Cannabidiol, also known as CBD in colloquial terms, has already been touted as one of the best natural supplements today, especially by those who have been making use of it for a long time. Unlike its sister compound, THC, which is also found in the marijuana plant, CBD isn’t associated with that high or heady feeling which most people associate with THC. A lot of people have already done a lot of research about CBD, granted, but we still need to find out more about its real benefits and effects. If, however, you are interested in what CBD – especially CBD oil – can do when it comes to the treatment of depression, here’s what you should know about CBD oil and depression: its potential benefits.
The promise and potential of CBD
Among the many conditions people face today, depression may well be the most common, and this is closely followed by anxiety. Most everyone out there has gone through a period of depression in their lives, especially if they have dealt with grief and loss, trauma, a debilitating accident, and more. But a person who is depressed for a long time may experience the other effects of the condition, which can seriously be detrimental to their health, their well-being, their social life, and their ability to focus on work or hold a job.
Of course, doctors have been prescribing pharmaceutical medications for such conditions for many years, but the thing with these drugs is that they often come with side effects such as sleeplessness or insomnia, mood swings, and even the loss of sexual libido or dysfunction. CBD, on the other hand, has shown some promise in several studies, particularly as a treatment for anxiety and depression. And the best thing is, its side effects (if any) are minimal compared to pharmaceutical drugs.
According to some research done in 2014, CBD showed potential in the treatment of depression due to the way it positively interacted with the brain’s serotonin receptors. Serotonin has a direct impact on a variety of bodily functions, including someone’s feelings and emotional state associated with happiness or well-being. When a person has a balanced level of serotonin in their body, they can experience relief from depression.
More indications on the potential of CBD
In recent years, researchers have also done tests on animal models, which provided them with the information they needed regarding CBD’s potential for the treatment of depression. As mentioned, however, more research still has to be performed, but all in all, the research which has already been done is quite promising.
In the same review done in 2014, certain studies indicated that CBD may act or perform as an antidepressant and compound for anti-anxiety in animal models. In another review done in 2018, they found further anti-anxiety and antidepressant activities of CBD. In fact, they found that the compound showed an apparent effect of combating stress with either long-term or short-term use. The authors of the study also found that CBD worked by not directly activating the endocannabinoid receptors of the brain; this indicates that CBD may not be addictive or habit-forming either.
For those who are interested in consuming CBD oil as edibles, tinctures, and the like, you can now buy CBD oil in Canada in different forms. It’s important, however, to source your CBD products from the best suppliers, and make sure the supplier only offers the highest quality products as well.
