The power of CBD
Not so long ago, the abbreviation CBD gave us a feeling of doubt and mistrust, but also made us interested and curious, which led many scientists to undertake more detailed study of this ancient active ingredient.
Despite the fact that many people still have doubts about the use of CBD, today there is a wide range of research supporting its extremely beneficial effects on the human organism.
This article reveals everything you need to know about CBD.
We will reveal what the CBD is, where it comes from, why CBD is legal and why THC is not, what the difference between the two substances is, how CBD works and, of course, we will also mention the most important thing: how CBD changes lives of people with symptoms of specific disease. Find a few brief answers to frequent questions about CBD here.
What's hemp-derived CBD?
Before we descend into how CBD affects our body, let us first clarify what it is and where it comes from.
CBD or cannabidiol is one of many components of hemp that has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries.
It was first discovered in the 1940s, but it only started to get more attention in the 1990s when professor Raphael Mechoulam discovered the so-called endocannabinoid system and the exceptional effects of CBD on it.
CBD is one of the many cannabinoids in hemp buds and is the most researched cannabinoid besides THC.
Although CBD and THC share many powerful properties, the main difference between them is that CBD is not psychoactive. This means that after consuming CBD, we don’t feel intoxication or other effects typical of THC.
CBD is therefore a completely safe substance that does not cause addiction. Many clinical studies have been performed on this substance to prove positive effect on our body. However, CBD is manufactured as a drug by only one pharmaceutical company in the world so far and even this one is used only for treating epilepsy in children.
What are cannabinoids?
In short, we can say that cannabinoids are natural compounds produced by hemp. The latest research reveals that hemp contains over 100 different cannabinoids, but the most researched ones are still CBD and THC.
Cannabinoids can be divided into three groups:
- Endocannabinoids produced by our own body
- Phytocannabinoids found in hemp
- Synthetic cannabinoids produced artificially in the lab
CBD belongs to the second group of cannabinoids and has similar effects to endocannabinoids due to its similarity. It is known that this is precisely why CBD has a number of beneficial effects on the body and organism.
The CBD receptors found in the endocannabinoid system are divided into two groups: CB1 and CB2, where CB1 are located in our brain, and CB2 are distributed in our immune system.
Once CBD interacts with these receptors, it speeds up their function, which makes it possible for our body to restore a balance and helps in the treatment of many diseases.
So, when our body finds itself out of balance (in a so-called medical condition), CBD helps it restore balance naturally.
Cannabinoids are therefore compounds produced by hemp that have a number of common characteristics. All cannabinoids, regardless of whether they are produced by our own body (endocannabinoids) or by hemp (phytocannabinoids), effect our body by binding to the CBD receptors in our endocannabinoid system.
What's the difference between CBD and THC?
The most mistaken belief that mostly still governs the general understanding of CBD and CBD products is that these products are psychoactive. This general belief is triggered by associating CBD with hemp and, therefore, we need to explain the difference between CBD and THC and why CBD is a completely safe and non-psychoactive substance.
Both CBD and THC are cannabinoids produced by hemp. Both have a number of powerful properties for the body, but there is one major difference between them: CBD is not psychoactive, unlike THC, which means that it does not cause intoxication. As we have mentioned, the CBD receptors are found in our brain and our immune system.
THC binds to our CB1 receptors in the brain, which is why it influences cognitive processes such as mood, memory and perception in terms of understanding our surrounding. So THC is a psychoactive substance that makes one feel “high”.
CBD on the other hand, primarily binds to receptors in our immune system that regulate a wide range of physical functions and therefore helps relieve the symptoms of numerous conditions. The main difference between THC and CBD is, consequently, in their use. If THC is intended for the recreational use of marijuana, CBD is used exclusively for medical purposes.
What happens if CBD products also contain THC?
Cannabinoids are known to have a much stronger effect if they interact with each other. This applies also to CBD.
CBD products either contain only CBD (isolated CBD) or also contain other cannabinoids, including THC.
Their interactions, in fact, have exceptionally powerful effects, since THC further increases the healing power of CBD while CBD reduces the psycho effect of THC. Of course, there is a necessary condition for the product not to contain too high a concentration of THC.
The highest legally permitted THC concentration in CBD products is 0.2%. CBD products containing 0.2% THC are therefore perfectly safe and legal and do not cause any intoxication since the THC concentration is so negligible that it has no impact on our cognitive processes.
CBD drops, oil, capsules, tea, ointment and hemp resin
CBD is available for consumption in various forms, so each individual can find the most suitable product most suitable for consumption.
Besides the drops, oils, capsules, tea, ointment and hemp resins, a more and more popular choice is hemp seeds, which alone do not contain CBD but are considered seeds with the highest nutritional value in general. They are particularly rich in fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins and proteins. Many people use them as a dietary supplement.
What’s the difference between individual products?
Drops and oil are practically the same product with a different name. CBD drops or oil are consumed sublingually, which means that we drop an appropriate dose of oil or drops under the tongue, hold for a few minutes and then swallow.
Hemp resin is consumed in the same way.
The essential difference between hemp oil and drops is the CBD content, as its concentration is much higher in the resin than in the drops.
Capsules and tea represent an excellent alternative for those who don’t like the taste of the drops. However, it should be borne in mind that when consuming drops or tea, CBD is filtered through the intestinal tract or kidneys, so the effect is slightly reduced.
Last but not least, many people also use cosmetics containing active substances from hemp. Ointment is not intended for treating health conditions, since it cannot be absorbed through the skin into the blood, but it is extremely effective at relieving the symptoms of various skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
Industrial hemp
Industrial hemp is extremely rich in cannabinoids, including the CBD found in its buds.
Although the cultivation of industrial hemp in Slovenia is legal, this does not mean that we can own an unlimited scope of plantations. The cultivation of hemp in Slovenia is legally permitted on areas less than 100 x 10 m, meaning that production is more or less limited to farmers and CBD companies.
In Europe, producers must be careful to buy hemp seeds that do not contain more than 0.2% of THC.
The preparation of hemp products is a legally defined process, so the home CBD recipes you find on forums are questionable.
How does CBD affect the body?
The pace of life and the environment we live in affect our body and its health in many ways.
The human organism is constantly exposed to stress, on the one hand, and on the other to toxins and micro-organisms in the environment such as heavy metals, herbicides, insecticides, bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.
Stress and toxins are the main causes of chronic inflammation and lead to a variety of diseases such as arthritis, epilepsy, chronic pain, migraine and many others.
In 1990s, professor Raphael Mechoulam discovered the so-called endocannabinoid system, which communicates directly with the cannabinoids found in hemp.
The endocannabinoid system is a network of cells that contain receptors for CBD, which means that CBD directly affects the endocannabinoid system.
These CBD receptors are located in the central nervous system in the cardiovascular system, in bone marrow, in the lymphatic system and various organs such as intestines, spleen and bladder.
In the endocannabinoid system, scientists have found that the human body produces its own cannabinoids, so called endocannabinoids, whose task is to keep the entire organism in balance.
The endocannabinoid system is therefore our largest homeostatic regulator and its main task is to balance the functioning of the body and mind.
So how does CBD help maintain a balance in our body?
Once CBD connects to the CBD receptor in our endocannabinoid system, it sends a message directly to the core of the cell where information on our entire physiology is located. CBD obtained from hemp is very similar to the endocannabinoids produced by our body.
In interaction with the CBD receptors in our system, CBD thus helps maintain balance in the body by helping our system clean itself, eliminate toxic substances and reduce inflammation within the central nervous system and immune system.
The endocannabinoid system
As well as a cell network that contains CBD receptors (as mentioned earlier), the endocannabinoid system is also our largest homeostatic regulator. Its main task is to regulate processes within our body and keep it in balance.
Every time our body finds itself out of balance, this imbalance is manifested in the form of a certain disease. Our system then starts to produce its own cannabinoids, so called endocannabinoids, which pass through the CBD receptors to the nucleus of the cells in order to restore balance in the body.
So what exactly happens when we consume CBD?
CBD has a very similar structure to our own endocannabinoids, which means that, like the endocannabinoids, CBD also helps maintain balance in the body.
When our CBD receptors in the endocannabinoid system connect with CBD, a number of chemical reactions that regulate sleep, well-being, pain, memory, appetite and other physical functions are triggered in our brain.
Does CBD have side effects?
An overdose is impossible; however, when consuming a larger dose, milder but completely harmless side effects can occur, such as severe fatigue, decreased appetite, diarrhoea, dizziness etc.
All of these phenomena are short-term and manageable, but it is important that every individual finds the right dose for themselves and does not exaggerate when consuming it.
CBD is therefore helping our system regulate a large majority of physical functions. Many scientific researches and studies show that it is one of the most effective natural substances with beneficial effect on both our body and mind.