CBD Oil: Uses, Health Benefits, and Risks

CBD oil has found uses in nearly all areas of modern life.

17:06 02 September 2019

As far as improving the day-to-day life of the average user goes, it ranks right up there with painkillers. Despite all the health benefits CBD has been shown to have, it’s not without its side effects and risks if overused.

Here are all the ways CBD has affected our lives:

Benefits and uses of CBD

1. Helps with stress & anxiety
   
   

CBD has a natural inclination to help reduce stress and anxiety. Conditions like stress and depression usually are caused by an increase in cortisol in the bloodstream and lowering of feel-good ones like serotonin and dopamine.

CBD energy product usually binds with specific receptors in the brain to rewire the production of the feel-good hormones. This way, people that use CBD tend to feel calm and relaxed afterward.

2. Useful for managing pain
   
   

CBD can also be used to manage pain due to its ability to reduce inflammation. It usually binds with the receptors in the brain responsible for pain, helping to reduce symptoms such as chronic pain.

It can also be used to manage symptoms such as inflammation due to its natural tendency to do so. Topical application of balms containing CBD are very effective at reducing inflammation in the joints after exercise, for example.

3. Can be used for some skin conditions
   
   

Acne is the most common skin condition in the US. It ranges in severity from relatively simple to manage to incredibly serious, such that it covers the whole face and normal antibiotics do not help.

Topical application of CBD has been shown to reduce the prevalence of skin conditions like acne because one of the ways that CBD acts is by preventing inflammation. However, this entirely depends on the kind of acne that a person has.

It is also effective, for example, on acne caused by an overproduction of sebum, since CBD has been shown to have properties that help to manage it.

4. Beneficial for hair growth
   
   

CBD contains several amino acids and other nutrients that are useful for promoting hair growth. Topical application on the scalp helps the hair grow faster by providing the said nutrients.

The subsequent action promoting hair growth is by helping to circulate blood throughout the scalp. This way, the nutrients needed are distributed evenly and hair grows faster.

5. Promotes heart health
   
   

CBD promotes heart health is by helping to manage stress and anxiety, thereby reducing stress-related changes in blood pressure. People with HBP are known to be affected by various heart conditions.

The same properties that help to reduce blood pressure also reduce cell death and inflammation due to it being an antioxidant.

Side-effects of using CBD

Before you rush out and grab your favorite CBD energy product to use, it’s worth noting that not even CBD is without its risks. Using too much CBD can lead to side-effects like headaches, sudden changes in mood, and loss of appetite.

For a first-time user, it might be difficult to figure out the dosage requirements and triggers harmful reactions. It’s always advisable to use as little as possible and slowly increase the dosage from there.

If you are currently on any other drug, it’s essential to consult your doctor before you use CBD. No matter how beneficial a drug may be on its own, it may not play very nicely with other medications. CBD is known to react with certain drugs and lead to inflammation bin the liver, for example. It’s essential to get approval from the doctor first.