The CBD or cannabidiol industry has significantly grown over the past years. From being a half-a-billion-dollar industry in 2018, the consumer sales of CBD products are expected to reach $1.8 billion by 2022 and $23 billion by 2025. With over 850 CBD brands available in the US market alone, it’s safe to assume that more and more individuals are relying on CBD products than over-the-counter drugs.
Although derived from the same plants as marijuana, people still choose to use the best CBD oil and similar products as it’s safe for human consumption and provides health benefits.
What Are the Benefits of CBD?
CBD and marijuana are both extracted from cannabis or hemp. But unlike marijuana, CBD doesn’t cause any psychoactive effects to the brain and body because of its low THC or tetrahydrocannabinol levels. Marijuana has at least 50% THC, while CBD only has 0.3% or less.
Aside from keeping its users safe from addiction and experiencing a “high,” science has already backed up the health benefits provided by CBD.
With the right dosage, using CBD regularly allows you to experience the benefits listed below:
1. Chronic Pain Relief
Using CBD for pain is one of the reasons why this product has gained popularity across the globe. According to studies, CBD can provide relief from chronic pain because it reacts with the receptors located in your brain and immune system.
These receptors receive signals from different organs and systems in your body and help cells respond to these signals.
Once consumed, CBD can trigger anti-inflammatory effects that help with the brain’s pain management and tolerance to pain.
2. Anxiety and Stress
Your mental health plays a vital role in your overall health and wellness. Poor mental health can adversely affect your behavior, which can become a factor for you to disregard your physical health.
Frequent use of CBD can help manage anxiety and stress. As noted by several studies, CBD works as a natural antidepressant because it boosts the serotonin production of the brain. Serotonins are neurotransmitters that control your mood and happiness. Normal levels of serotonin in the body can ward off anxiety and stress.
3. Other Anti-Inflammatory Effects
All of the compounds in the CBD products create an entourage effect to provide anti-inflammatory effects to the body. According to studies, CBD can engage with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) to naturally reduce inflammation.
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD can help with the following:
- Enhance heart health as CBD can prevent the veins and muscles around your heart to narrow, allowing oxygen and nutrients to flow easily.
- Faster muscle repair and recovery because CBD can boost the body’s protein synthesis.
- Treatment of chronic acne because CBD can regulate the oil production in your glands. Instead of producing too much oil that can trap dirt onto your pores and become acne, CBD can help your body produce the right amount of oil so dirt and other pollutants will only slide off your skin.
How Do CBD Products Affect the Pharmaceutical Industry?
With the number of health benefits it can provide, it’s no wonder why CBD-infused products have been hyped for years. CBD also comes in several forms, making it easy for anyone to incorporate the product to their lifestyle and diet. You can now buy several CBD-infused products such as gummies, topical creams, and even chocolates.
The efficacy and diversity of CBD products are breakthroughs in the healthcare industry, but how do these affect the pharmaceuticals? What will happen to the pharmaceutical companies now that the CBD industry is growing tremendously?
Instead of looking at the presence of CBD products as a threat to pharmaceuticals, the two can actually collaborate to boost the efficiency and safety of the healthcare industry. CBD can provide benefits that pharmaceuticals lack and vice versa.
The Dangers of Opioids
As an example, pharmaceutical companies produced several opioids in the past. These substances react with the opioid receptors in the body to treat pain. However, the long-term use of opioids can result in side effects such as constipation, drowsiness, sleepiness, and dizziness. Using opioids regularly can also lessen its effectivity in the body, which means that the longer you use these substances, the higher the dose you’ll have to take in order to experience the same results.
Experiencing any of these side effects can adversely affect a person’s productivity. In fact, according to statistics, over 130 people die every day because of an opioid overdose. This happens because although opioids can provide relief from chronic pain, long-term use can lead to dependency and addiction.
Opioids are actually highly addictive substances because they trigger the brain to release excessive amounts of endorphins. This amount can impair a person’s perception of pain, improve feelings of pleasure, and create a temporary sense of being superior or powerful from others. All of these sensations can make a person feel good and influence them to consume opioids in higher doses.
How CBD Helps with the Opioids Crisis
The use of CBD products can rectify the problem of the opioid crisis. CBD is a safer alternative compared to opioids because aside from treating the cause of pain, long-term use of CBD doesn’t create any side effects. CBD can produce these effects because it reacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system.
This system can tolerate high levels and continuous use of cannabinoids. The ECS actually needs cannabinoids to function properly. Frequent use of CBD will not lead to dependency or addiction, or harm other organs in your body. Your body is built to receive and circulate a specific amount of cannabinoids, making CBD a better choice for pain relief.
Consult the Pros
CBD products and prescription drugs have their own set of pros of cons; neither one is a magic potion that can cure or treat all of your health conditions. But regardless of the product that you’re planning to use to improve your health, it’s best if you consult a medical professional first. They can help you decide whether CBD products or pharmaceutical drugs are a better option for you.
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