What is CBD oil?
CBD is one of more than 120 compounds called cannabinoids. The human body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that receives and translates signals from cannabinoids. It produces some cannabinoids of its own, which are called endocannabinoids. The ECS helps to regulate functions such as sleep, immune-system responses, and even pain.
CBD stops the body from absorbing anandamide, a compound associated with regulating pain. So, increased levels of anandamide in the bloodstream may reduce the amount of pain a person feels. Cannabidiol may also limit inflammation in the brain and nervous system, which may benefit people experiencing pain, insomnia and certain immune-system responses.
Benefits
People have used CBD traditionally for thousands of years to treat various types of pain, but the medical community have only recently begun to study it again and have seen some very promising results in the areas of chronic pain relief, arthritis pain, MS and more including
- Treating seizures and epilepsy
- Anxiety treatment
- Reducing some of the effects of Alzheimer’s, as shown by initial researchers.
- Antipsychotic effects
- Future applications in combating acne, type 1 diabetes and cancer.
- Stress relief
FDA approval
In June 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved one form of CBD as a treatment for people with two rare and specific kinds of epilepsy, namely Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) or Dravet syndrome (DS).
The brand name of this drug is Epidiolex.