The most common question people ask when they find out we sell CBD is: "Will it get me High?" The correct answer is no. Although CBD is within the same family as its wider known friend, THC, and a common ingredient in medical Marijuana, it is actually non-psychoactive. CBD stands for Cannabidiol and is actually sourced from Hemp plants! The next question people generally ask is always within the lines of "What does it do?" and we think that's a fantastic question, so let's dive in!
When people ask what CBD does, the explanation can be quite overwhelming for some. The most common consumer we encounter is either battling chronic pain, anxiety, or stress. However, CBD can be used for so much more! Some of its other uses include: battling acne; depression; withdrawal; epilepsy; glaucoma; insomnia; appetite issues; Parkinson's; high blood pressure; and more. It is important to note that CBD may not help everyone, as there is no perfect fix-all answer to these issues. However; many people have tried and stand by the results that they experience. (There's even CBD for your pets!)
Science has narrowed down 65 potential molecular targets for CBD within the human body. A scientist named Jose Alexandre Crippa (along with his colleagues who are currently at the University of San Paulo in Brazil and King’s College in London) has found that when in high concentrations, CBD activates 5-HT1A (hydroxytryptamine) serotonin receptor. (This receptor is the same one that a lot of medications activate when used in treating anxiety and mood disorders.) This is only one of the numerous other receptors that CBD affects.
You're probably thinking "Okay, this is great information, but why do I care?"
Understanding how CBD works is one of the reasons that the industry has taken off as it has. When we look at the 5-HT1A receptor, we see that it is in fact a serotonin receptor. It goes without saying serotonin is incredibly important to the body, as people with lower serotonin levels often experience issues such as depression, or other mood disorders. This is why CBD is advertised to help with mood related issues as much as it is. Although it may not be a permanent solution, it does help reduce the symptoms one may face when living with these disorders, effectively making them a little bit easier to manage. (Or a lot, depending on the person!)
Some research has shown that the reason CBD seems to help with pain is because it 'desensitizes' some pain receptors, namely the TRPV1 receptor. This specific interaction is the reason so many people have success in using CBD to alleviate chronic pain, nausea, and even seizures. Another reason may be because CBD affects some of your opioid receptors, these receptors effectively work as a form of "volume control" for pain signals within your body.
Scientists still don't fully understand how CBD works, or why it works for some people and not for others. There is still a lot to learn about CBD(and the entire cannabis family!) We believe that CBD can help those who are living with chronic ailments, and invite our customers to do research of their own to fully understand this family of natural medicine!
Stay tuned for our next post!
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