What Is CBD Oil and What Makes It so Popular Today?

person Larry Ostrovsky
calendar_today Oct 01, 2020

1. What Is CBD Oil?
2. What Does Current Research Say about CBD Benefits?
3. CBD Oil and the Endocannabinoid System
3.1 How Does Cannabidiol Interact with the Endocannabinoid System?
4. Why Is CBD so Popular Today?
4.1. CBD for Potential Relief from Pain and Inflammation
4.2. CBD Oil Could Help to Reduce Acne
4.3. CBD Oil May Help to Reduce Levels of Depression and Anxiety
4.4. CBD May Benefit Heart Health
4.5 CBD May Promote Better Sleep
5. Does CBD Oil Get You High?
6. How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel?

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1. What Is CBD Oil?

You’ve surely heard the buzz centered around CBD lately, and with good reason. Maybe you’ve even asked, “What is CBD oil?”

CBD holds a plethora of health benefits that are especially relevant in today’s unsure and uncertain times. Anxiety, depression, and stress are more prevalent now than ever, and consumers are turning to natural treatments such as CBD oil for relief. (Click to Tweet)

With CBD products gaining increasing attention across the globe, many people want to know just what CBD oil is. In this article, we’ll provide an answer to this question while discussing CBD’s benefits and uses, CBD oil’s effects, how it makes you feel, and whether CBD oil gets you high.

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CBD—short for cannabidiol—is a naturally occurring chemical compound extracted from the Cannabis sativa L. plant. CBD is one of the most naturally abundant compounds derived from the hemp plant and is regularly used in products such as tinctures, balms, and capsules to provide natural relief for a range of different ailments. (Click to Tweet)

2. What Does Current Research Say about CBD Benefits?

CBD oil has recently become incredibly popular after a wealth of personal accounts, anecdotal evidence, and scientific studies have been published online. [1]

Although scientific studies on the effects of CBD on humans are still in their infancy, some of the research performed on rodents and preliminary clinical trials shows that CBD can be promising. This is because it could help to alleviate anxiety, inflammation, and skin conditions such as psoriasis. CBD can even help to reduce the occurrence and severity of seizures in some forms of epilepsy. [2]

Despite the lack of hard scientific evidence to back the efficiency of CBD, thousands of people currently use CBD as a daily supplement to seek out the range of wellness advantages that this natural compound may provide.

Thousands of people currently use CBD as a daily supplement to seek out the range of wellness advantages that this natural compound may provide.

At the time of writing, the CBD oil industry is currently worth billions of dollars, and it continues to increase in popularity. Further, it has been called a “sunrise industry” that will only grow from here on out.

In June 2018, the FDA approved a prescription drug called Epidiolex. This drug uses CBD as its main active ingredient and is used to alleviate seizures in two rare forms of epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. [3]

As scientists continue to study the effects of CBD, we expect to see more proof of the therapeutic uses of both CBD and many other cannabinoids that occur naturally in the hemp plant.

What’s more, CBD isn’t just beneficial to us humans…

There are many reasons CBD may also be just as beneficial to our pets as it is to us. CBD is a promising treatment for animals with arthritis, anxiety, and pain management, just to name a few. (Click to Tweet)

Further studies are needed, but the Web is full of testimonials from pet owners touting its benefits for their animal companions.

3. CBD Oil and the Endocannabinoid System

One of the most notable consistencies concerning CBD is its ability to interact with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system is composed of a series of receptors present throughout our vital organs and the central nervous system.

When we use high-quality CBD products, CBD interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the endocannabinoid system. This interaction is essential. As the receptors become stimulated, they help to promote a sense of wellness throughout the body, allowing our organs and nervous systems to renew themselves and find an important point of balance known as homeostasis.

Using high-quality CBD products helps to promote a sense of wellness, allowing the body to find an important point of balance known as homeostasis.

3.1 How Does Cannabidiol Interact with the Endocannabinoid System?

Medical experts are uncertain as to exactly how CBD interacts with our CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, they know for sure that CBD doesn’t bind to them in the way that CBD’s psychoactive cousin THC does.

CBD interacts with our CB1 and CB2 receptors, affecting the way our bodies break down numerous different chemicals, and potentially creating a range of positive outcomes.

While we still have a lot to learn, one thing is for sure: CBD oil and other CBD products interact with the ECS, and most experts agree that the primary purpose of the ECS is to regulate homeostasis throughout the body.

Further study is needed, but we know that there are various ways CBD interacts with different receptors present in our brains. For example, CBD stimulates the brain’s serotonin receptors. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate our mood and social behavior, but it affects the entire body, improving other functions like sleeping and digestion as well.

CBD stimulates the brain's serotonin receptors--reducing anxiety and improving sleep, among other things.

RELATED: How CBD (Cannabidiol) Works

4. Why Is CBD so Popular Today?

There are multiple reasons CBD has seen a surge in popularity over the last decade. Let’s take a look at just a few of them to help get a complete picture of CBD benefits in the body.

Why is CBD Oil so Popular Today?

4.1. CBD for Potential Relief from Pain and Inflammation

Earlier this year, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial looked at the therapeutic benefits of topical CBD oil use amongst people living with peripheral neuropathy of the legs. [4]

During this study, participants with peripheral non-cancerous neuropathic pain were administered either 250mg of CBD or a placebo for four weeks.

After those four weeks, researchers found that there was a significant reduction in sharp pain, intense pain, and itchy or cold sensations in participants using the CBD oil. What’s more, these participants reported no adverse side effects throughout the trial.

Although the results of this trial are positive, there were only 29 participants. Therefore, more research must be conducted to confirm the validity of these results.

CBD for Potential Relief from Pain and Inflammation

A 2016 review showed that a 1:1 combination of CBD and THC sprayed into the back of the mouth could be useful in relieving non-cancer-related chronic pain. [5]

That said, researchers are unsure whether the THC or CBD had the most significant effect on relieving pain. Also, with the follow-up period for this study standing at 15 weeks, much more research must be conducted to discover whether CBD can be used to alleviate long-term pain.

In an earlier study, people living with rheumatoid arthritis used the spray and saw their disease activity scores drop, demonstrating a decrease in inflammation and pain—both during movement and at rest. Many even reported an improvement in quality of sleep. What’s more, no serious adverse effects were reported. [6]

As a known anti-inflammatory, CBD oil has great potential to improve quality of life regarding chronic pain.

All of these studies collectively demonstrate the potential effectiveness of CBD on inflammation and pain. As a known anti-inflammatory, CBD oil has great potential to improve quality of life regarding chronic pain. (Click to Tweet)

4.2. CBD Oil Could Help to Reduce Acne

Acne affects over 9% of the population and is a common skin condition amongst teenagers and young adults.

The condition is caused by many factors, including bacteria, inflammation, genetics, and the overproduction of sebum, which is an oily substance secreted from the sebaceous glands inside our skin.

Recent scientific studies show that CBD oil may be used to treat acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and its unique ability to reduce the production of sebum.

A 2014 test-tube study revealed that CBD oil helped to prevent human sebaceous gland cells from excessive sebum secretion while exerting anti-inflammatory action and preventing the activation of “acne-encouragement” agents such as inflammatory cytokines. [7]

CBD could be an efficient ingredient in the fight against acne, partly due to its fantastic anti-inflammatory qualities.

In 2016, a similar study concluded that CBD could be an efficient ingredient in the fight against acne, partly due to its fantastic anti-inflammatory qualities. Although these results show some promising information, studies with human participants will be needed to clarify that CBD may be useful in treating acne. [8]

4.3. CBD Oil May Help to Reduce Levels of Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common mental health disorders that can harm our overall health and well-being.

Both depression and anxiety are widely treated using pharmaceuticals, which carry a host of unpleasant side effects, including the following:

insomnia
agitation
headaches
weight gain
sexual dysfunction

CBD Oil May Help to Reduce Levels of Depression and Anxiety without any Side Effects

Additionally, medications that use benzodiazepines can lead to addiction and dependency if taken for over four weeks continuously.

CBD oil has been studied as a possible treatment to alleviate symptoms associated with both anxiety and depression, offering a natural glimmer of hope for the millions of people worldwide who live with these disorders.

In 2018, a Brazilian study revealed that participants who were administered CBD 90 minutes before a public speaking test had significantly reduced levels of anxiety compared to those given a placebo.

The study states that a 300mg dose of CBD was more effective than both 150mg and 600mg doses. [9]

CBD oil has also been used as an effective treatment for anxiety and insomnia in children living with posttraumatic stress disorder. [10] (Click to Tweet)

Although human research is ongoing and still in relative infancy, the compound has shown antidepressant and antianxiety qualities across several studies in animals. [11]

CBD Oil May Help to Reduce Levels of Depression and Anxiety

4.4. CBD May Benefit Heart Health

Recent research links CBD to a range of benefits for the circulatory system and heart, including the ability to reduce blood pressure.

High blood pressure contributes to the development of many debilitating health conditions, including: [12]

heart attacks
strokes
metabolic syndrome

CBD may help to alleviate high blood pressure.

Some studies show that CBD may help to alleviate high blood pressure.

A 2017 study treated nine healthy men with a single 600mg dose of CBD and found that the compound helped to reduce resting blood pressure when compared to a placebo.

During the same study, participants were given stress tests that generally lead to increased blood pressure.

Here’s where it gets interesting…

One single 600mg dose of CBD caused the participants to undergo a smaller increase in blood pressure when compared to normal responses to these stress tests. [13]

Scientists have suggested that the anxiety- and stress-reducing properties of CBD are the reason that the compound can help lower blood pressure.

Scientists suggest that the anxiety- and stress-reducing properties of CBD are the reason that the compound can help lower blood pressure.

There are several animal studies available that demonstrate how CBD could help to reduce cell death and inflammation associated with heart disease. This is primarily due to CBD’s powerful stress-reducing and antioxidant properties.

For example, a 2010 study found that CBD treatment helped to prevent heart damage and reduce oxidative stress in mice living with diabetes and heart disease. [14]

4.5. CBD May Promote Better Sleep

Since CBD is so good at reducing stress and anxiety, it follows logically that better sleep may be one of CBD’s big benefits.

CBD, especially when combined with other sleep-promoting ingredients in a special liposomal oil formula, interacts with the receptors in the brain that regulate our circadian rhythm. This is the part of our internal clock that tells us when to go to bed based on the rotation of the earth, the sun, the moon, and all those natural processes.

Since the invention of electricity, our circadian rhythms have largely been out of sync—especially in recent years, with numerous screens constantly at our fingertips. CBD can help us get back to a natural sleep cycle by interacting with those receptors so we sleep better, deeper, and longer.

5. Does CBD Oil Get You High?

In a word…no!

Unlike CBD’s cousin THC, CBD will not get you high.

This is because CBD doesn’t affect the same neurological receptors in our brains the way that THC does.

Even though THC and CBD have the same makeup of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen atoms, there are tiny differences in the way these atoms are arranged in each of the compounds. This creates different effects inside the body. Instead of binding to the brain’s CB1 receptors as THC does, CBD has an indirect influence, binding incredibly weakly if at all.

CBD oil cannot get you “high”.

When THC binds with the brain’s CB1 receptors, signals are sent to the brain, resulting in the euphoric effect that is associated with cannabis.

As CBD fails to bond directly with our CB1 receptors, it cannot get you “high.” In fact, CBD can negate the bond and help to neutralize euphoric feelings, all the while potentially delivering the broad range of health benefits that we’ve discussed in this piece.

6. How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel?

Many people have described feeling a “runner’s high” when taking CBD regularly. This “runner’s high” is associated with a flood of endorphins that can lift a person’s mood naturally and without psychoactive side effects.

CBD users frequently talk about developing an increased ability to focus, a heightened sense of awareness, and an overall sense of well-being. (Click to Tweet)

CBD users frequently talk about developing an increased ability to focus, a heightened sense of awareness, and an overall sense of well-being.

Full-spectrum CBD products contain tiny amounts of THC. This is enough to enhance the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of the CBD, but not enough to get a user high.

As a reminder, if you’re considering using CBD to alleviate any of the conditions mentioned in this post, we strongly recommend speaking with your doctor or an appropriate medical professional.

As we’ve mentioned, research is ongoing, and CBD could interact with any current prescription medications that you are currently taking. It’s always best to double-check prior to use.

Overall, thousands of people across the world are supplementing with CBD because they believe it improves their general health and well-being. The broad range of high-quality CBD products available today allows you to choose your preferred method of dosing for optimal wellness. The potential benefits, options, and ease of use make CBD an excellent choice to add to your daily health routine.

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