Clinical Trials Confirm This Natural Medicine Is Effective For “Significantly Reducing Stress”
Natural medicines have been used for millennia to treat various conditions ranging from pain and wound care to stress and sleep troubles. While our ancestors may not have had modern scientific knowledge to explain why these medicines worked, the effects of plants and herbs were evident even then.
Today, with the prevalence and global interconnectivity of scientific study, researchers have validated what medicine men, shamans, and traditional healers of their day already knew – that nature has incredible healing power.
Some of the most widely studied plant medicines over the last two decades are extracts and phytochemical compounds found in cannabis hemp. These compounds include cannabinoids like CBD (Cannabidiol) and the well-known psychoactive component of marijuana known as THC.
While THC may be the most well-recognized hemp extract, its counterpart CBD is quickly gaining acceptance for its medicinal properties because of its effectiveness as a frontline treatment option for specific health concerns without the psychoactive effects associated with traditional marijuana use. CBD is available online or over the counter in most states and comes in various products like CBD oils, concentrates, softgels, and edibles like CBD-infused gold honey sticks.
Researchers at scientific labs and universities around the globe have performed extensive studies involving the mechanisms of action of CBD and how it performs in thousands of patients experiencing conditions like anxiety, stress, pain, inflammation, immune deficiencies, PTSD, and insomnia.
What they’ve found, according to a meta-analysis of numerous studies published in Inflammopharmacology, is that CBD provides “substantial” health benefits for users.
Mechanism Of Action: How It Works
Our central nervous system includes several biological processes that directly affect bodily functions like the stress response, pain management, sleep cycles, and immune function.
Within this complex set of bodily processes, researchers studying stress and related emotional wellness concerns have identified the endocannabinoid system as one of the primary regulators of stress responses in humans. According to a 2021 review from researchers at The University of Sydney, the Prince of Wales Clinical School, and Medlab Clinical, chronic deficiencies within the endocannabinoid system are closely associated with the pathological complications of chronic stress.
Research suggests that this chronic stress is directly affected by AEA (anandamide), a cannabinoid present in the human body. Endocannabinoid receptors in the body that are referred to as CB1 and CB2 are believed to interact and impact the presence of AEA. When AEA levels are low in our bodies, we tend to respond with increased stress.
CBD is a natural plant cannabinoid that has been shown to increase AEA when taken orally or sublingually.
This mechanism of action, coupled with CBD’s effects on neurotransmitter receptor sites like 5-HT, is believed to be why people who take this concentrated hemp extract experience lowered stress and anxiety levels.
Clinical Study Results In People With Stress
The science of how CBD works shows that it directly affects stress response systems in the body.
But how does it fair in real-world clinical studies?
In short, CBD has proven to be a safe and effective treatment option for those suffering from stress symptoms.
The results were nothing short of stunning in a review of seven double-blind placebo studies involving patients with chronic stress and anxiety.
All seven studies reviewed showed that CBD was effective in significantly reducing the stress response. Moreover, compared to pharmaceuticals used for the same health concerns, CBD was shown to rival the effectiveness of commonly prescribed treatments for stress.
In one self-assessment study involving nearly 400 patients, a staggering 92% of participants noted lowered anxiety levels.
The Most Effective Way To Take CBD
Finding the right CBD product to take for effective health benefits may require a little bit of research. Several types of CBD are available, including full spectrum, broad spectrum, and pure isolate, all of which have pros and cons.
Hemp extracts are versatile and can be blended into oils, capsules, edibles, drinks, and vapes. Thus, the delivery method is left for the user to decide based on personal preferences and needs.
Vaping is the fastest way for CBD to be absorbed into the body with high bioavailability. But there is one caveat. The rapid CBD uptake from vaping means a shorter action period in which users experience benefits. This means more frequent dosing when vaping CBD. Vaping also produces a thick cloud of vaporized particulates, which some users prefer to avoid because inhalation may cause long-term health risks to the lungs.
Taking CBD orally or sublingually in the form of an oil, softgel capsule, or edible is the most common and will reduce risk factors associated with inhalation.
For the health-conscious CBD user, recent advances in manufacturing and regulatory certification of hemp-based products have led to the production of high-quality organic CBD oil. Organic CBD is made under strict guidelines and is guaranteed free of pesticides, harmful chemicals, and heavy metals.
Studies show that users can take up to 600 mg of CBD for safe and effective results, but even low doses below 150 mg daily can relieve stress, anxiety, and sleep difficulty.
Based on research, CBD may work after just a single dose, but the most beneficial results in users have been seen over a period of sustained use for several weeks or months.