Cannabidiol (CBD) has been recently covered in the media, and you may have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout smoothie or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it suddenly so popular?
CBD is legal – at the federal level (kind of), and in most but not all states (click the image for full article).
When we talk about CBD, we are typically talking about CBD products, such as topical creams and ingestible oils that are created by extracting the CBD compound from the marijuana plant. Although, some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC – which we will get to.
CBD has been shown to be:
anti-inflammatory, meaning it has potential to reduce joint pain associated with arthritis
anti-oxidative, so it may reduce systematic inflammation by fighting oxidative stress and decrease symptoms of autoimmune conditions like lupus
anti-emetic, meaning it can decrease vomiting and nausea associated with cancer treatments
anti-psychotic, so it can ease symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
neuroprotective, meaning it may help to slow the progression of neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
While there is much that has been learned over the past quarter century, there is still much more research that needs to be done on the uses and potential benefits of cannabis-derived products, such as CBD. The industry is complex and, at times confusing, but in the years to come we hope to see stabilization through governmental regulation and standardization. For more education on CBD and products, click HERE for a full CBD 101 lesson.