inflammation medications, but it can definitely reduce your dependency on them. Whatever CBD product you decide to buy, ensure that it’s well-tested and comes from only reputable and well-known brands like Colorado Botanicals.