Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is one of the abundant compounds present in the marijuana plant. Unlike the other compound found copiously in marijuana, i.e., THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is not psychoactive and does not make a person high.
For quite some time, CBD has been making controversial headlines regarding wellness and healthcare. And as more researchers, doctors, and consumers validate the many unusual benefits of CBD-infused products, it is probably a matter of time before it is declared a federally regulated component for managing many of our health-related problems.
Some of the well-known medicinal benefits of CBD include treating epilepsy, helping with anxiety and depression, and managing sleeping problems. But today, we’ll discuss some of the lesser-known benefits of CBD that might seem unusual but are nevertheless associated with this compound.
1. Lowering Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is a hormone naturally produced by the body under stress. It isn’t harmful in controlled amounts; however, the unregulated production of cortisol can cause chronic anxiety, headaches, high blood pressure, and, surprisingly, abdominal weight gain!
Research shows that CBD can significantly reduce cortisol levels, resulting in a better mood, improved sleep, controlled blood pressure, and even regulated weight loss. The study also concluded that CBD could produce sedative events and calm people with anxiety issues by interfering with cortisol secretion.
2. Treating Type I Diabetes
After a carbohydrate-rich meal, blood sugar levels rise. This triggers the production of insulin, the hormone responsible for maintaining sugar levels in the body. However, when insulin levels in the blood are unregulated and remain continuously high, the body ultimately develops resistance to it. As a result, blood sugar levels become unusually high, resulting in Type II diabetes.
A study conducted in Israel by the Hadassah University Hospital demonstrated that CBD could significantly lower insulin levels to reverse diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.
3. Preventing Type II Diabetes
Another study showed that CBD could serve as a therapeutic agent for preventing Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes), which is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of the insulin-producing β cells in the pancreas. In addition, it is believed that CBD prevents insulitis, the condition that destroys these cells and is the main cause of Type I diabetes.
Moreover, for people already struggling with diabetes, CBD can also help lower its side effects, such as memory loss and neuroinflammation.
4. Treating Drug Addiction
Drug addiction adversely affects the brain circuits responsible for stimulating addictive behaviors. This causes an individual to depend on certain drugs, such as morphine and heroin. Preliminary experiments show that CBD can help rectify these brain circuits and help addicts overcome their addictive tendencies.
5. Reducing Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is the primary risk factor for strokes, heart attacks, and cardiovascular disease. Users have reported that a single dose of CBD oil daily can help lower blood pressure and maintain good heart health.
6. Managing Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with extensive pathophysiological disruptions in brain cells and cognitive impairment due to neuro-inflammation, neurotoxicity, oxidative damage from free radicals, and altered cholesterol metabolism in the body.
CBD can prevent and reduce neuro-inflammation by protecting the brain’s nerve cells against these damages while potentially destroying harmful free radicals.
7. Lowering Psychotic Symptoms
CBD can also possibly reduce and help manage the psychotic symptoms people generally suffer in different types of mental disorders. Even though these results are not conclusive for every mental disorder, people with psychosis and schizophrenia have reported finding significant relief after using CBD oil.
8. Preventing Cancer
And last on our list of unique benefits of CBD is its ability to prevent cancer. This is attributed to its well-established anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Moreover, using CBD oil consistently can also prevent cancer from spreading to other body areas.
Final Thoughts
While these benefits of CBD may convince you to start using CBD-infused products immediately, remember that the FDA has not yet regulated these products. Also, most research is conducted on mice, and more clinical trials involving humans must be conducted.
However, CBD is proven safe and non-addictive, so there is no harm in trying it out. And with the increasing number of success stories and more research, CBD will likely become more widely accepted and available.
