Inflammation – that dark, disfigured malady at the core of asthma, arthritis, IBD, tuberculosis, and so many other diseases – has finally met its match with CBD (Cannabinoids), research suggests. CBD is emerging on the front lines to help support the immune system with inflammation and promoting pain relief.
Cannabis contains over 60 compounds that belong to a class of molecules called cannabinoids. Of these compounds, there is usually a higher concentration of CBD and THC, which makes these compounds more active in the herb. THC is the psychoactive compound responsible for the marijuana “high”. CBD, however, is non-psychoactive, and is an amazing anti-inflammatory. In recent years, CBD has been isolated and crafted into potent essential oils – Cannabinoids oils.
And now, instead of having to get a medical marijuana card and go to a dispensary to get this product, CBD is 100 percent legal for anyone to order and buy, from the comfort of their home.
But why is it so important to take natural anti-inflammatories? There are plenty of anti-inflammatory drugs on the market that will do – right?
Dangers of Mainstream Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Some of the most commonly-used drugs are NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), with more than 70 million prescriptions and more than 30 billion over-the-counter tablets sold annually in the United States alone. They range from ibuprofen and aspirin to prescription drugs that specifically target specific organs (such as the gut).
For those who suffer from chronic painful inflammation, NSAIDs are generally considered a safe, moderate alternative to steroids. Steroids, which are known to cause many side-effects, suppress part of the immune system in order to stem inflammation. NSAIDs, on the other hand, mainly inhibit the body’s ability to synthesize prostaglandins, a family of hormone-like chemicals, some of which are made in response to cell injury.
It is stated that long-term, extensive use of NSAIDs might cause certain side effects, such as ulcers. Besides that, these drugs are considered safe and effective. However, according to a recent analysis, NSAIDs are responsible for more than 100,000 hospitalizations and about 16,500 deaths a year, in the United States alone. In June 1999, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine issued a statement:
It has been estimated conservatively that 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur among patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis every year in the United States. This figure is similar to the number of deaths from the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and considerably greater than the number of deaths from multiple myeloma, asthma, cervical cancer, or Hodgkin’s disease. If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects from NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Yet these toxic effects remain mainly a “silent epidemic,” with many physicians and most patients unaware of the magnitude of the problem. Furthermore the mortality statistics do not include deaths ascribed to the use of over-the-counter NSAIDS.
Thus, NSAIDS are the cause of many of the heart-attacks, strokes, and cases of internal bleeding that send many to the hospital – if not to a darker fate.
Do we need a more compelling reason to try an effective natural anti-inflammatory than that?
Watch this video to learn more about Cbd-rich Hemp Seed Oil
Therapeutic Strategy #1: CBD At Work Against Inflammation
CBD (Cannaboidis) works directly to effect the body’s adenosine receptors and enzymes cytochrome P-450 and 2Cs, as well as other biological mechanisms. CBD helps stops immune cells’ production of cytokine, the signaling proteins that balance initiation and resolution of inflammation, and lowers the production of cytokine by the by the T-helper cells Th1 and Th2. The inflammatory compound interleukin-6 (IL-6) can also be decreased in the presence of CBD.
Osteopath Dustin Sulak, D.O., who treats patients with cannabis at his Integrative Healthcare clinic in Manchester, Maine, says that CBD (Cannaboidis) has numerous anti-inflammatory effects that can decrease pain, “mostly by [limiting] the release of inflammatory signals from B and T immune cells, and in animal studies have been shown to [limit] the development of hyperalgesia, or abnormally increased pain signaling at the site of an injury.”
He adds that CBD has also recently been shown in animal studies to speed the healing of injured connective tissue, and also has numerous anti-anxiety mechanisms, which can indirectly influence pain and pain behavior. He says endocannabinoids and cannabinoids, which are found at the intersection of the body’s various systems, allow communication and coordination between different cell types.
“At the site of an injury, for example, cannabinoids can be found decreasing the release of activators andsensitizers from the injured tissue, stabilizing the nerve cell to [limit] excessive firing, and calming nearby immune cells to [limit] release of pro-inflammatory substances.” This also works to reduce inflammation.
Marc Feldman at Imperial College, London, conducted an experiment wherein CBD was given to mice who had a version of rheumatoid arthritis. He found that the right dosage of CBD reduced mice’s inflammation by 50%.
In another study, researchers decided to test the effect of CBD on four cell signaling or mediating molecules associated with intestinal inflammation and oxidative damage to the gut. Their findings showed the reduction of iNOS and reactive oxygen species by CBD, along with the reduction of lipid peroxidation, which all comes to show the important therapeutic actions of CBD in reduction of colonic inflammation by indirect reduction of oxidative damage. In addition, the restoration of the normal behavior of interleukins IL-1B and IL-10, is another powerful way CBD reduces colonic inflammation.
One chiropractor we spoke to was stunned by the results.
“I have two collapsed discs in my low back and two crushed vertebrates L4, and L. I use both a sublingual preparation of CBD oil and an inhaled version of CBD oil. I have no back pain,” says Dr. Martin F Kuhls, a chiropractor Lakewood Colorado. “This claim has puzzled three chiropractic colleagues, two neurosurgeons, one orthopedic surgeon, and the radiologists who read the MRIs.”
From the many other research studies on CBD and inflammation, it appears that CBD is a top supporter of joint, muscle, and organ health, surpassing commonly used natural remedies like Omega 3, curcumin, anti-oxidants, protelytic enzymes, and Vitamin C. What’s more, CBD has very low levels of toxicity, which makes it impossible for anyone to overdose on. Unlike NSAIDs, CBD doesn’t adversely affect your gut lining, kidneys, or liver, and it has never been the cause of any deaths.
*The FDA has not evaluated the validity or truthfulness of these claims; therefore, we encourage you to review published researches relating to the benefits and properties of CBD hemp oils and other CBD products..
Linda Miriam Aziz-Zadeh is a freelance writer and editor who is passionate about preserving the natural beauty and wonder of our bodies, this planet, and the world. She is the cofounder of Crunchy Buzz, a digital wellness marketing firm that serves the health and wellness industry.
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