Cannabidiol (CBD) is the compound in cannabis which won’t get you high but will help to make you healthy. Products made from this non-psychoactive substance are typically hemp-based and are considered legal because they have hardly any intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in them.
While many cannabis advocates are in favor of whole-plant extracts being used as cannabis medicine, research suggests that for some illnesses, CBD may be more efficacious as an individual treatment.
In this article, we will investigate the science behind how CBD works in comparison to cannabis for various illnesses, and identify the benefits of various wholesale CBD products.
Anxiety
Full-plant cannabis is used to treat anxiety by some people, but because of its psychoactive properties, the results can be very mixed, with some experiencing worsening symptoms because of the effect it has on the mental state. The set and setting can also have a big impact. For instance, if the anxiety sufferer is treating their condition in a relaxed environment that they are familiar with, the chances are they will enjoy pleasant, anxiety-free emotions. However, in less comfortable circumstances, minor negative feelings could become magnified, triggering more of the anxiety and paranoia that the person is trying to treat.
However, CBD is a much more reliable therapeutic option, producing subtle effects. The cannabinoid is not a CB1 receptor agonist in the endocannabinoid system like THC, and therefore it doesn’t have such a volatile effect on mood. Instead, one of the primary jobs of CBD is to make the gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter more active in the brain. This neurotransmitter is renowned for promoting mental calm and reducing levels of fear.
As CBD can have a beneficial effect on GABA from the first dose, it can be more helpful for anxiety than SSRIs and other anti-anxiety drugs which have a delayed response.
Those who use cannabis sensibly to control their anxiety shouldn’t be deterred from what they’re doing. But the findings that CBD can instigate reliable anxiolytic effects could be of interest to those who have never taken treatment for their anxiety or have had bad results with other drugs.
Improving cognition
The ECS affects cognitive functioning, as it operates in the central nervous system. There are cannabinoid receptors throughout the brain, including the hippocampus where autobiographical memory is formed and stored.
However, cannabis with THC may not be as good for protecting cognition and reducing the likelihood of contracting a neurodegenerative disease in old age. This is because of the neurotoxic effect of THC on the hippocampus, which causes structural deterioration. In contrast, CBD can encourage neurogenesis in this section of the brain.
The benefits of CBD as a treatment for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases are uncertain. But many researchers are hopeful about the potential of CBD, and non-psychoactive cannabis oil is currently being used to help a Brazilian patient with Alzheimer’s.
Boosting concentration
Some will disagree, but cannabis with its psychoactive effects is not typically the best way to improve concentration and productivity – even though it can be great for stimulating creativity. Instead, getting high tends to make it easier to become distracted and get lazy. The possibility of short-term memory impairment is also problematic.
However, CBD may produce better results, and facilitate improved focus levels in the workplace and while studying. CBD’s anti-anxiety properties can help to dissolve negative and distractive thoughts, allowing the user to remain fully concentrated on the task at hand. The mood-enhancing effects of CBD may also promote a better psychological state for working and learning.
Treating psychosis and schizophrenia
Psychosis and schizophrenia are serious mental illnesses that have a hugely adverse effect on quality of life. These disorders are notoriously hard to treat, and there are arguments that cannabis consumption can make it more likely for someone to get them. However, this dominant anti-cannabis narrative is looking increasingly weaker when up against the research on CBD as medicine for psychosis and schizophrenia.
CBD exerts antipsychotic effects on the body by producing the opposite reaction to THC on the CB1 receptor in the ECS. By suppressing interactions at CB1, CBD keeps mood balanced and reduces psychoactivity. Scientists are now establishing whether CBD is as effective for the aforementioned conditions as approved antipsychotics, and what side effects it causes.
Final thoughts
Cannabis with roughly even amounts of CBD and THC is probably the most sensible way of treating most conditions with cannabis, but sometimes, the fully non-psychoactive nature of CBD oil wholesale is more suitable.
