CBD oil is rapidly growing in popularity, being taken in a wide range of forms such as gummies, edibles and lotions, and being used for a broad range of reasons.
Anecdotal reports of using CBD oil for inflammation is becoming more and more common globally, but anecdotal reports are not subject to the same scrutiny as clinical research.
We are here to dive into the literature and see what science says about the relationship between CBD and inflammation.
In this guide, we will break down the scientific evidence versus the hype. But first – why is inflammation such a huge deal?
Inflammation is behind a wide range of illnesses, health complaints, and forms of pain.
When we think of conditions caused by or exacerbated by inflammation, it’s easy to think of the obvious such as arthritis or joint pain.
However, chronic inflammation can lead to conditions you might have assumed had no connection with inflammatory changes, including but not limited to:
Of course, many conditions can also cause inflammation, leading to symptoms that are sore or uncomfortable, meaning this immune response is perhaps a lot more common and troublesome than you’d think.
But what is inflammation and why is it even an issue?
Let’s take a look:
Inflammation is a natural response to injury and infection. It’s used as a signal to the immune system in order to repair and protect damaged tissue, in addition to battling infection and foreign bodies; such as viruses or bacteria.
Most of the time our body orders the immune system to produce an inflammatory response for good reason, such as to protect us from allergens or other foreign bodies.
Other times, our body may produce inflammation when there is no need to do so, for example in the absence of any injury or infection that would benefit from it.
This is the main cause behind a group of conditions known as autoimmune diseases.
The most common forms of chronic inflammation include:
Additionally, inflammation is interlinked with other diseases including cancer.
Current evidence suggests that 20% of all cancers are caused by chronic infection or other types of chronic inflammation. It’s also implicated as a complicator of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Even for people without any chronic medical conditions, it’s possible you’re battling inflammation right now.
This is because even the most healthy of bodies are constantly under a barrage of environmental factors that are capable of causing an inflammatory response, such as pollution, allergens, or even stress.
These reactions in the correct situation and at the correct time are beneficial – while they may result in some damage to bodily tissue, this is beneficial for the improvements we experience in healing and combating infections or bacteria.
However, when bodily responses are enacted for the wrong reasons, this tissue damage happens for no reason and the immune system can become harmful.
This can be a real issue if somebody is suffering from a chronic condition that causes constant immune response, that interferes with the immune system’s natural processes, or that encourages a response that isn’t necessarily beneficial.
However if this is continuously happening, it can go beyond what’s necessary and spill into harmful behaviour. Free radicals can begin to attack healthy cells, something which leads to oxidative stress – which is thought to be a potential cause of cancer.
Eating a natural, healthy diet that’s full of antioxidants can help to prevent this, but many people look to supplements to help manage their immune response, which is where CBD could potentially support balance through the endocannabinoid system, also known as the ECS.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the compounds found in cannabis, known as cannabinoids, are powerful anti-inflammatories.
Cannabinoids have been found to improve pain management without the associated side effects usually felt from non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
It is thought that these results are explained by the endocannabinoid system and its interactions with the immune system. The ECS helps to maintain homeostasis and support immune function by interacting with cannabinoids around the body.
Cannabis (including hemp) contains over 100 different cannabinoids, of which THC and CBD are the most well studied.
Cannabinoids interact with the two receptors in the human body CB1 and CB2. Whilst the CB1 receptors in the central nervous system regulate the psychotropic effects of THC and overall perception, the CB2 receptors play a crucial role in inhibiting inflammation, and are found abundantly in immune tissue.
CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, which is gathering momentum in preclinical research analysing its use as an anti-inflammatory.
While there is little in terms of robust randomised control trials the pre-clinical evidence is a driving force behind an increased level of funding into the research of CBD for this purpose.
In addition to the way in which research suggests CBD inhibits prostaglandin production (discussed above), and the way in which it promotes homeostasis via the endocannabinoid system. There are a couple of other research points discussing CBD for inflammation:
This range of interactions gives a broad insight into how cannabinoids are thought to work within the body, although the pre-clinical studies above associated to CBD for joint pain are still relatively elementary.
While more research is needed to fully understand how CBD interacts with inflammation, the evidence so far is very positive and shows a strong connection between CBD use and reduced inflammatory symptoms.
Nonetheless, holistic approaches are often coined as the best in terms of variety and functionality.
The most common of these associated to inflammation are:
The diet is perhaps the most important aspect as if you are constantly eating foods that are known to cause or exacerbate inflammation, you may be undoing some of the benefits you are achieving through other methods.
In the same way, eating a good, clean diet can improve the results you get from your wider holistic approach by keeping your body free of inflammation-causing compounds and keep it full of antioxidants.
The basic rules to follow here are:
Hemp also naturally contains other compounds outside of cannabinoids, including terpenes.
These essential oils are what gives cannabis its strong aroma and flavour, but they are also found in other plants and vegetables such as citrus fruits or mint.
Research suggests that terpenes can partner with cannabinoids and influence the overall effect(s) felt by users of cannabinoids via the entourage effect. For example:
If you’ve decided you want to try CBD oil, your next question is likely which type do I buy?
It’s a good question because there are countless CBD oil products available, and the lack of regulation around CBD products means they are not at all created equal.
The most important thing is to find a brand you can trust to create a high quality product, and to do this, you should look out for:
As long as you be sure to look out for the above you should be able to find a CBD oil right for you.
As a content writer, Paul enjoys learning about and sharing the benefits of wellness. Outside of work, you can find him trying his hand at extreme sports and screaming at Cardiff City FC.
Disclaimer: Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Nature & Bloom and its staff. This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention for any disease. Nature & Bloom products have not been evaluated by the MHRA.