Everything You Need To Know About CBD, Briefly
You’ve certainly heard more buzz around CBD oil as it seems like every industry is capitalizing on this trend and making use or touting the benefits of CBD oil. But what exactly are the benefits of CBD and how does it work?
Let’s break down the science of why CBD oil works to reduce pain in the body while improving mood and symptoms of anxiety.
CBD or cannabidiol is a component of the cannabis plant, you know, marijuana - the stuff that was recently legalized across Canada and no longer carries with it the old “refer madness” perspective. Now, I don’t think everyone is completely over the stigma of cannabis and may have sensitivity or allergies to hemp and while some companies, like Calyx Wellness which we carry at Flow Spa, do a great job creating a very pure and refined CBD oil, we’ll go over some alternatives for anyone looking for natural pain relief without CBD.
How CBD works
CBD is a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) antagonist. You don’t have to remember this, but it increases anandamide in the body which then activates the CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the brain and body. Anandamide is a neurotransmitter associated with euphoria - its name comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “joy, bliss, delight.” Sounds pretty good right? It also appears that higher than normal levels of anandamide in the brain and body can lead to reductions in anxiety, lack of fear, and enhancement of the immune system.
The Role of CB1 and CB2 Receptors
The CB1 and CB2 receptors are the main receptors of the endocannabinoid system. Early research into this system was shown to be the target of action for phytocannabinoids like THC and it wasn’t until later that scientists discovered anandamide’s activity on these receptors. CBD has a low affinity for the CB1 and CB2 receptors themselves but works indirectly on those pathways for pain and anxiety modulation through its action as a FAAH antagonist amongst other pharmacological mechanisms.
The CB1 receptor is located in the brain and central nervous system and is primarily associated with euphoria and mood regulation as it is targeted by cannabinoids like CBD, THC, and anandamide.
The CB2 receptor is located throughout the body as part of the pain signal pathway and modulates the inflammatory response in the body.
Because of the mechanisms of action, both CBD and THC can reduce pain and lead to improvements in mood, while CBD does so without the psychoactive effects of THC, meaning you won’t get high from CBD.
This makes CBD a very safe and effective way to improve mood, reduce anxiety, and mitigate pain and inflammation in the body without the harmful side effects that anxiolytics and over-the-counter pain medication has.
Globally, we’ve been seeing an increase in CBD use with both topical application and internal use for a wide range of conditions including:
anxiety including social anxiety and PTSD
depression
pain, including arthritis and fibromyalgia
stress symptoms
dermatological conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis
addiction and neurological conditions
sports performance
The dosage depends on body weight and the severity of the symptoms that you are trying to remedy. Most people will start out with more modest dosages of around 10-20 mg per day and gradually increase daily or every few days until the desired effect is attained.
What if you’re still unsure about CBD?
Plants have evolved incredible defence systems and pharmacological effects and through sheer human curiosity, we continue to find more promising ways to benefit as we experiment and learn about the effects of various plant compounds. Copaiba is an oleoresin coming from the Copaifera genus of South American trees that is concentrated in beta-caryophyllene or BCP. BCP is another compound that has been shown to directly act on the CB2 receptors, thus creating an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect throughout the body.
Copaiba essential oil from doTERRA is produced in its native regions of South America and cleanly distilled to pure essential oil making it safe for internal consumption where it can then take effect.
We carry Copaiba from doTERRA at Flow Spa and a few drops under the tongue or in your water each day can help to reduce pain and inflammation in the body. Our customers have told us that taking Copaiba daily has reduced their pain and arthritis symptoms to such an extent that their health care practitioners are impressed with the progress they’ve been making.
Genuine Health Natural Pain Relief
At Flow Spa we also carry the full line of Genuine Health products - a company renowned for their commitment to excellence in quality and research validating the effectiveness of their products. Several of the products from Genuine Health are specifically formulated for safe and effective natural pain relief, both acute pain symptoms and more chronic symptoms. Their fast pain relief+ product is used for acute symptoms of pain and works more effectively than Aspirin at blocking pain within 2 hours.
In addition to this, Genuine Health has a selection of specifically tailored long-term and chronic pain remedies that work for moderate-to-severe joint pain and arthritis in as little as 5 days. The most beneficial aspect of these products though is not just the reduction in pain symptoms but that rather than just blocking pain signals, they actually work on the root cause of the pain by reducing inflammation in the body to promote healing.