How CBD reduces inflammation
Indeed, one of the most thoroughly researched areas of medicinal cannabidiol (CBD) is for the treatment of inflammation. According to the Arthritis Foundation (AF), about 54 million adults and 300,000 children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with various forms of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and rheumatic inflammatory disease which are major causes of joint pain.
If you consider all of the individuals who have arthritis but have not yet been diagnosed, the Arthritis Foundation (AF) suggests that the true count is likely closer to 91.2 million in total. To make matters even worse, that number is expected to grow by 49 percent by the year 2040.
Considering the fact that so many modern day ailments, such as arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and multiple sclerosis, are aggravated by inflammation, CBD is now being pursued by many medical researchers as a possible viable treatment option. Some prescription medications and treatment programs can potentially help ease these negative effects of inflammation, but a lot of people today are searching for a more natural pain relief option. This is where CBD oil comes into play.
Scientists are currently discovering how natural cannabidiol (CBD) is effective against inflammation, and studies have pointed to multiple ways in which CBD can help relieve inflammation. CBD is displaying efficacy in reducing inflammation, a factor of pain and discomfort present in many health conditions, and a contributing factor to various chronic diseases.
Research efforts into the potential of CBD to treat inflammation and inflammatory diseases is still ongoing; however, currently available studies point strongly towards CBD’s capacity to reduce inflammation down to a cellular level.
Studies on How CBD Reduces Inflammation.
Study #1 – CBD successful as treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
A study carried out in 2011 by scientists from the University of Naples, Italy, examined CBD for the treatment of gastrointestinal inflammation on both laboratory mice, as well as on cultured human biopsies from people suffering from ulcerative colitis. The studies and research concluded that CBD was able to remedy the inflammatory environment in both cases. The researchers therefore concluded that, “CBD indeed unravels a new therapeutic strategy to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.”
Study #2 – CBD reduces joint swelling caused by arthritis.
A study carried out in 2016 from the University of Kentucky determined that CBD could be a effective topical therapy for inflammation caused by arthritis. The researchers concluded that transdermal CBD gel was able to reduce joint swelling, and the pain associated with it. Interestingly, CBD achieved this without any notable side effects. Their studies therefore concluded that CBD reduced pro-inflammatory biomarkers.
Study #3 – CBD therapy suppresses chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
According to a 2012 study published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, CBD therapy suppressed chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. According to their results, CBD was able to do so without creating a tolerance, something which continues to be an area of concern for more traditional opioid therapies for chronic pain.
Here are some of the ways scientists concluded that CBD fights inflammation.
A 2015 review published in Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry by Elsevier discussed the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD. The reviewers found that CBD reduces inflammation through several pathways in the body, and represents an effective potential treatment for a range of conditions characterized by inflammation. Another study published in a journal in December 2017 analyzed whether CBD could prevent osteoarthritis pain and joint neuropathy. According to their results, researchers concluded that CBD decreased joint inflammation and served as a protectant to the nerves.
A 2017 study carried out by scientists and published in a journal examined the effects of CBD in male rats with osteoarthritis. After two weeks, acute inflammation of the joints was reduced by local CBD treatment applied to the area. The administration of CBD was also found to prevent the development of nerve damage and joint pain.
A study undertaken in 2011 examined the effects of CBD on acute and chronic inflammation in the gut. This dignified research was conducted on animal models with intestinal inflammation and on biopsies of human patients with ulcerative colitis. CBD was found to profoundly counteract inflammation, and also reduced intestinal damage in both mice and human biopsies by decreasing the expression of inflammatory proteins.
For these and many more reasons are why so many people are incorporating CBD products into their anti-inflammatory routine.
The Bottom Line
There is already a large body of scientific literature and anecdotal evidence that supports the use of CBD for the treatment of inflammation. CBD has also been shown to significantly reduce chronic inflammatory pain by possibly interacting with the glycine receptors in the human body. These receptors play a critical role in transmitting pain signals from the body, through the spinal cord, and into the brain (where pain is actually perceived).
CBD also acts on inflammation by decreasing oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress occurs when there is a disturbance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant defences, resulting in inflammation or tissue damage. CBD has antioxidant properties, and this property has been shown to greatly reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body following a potent chemotherapy treatment.
Unfortunately, the inflammation struggle is real — and it’s not just something people with arthritis need to worry about. Stress, pollution and other environmental factors activate your body’s inflammation response, and your body might be battling chronic inflammation without you even realizing it. Although chronic inflammation isn’t always easy to sense or diagnose, it doesn’t make it any less dangerous.
In the last few decades, scientists have linked chronic inflammation to numerous diseases and health conditions. For instance, it’s now estimated that up to 20% of cancer cases are caused by chronic inflammation. Other health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease aren’t necessarily caused by inflammation, but people suffering from Alzheimer’s have elevated inflammatory markers, and this inflammation increases the severity and speed of cognitive deterioration. Chronic inflammation damages our bodies, and so many people are turning to CBD oil to help alleviate this burden.
