General Information
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CBD AND THC?
Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) generally come from the same species of Cannabis plants, Cannabis sativa. Hemp and marijuana typically come from two different varieties of the Cannabis plant (CBD is usually from help but can be from the marijuana plant). And while both hemp and marijuana both contain THC and CBD, the hemp plant typically has far less THC (0.3%) than the marijuana plant. THC is the psychoactive component of the plant that gives a person the mental "high". CBD, while it may have certain proposed medicinal effects, will not get you "high". So, very basically. Hemp oil (the non-psychoactive CBD oil), addressed below, is commonly used today for various maladies. It is extracted from the stalk and seeds of the plant.
OTHER NAMES: Hemp
HISTORY: The cannabis plant has been used for thousands of years (possibly dating back to 8000 BC). It has been used for things like rope, food, fiber, medicine, and for religious
purposes. The component of the cannabis plant, CBD was not actually isolated from the plant until the 1940's. THC was discovered in the 1960's. While some people look upon anything related to the Cannabis plant as being harmful, there are also many benefits of both.
Since CBD is accepted in many parts of the United States as a remedy for a number of ailments, it is being addressed below.
Marijuana will be addressed elsewhere in these pages.
While there may be some abuse potential of marijuana, there is NO abuse potential of CBD.
Does CBD work? Many people claim that CBD works for various ailments.
PROPERTIES:
General: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-tumor
Considered Uses
Respiratory: Because it is an anti-inflammatory, it may help with viral respiratory infections, according to an article published by the NIH.
Cardiovascular: May help lower blood pressure
Gastrointestinal: Decreases vomiting and nausea, Crohn's
Musculoskeletal: Arthritis, may help mitigate ambulation in MS, chronic pain, pain, inflammation, pain (including neuropathic pain)
Neurologic: Sleep disorders (falling asleep and staying asleep, parasomnias), possibly anti-seizure, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's (non-motor symptoms, psychosis in Alzheimer's)
Skin: Eczema (topical)
Mental Health: This may help with anxiety depression, and possibly schizophrenia. It may reduce drug cravings in abstinent users (CBD actually does work on the neurons of your brain).
Glucose: May help decrease blood sugar
Cholesterol: Reportedly decreases cholesterol plaque deposits in blood vessels.
Immunity: Possibly Increased immunity
Cancer: May help as an antioxidant
Other: Stimulates appetite
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SIDE EFFECTS: Dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety, dizziness, may increase liver enzymes, constipation, urinary retention.
CAUTIONS/CONTRAINDICATIONS: Caution/contraindication in liver disease. Use caution if using medications metabolized by the CYP450 enzyme pathway: Including steroids (prednisone, dexamethasone, etc), Some calcium channel blockers, antiarrhythmic drugs (to treat irregular heartbeat), anticonvulsants (i.e. Tegretol [oxycarbamazepine], Trileptal), Remeron, the "zole" antifungal drugs, some benzos (i.e. clonazepam [Klonipin]), certain immune suppressant medications, macrolides (Clarithromycin [Biaxin], sildenafil, antihistamines (Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin), Haldol, some statins (cholesterol medication), HIV antivirals, antibiotics (Cipro, Bactrim [trimethoprine-sulfamethoxazole], Augmentin [Amox-Clav], Amoxicillin, Azithromycin [Zithromax, "Z-Pack"], Doxycycline, Keflex [cephalexin], Fentanyl and some other opoids, and others). Using CBD along with the medications mentioned above increases the concentration of those medications in your body. The interaction may be mild or severe depending on the medication and/or amount of CBD use. It is recommended that you openly discuss use with a medical provider.
Over the long term may cause apathy and anhedonia.
FORMS: Creams, oils, lotions, extracts, liquid sprays, tinctures, gummies, tea
DOSAGES: As directed by product
Recommendations: The only FDA-approved CBD authorized for use is Epidiolex (a purified form of CBD) used for seizures. Note that ConsumerLabs found lower-than-therapeutic levels of CBD in a number of products. It is also important to note on the product whether the strength is per jar (etc.), per pill (Mg) or per ml or per dose. This can sometimes be deceiving. You want this per unit—the measure of CBD in each dose. Avoid synthetic CBD.
*Disclaimer: The material above is for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. The uses listed above are tentative; some have or are undergoing research trials, but many are not FDA-approved. It is essential that you investigate these supplements further before deciding to use them. Check interactions and contraindications on sites like Drugs.com or WebMD. Do not attempt to treat a serious condition like liver, kidney problems, high blood pressure, heart, cancer, diabetes, or thyroid issues without discussing it with a healthcare provider first. If you are pregnant, do not use supplements without discussing it with your healthcare provider.