Your Ultimate Guide to CBD: Everything You Need to Know About it.
Stay educated on its history, products, and benefits.
CBD 101
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is taking the wellness world by storm. For many people, CBD is a constant part of their daily health routine. But before you try CBD for yourself, we’d recommend learning a bit more about CBD, its history, and its benefits.
The first thing you need to know is that CBD is a cannabinoid. This means it’s a chemical that naturally occurs in hemp and cannabis plants.
Although CBD has only become a popular wellness product over the past decade or so, it’s technically been used as a health aid for centuries. Cannabis and hemp have been used in traditional medicine around the world for hundreds of years.
Heading #1: A Brief History
It wasn’t until the early 1940s that CBD itself was first identified. A chemist named Robert Adam managed to successfully isolate CBD — in other words, separating it from the rest of the plant’s chemical make-up. This enabled scientists to study the cannabinoid.
In the early 1960s, a professor named Raphael Mechoulam began studying CBD more closely. Over the next few decades, Mechoulam and his team made a number of breakthrough discoveries about the cannabinoid. Nowadays, Mechoulam is often called the “father of cannabinoids.”
Since then, scientists have identified over 100 potentially beneficial cannabinoids in hemp and cannabis. CBD is one of the most abundant cannabinoids in the plant.
Heading #2: The Endocannabinoid System
Hemp and cannabis aren’t the only things that produce cannabinoids: your own body produces them, too. Those cannabinoids are called endocannabinoids. Every mammal has an endocannabinoid system, which is a series of receptors and endocannabinoids that work to keep your body healthy and balanced.
The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in your digestive system and cardiovascular system. It affects your skin, brain, reproductive organs, stomach, and more. Researchers conclude that the endocannabinoid system is essential to maintaining homeostasis — a state of perfect balance within your body.
Some experts believe that certain people have clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD), a condition characterized by low levels of endocannabinoids. CECD might be responsible for the development of fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, and other health conditions, according to a 2016 article.
Not enough research has been done on CECD to definitively prove whether it’s a real condition or not. However, if this is the case, cannabinoids might hold the key to soothing those hard-to-treat conditions.
So where does CBD come into the endocannabinoid system?
Good question.
Your body doesn’t actually make CBD itself. CBD is a phytocannabinoid, meaning it comes from a plant, not your body. However, your endocannabinoid system is affected by CBD — but scientists aren’t yet fully sure how.
It might be that CBD doesn’t allow enzymes to break down endocannabinoids as easily, which means they get to stick around and work their magic. It might be that CBD binds to a receptor that we don’t yet know about yet. Unfortunately, this part isn’t clear, despite numerous studies.
What is clear, though, is that CBD can’t get you high. Research has also shown that it’s a safe, well-tolerated, and non-addictive substance.
And, most importantly, it seems to have certain health benefits. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, a few years ago. Epidiolex is a prescription drug used to treat rare forms of epilepsy.
Heading #3: What can CBD be used for?
Although Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved prescription medication, CBD has the potential to be used for so much more than epilepsy.
Wind down before bed
Improve focus and concentration
Boost your mood
Support healthy, hydrated skin
Soothe stress and irritation
Comfort sore or swollen muscles and joints
Enhance productivity and creativity
Support your overall health and wellness
Because we sell hemp-based products, we’re not allowed to list the conditions CBD might be used to treat. However, we can say that there’s a growing body of promising research on CBD. Hopefully, future studies will tell us exactly how CBD can benefit our health.
An important note on using CBD
Although CBD is considered safe for human consumption, it’s best to chat with a healthcare practitioner before using a new health product of any kind — herbal or not. This is an especially good idea if you have a chronic condition or if you’re currently taking prescription medication.
We believe in listening to your body. CBD can cause some side effects — usually mild in nature, but still side effects — such as nausea, a change in appetite, and fatigue. If you think you’re experiencing side effects, consider using a lower dosage or stop using CBD.