CBD is seemingly everywhere these days. It’s popping up in beauty products, health food stores and even has entire shops dedicated to selling these products.
But many people just like you are wondering if these so-called miracle products can really live up to the hype.
Sure, it’s been said that CBD can cure a wide range of both physical and mental ailments, but is it really effective? Can using CBD oil for stress really provide you with results?
The research is finally in and we are here to answer the question is CBD’s effect on stress fact or fiction? Keep reading to find out.
What Is CBD?
Before getting into the details of whether these claims of helping manage stress are true, it’s important you understand the basics of what CBD is and how it interacts with your body.
CBD is an extract taken from both the Hemp and Cannabis plant. It is a naturally occurring compound within the plant that differs from its often-confused companion THC.
The difference between these two is that THC is the psychoactive compound found in Cannabis that gets you high. Whereas CBD has no psychoactive, or high feeling, effects.
CBD is also referred to as cannabidiol and in fact, your body naturally has what is called cannabidiol receptors. These receptors are all throughout the body of most mammals and are commonly located around the brain and immune system functions of the body.
Once CBD has entered your body, it works with these cannabidiol receptors to jump-start these various systems and helps regulate them to work their best. As the stigma surrounding the cannabis plant has slowly begun to die off in recent years, tons of research has been conducted on the various health benefits of this amazing substance.
So although there still a lot to learn about CBD, the results are coming in and are looking promising.
Evidence For CBD Oil Reducing Stress
There are tons of personal testimonials about using CBD oil for stress management. But sometimes it can be hard to just take someone else’s word for it and you probably are searching for more solid evidence.
Luckily there’s some scientific research to back up all the claims you’ve been seeing. Most of the research conducted on the effects of CBD thus far have been done on rodents, although a few have been conducted on humans. Human studies are just, unfortunately, more legally complex and expensive.
This recent review covers 32 different studies of CBD’s effects on stress and anxiety. Out of the 32 studies, 31 found useful results and only one didn’t.
For the rodent studies, many include dosing the little animals with low doses of CBD and then placing them in a high-stress situation, such as in a cage with a snake. The mice with the CBD showed results of spending more time focusing on their environment vs the others that started immediately panicking.
For experiments conducted on humans, subjects were tested on public speaking. Those who had taken small doses of CBD felt more comfortable and had higher performance rates than those who did not.
How CBD Oil Combats Stress
As mentioned above, your body naturally has cannabidiol receptors in the brain. So, this plant medicine works to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety by stimulating neural regeneration and neurotransmission systems. One of the most common neurotransmitters often associated with the feeling of happiness is serotonin.
Serotonin specifically has 14 receptors in the body, but one in particular, 5-HT1A, has been linked to having a strong role in anxiety and stress-related disorders.
Actually, many anti-anxiety drugs on the market bind to this particular receptor to relieve symptoms. CBD has been shown to also bind to this particular serotonin receptor, which helps explain why it has a positive effect on managing anxiety and stress.
Going back to this system of cannabinoids in the body, also called the Endocannabinoid System, under chronic amounts of stress this system can become unbalanced and dysregulated. This imbalance can lead to lots of other health problems associated with stress, including anxiety, depression and sleep problems.
CBD works to restore balance in this system by preventing overstimulation of the cannabinoid receptors. When it comes to how stress affects the brain, we all know (often from experience) how detrimental this can be. Actually, chronic stress causes neural damage and can even shrink the brain. Luckily the brain is capable of regeneration and CBD helps to boost this process. Multiple studies have shown that CBD promotes neural regeneration and aids in growing new neurons.
Finding The Right Dose
If you choose to use CBD as a means to help manage your stress, you may have to experiment around a bit with the dosage. This method is FDA approved to treat anxiety and stress but even experts have a hard time determine the right dosage amount. Really it comes down to your own body and personal needs.
Luckily you don’t have to be worried about taking too high of a dose. The worst thing that can happen is some slight dizziness or feelings of nausea which will help you know you took too much.
Try It For Yourself – The Ultimate Test
Now that you know using CBD oil for stress is a fact and not fiction, consider trying it out for yourself. So many people experience chronic stress from everyday life.
And it’s important to find ways to combat this stress to prevent damage to your body. If you do choose to use CBD as a part of your stress management, be open to talking to your doctor about it. Many doctors have started encouraging the use of this natural plant medicine as an alternative to pharmaceuticals.
Free Samples at CBD American Shaman Store
Visit our store to get your questions answered about how CBD can help fight stress, anxiety and other health challenges.
We offer a free sample to all first time visitors. Most people feel a definite calming effect within just 10 minutes of trying our nano-enhanced and water-soluble CBD for the first time. All products come with a 100% 30-day money-back guarantee. We are part of the fastest growing CBD store franchise in the US, with over 250 stores nationwide! So come by and discover the amazing natural stress relieving benefits of CBD oil!