Health benefits of CBDThis is from natural health expert Chris Kresser. Green Roads is a CBD company so it's gratifying to know that Valens is pursuing this large market.
Cannabidiol (CBD) has taken the health and wellness industry by storm due to its many benefits. Though research is ongoing, CBD has already demonstrated a broad range of potential health benefits with conditions ranging from autism to inflammatory bowel disease.
In many of these instances, CBD alters the course of disease without the harmful side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Here are four instances where study results are very encouraging.
1. Autism
Recent research indicates that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates neurobehavior and immunity, two aspects of physiology that are significantly impaired in autism. This finding has led to a growing interest in using cannabinoids to modulate the ECS of children with autism and, hopefully, reduce the symptoms of this disorder.
Several small studies indicate that CBD reduces symptoms of autism as well as related conditions, such as anxiety.
2. Anxiety
Several small human trials suggest that CBD is beneficial for reducing anxiety. In a group of healthy young men, a single 400-mg dose of CBD significantly decreased self-reported anxiety compared to placebo. A single 600-mg dose of CBD was found to reduce anxiety in subjects with social phobia. Interestingly, the anti-anxiety effects of CBD are typically observed at moderate dosages of approximately 300 mg per day. Lower and higher doses either exert no impact or, paradoxically, increase anxiety. An important note: some people with anxiety may experience a paradoxical reaction at any dose of CBD.
3. Cancer (and Side Effects of Treatment)
While medical marijuana has become popular for alleviating the side effects of cancer treatment, such as pain and nausea, the psychoactive effects of THC are undesirable for many patients with cancer. Fortunately, research indicates that CBD is a viable non-psychoactive alternative that not only alleviates the side effects of conventional cancer treatment but also beneficially modulates the underlying cancer process.
4. Infections
Each year in the United States, at least two million people succumb to antibiotic-resistant infections. The dwindling number of pharmaceutical drugs effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a growing interest in the applications of natural compounds such as CBD to treat such infections. CBD has potent antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a common antibiotic-resistant bacterium that infects humans. This finding suggests that CBD may represent a valuable alternative to pharmaceuticals for the treatment of MRSA and, potentially, other antibiotic-resistant infections.