CBD manufacturers, the UK is ready for you! But what exactly is CBD oil used for?
The medical benefits of cannabis have been claimed for thousands of years, yet in the mainstream of modern medicine we still know relatively little about the potential for cannabidiol in all its forms. As the myth and misconceptions about marijuana have been challenged in recent years, however, there has been a growing consensus that we have been ignoring a potentially powerful tool in the fight for better health and wellbeing by ignoring CBD because of the recreational uses of marijuana and hemp.
Understanding more about CBD oil can help overcome the stigma associated with the product, as there are many potential benefits of CBD oil which researchers are still discovering.
There are many CBD manufacturers, UK-based distributers and online retailers like SmartCBD who specialise in distributing CBD balms and oils. Let’s take a closer look at how CBD oil works.
What is pure CBD oil?
Cannabis plants like marijuana and hemp contain varying levels of chemical compounds. Most CBD oil comes from industrial hemp, which usually contains a higher CBD content than marijuana. Makers of CBD oil extract the compound in different ways, and it is then added to a carrier oil.
Organic CBD oil comes in many different strengths, and is used for a variety of reasons. As well as pain relief, CBD oil is also sometimes used to reduce inflammation, improve acne, ease anxiety and depression and even to lower blood pressure.
Studies into CBD oil are ongoing, but are producing promising results for improving general health and wellbeing.
Effects of CBD oil
CBD belongs to a group of compounds called cannabinoids. These feature in many different plants, but are most commonly associated with cannabis.
Other cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can have psychoactive effects with can produce a euphoric ‘high’. Unlike THC, CBD does not produce this effect as it does not impact the same receptors as THC.
The human body contains an endocannabinoid system (ECS) which receives and translates signals from cannabinoids. It also produces some cannabinoids of its own, which are called endocannabinoids. The ECS works to regulate functions such as pain, sleep and immune system responses.
When THC enters the body, it results in a high feeling by affecting your endocannabinoid receptors, producing pleasure chemicals such as dopamine. But CBD works differently, which is why the effect it has is completely different to that of THC.
Raw CBD oil is being used increasingly in pain management for conditions such as sciatica, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. People with conditions associated with chronic pain may find that their symptoms become less intense when they are introduced to CBD oil. Of course, if you are considering using any treatment for a medical condition it is important that you first speak to your GP.
Does CBD oil make you high?
CBD is an entirely different compound to THC. Its effects are complex and unrelated to those of psychoactive cannabis compounds. CBD does not produce a high or change a person’s state of mind. It simply influences the body to use its own endocannabinoids more effectively.
Much research has been done into how exactly CBD oil works. One study published in Neurotherapuetics concluded that CBD itself actually does very little to the ECS. It simply activates or inhibits other compounds in the endocannabinoid system to produce a soothing effect.
For example, one of the effects of CBD is that it stops the body from absorbing anandamide, which is a compound associated with regulating pain. By stopping you from absorbing anandamide, CBD results in more anandamide being present in the bloodstream. This may reduce the amount of pain a person feels.
Cannabidiol has also been shown to limit inflammation in the brain and in the nervous system. This can be beneficial for people experiencing pain or conditions like insomnia, as well as people with certain immune system responses.