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In Canada medical marijuana has been legal since 2001 however it was only legalized for recreational use in 2018. (1) Recently this has led to a lot more research being done on the effects of cannabis on the human body. Marijuana effects the bodies endocannabinoid system and the two main components in marijuana are Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). (2) THC is the psychoactive ingredient and is responsible for the euphoric (high) feeling however less is known about CBD. (2) It is believed that CBD and THC have an antagonistic relationship with each other, and that CBD counteracts some of the THC effects. (2) Recent research surrounding CBD has shown that it may have some healing potential. (3)
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Various studies involving rats show CBD may reduce chronic pain by reducing inflammation and interacting with endocannabinoid receptors and neurotransmitters. (3) Other studies have shown that having a mixture of CBD and THC may be effective at treating pain from multiple sclerosis and arthritis. (3) Anxiety and depression are commonly treated with pharmaceuticals which may have unwanted side effects or are addictive. (3) CBD on the other hand is natural and has been shown in animal and human studies to lessen anxiety and depression due to its ability to interact with serotonin receptors. (3) CBD’s antianxiety and stress relieving properties have been shown to lower blood pressure increase from stress and may help with heart health. (3) In addition to this, a number of animal studies determined that CBD reduced oxidative stress and prevented heart damage. (3) CBD not only has been shown to help cancer treatment related symptoms such as pain and nausea but, it also may have cancer fighting properties. (3) In one study using test tubes CBD that was concentrated induced cell death in human breast cells and in another study involving mice it stopped the spread of aggressive breast cancer cells. (3) However, more research is needed to confirm its anticancer properties. (3) Numerous test tube studies have shown that CBD may be able to treat acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to decrease sebum (a natural oil linked with acne) although more human studies are needed to confirm this claim. (3) CBD may also be linked to diabetes prevention as can be seen from a diabetic mice study where diabetes incidence was brought down by 56% along with less inflammation.
CBD has also shown to have a therapeutic potential in varying neurological disorders such as Multiple sclerosis, Epilepsy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. (3) In a human study, CBD when used with THC to treat multiple sclerosis spasms and muscle spasticity resistant to other medications caused 75% of 276 participants to experience less spasms. (3) In some other studies CBD was shown to decrease seizure activity related to epileptic disorders. (3) Although in these studies some participants experienced adverse effects such as fever, fatigue and convulsions. (3) In relation to Parkinson’s disease numerous studies have shown improvements in quality of life and sleep. (3) Various studies have shown that CBD may decrease inflammation, slow cognitive decline and slow neurodegeneration related to Alzheimer’s disease, although more human studies are needed. (3)
Despite all these positive attributes CBD does have some possible negative side effects which include diarrhea, fatigue and changes in appetite and weight. (3) CBD also can affect how other drugs affect your body as it interferes with cytochromes P450 that are vital in drug metabolism, so it is recommended not to be taken with certain drugs. (3) In extremely large doses CBD may cause liver toxicity although this is unlikely to happen, as the study that found this involved force-feeding CBD extract to mice. (3)
In closing, CBD has minimal drawbacks compared to its therapeutic potential and I believe human research needs to be prioritized so that it can be better understood and eventually implemented as a treatment option.
References
1. Tattrie J. The Canadian Encyclopedia [Internet]. [place unknown]: Historica Canada; [updated 2019 October 17; cited 2021 April 7]. Available from: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/marijuana-legalization-in-canada
2. Holland K. Healthline [Internet]. [place unknown]: Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company; [updated 2020 July 20; cited 2021 April 7]. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc
3. Kubala J. Healthline [Internet]. [place unknown]: Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company; [updated 2018 February 26; cited 2021 April 7]. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cbd-oil-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
4. Industrial Safety & Hygiene News [Internet]. [place unknown]: BNP Media; [updated 2019 December 4; cited 2021 April 7]. Available from https://www.ishn.com/articles/111938-for-your-health-wellness-cbd-oil-miracle-cure-or-snake-oil. [Image] CBD oil.
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