CBD Effects on the Brain That Are Actually Pretty Cool
Your endocannabinoid system is a vast and important part of your brain and body. Your body constantly uses your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to support a whole host of vital processes.
Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters that bind to receptors in our central nervous system (CNS) and throughout the peripheral nervous system in the human body. The ECS is responsible for various bodily processes such as metabolism, organ function, energy production, and circulation.
Some of them take place broadly across your body, while other processes are specific to your brain.
Let's learn more about what CBD is and how it affects your brain with Peels.
What Is CBD?
CBD is a chemical compound that comes from the hemp plant. The oil that is made from a hemp plant is called a cannabinoid. Hemp plants differ from cannabis plants because they contain less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD does not contain any psychoactive properties like THC does.
THC tends to mimic a cannabinoid that is naturally occurring called anandamide (the bliss molecule). It closely binds to CB1 receptors.
CBD may be effective when interfering with the transmission of signals that tell us we are experiencing discomfort. As for CB1 and CB2 receptors (Cannabinoid Receptors), CBD may help improve their performance. CB1 receptors can be found in the brain and are responsible for thinking, mood, memory function, and other bodily functions.
On the other hand, CB2 receptors can be found in the immune system. They affect any tension or discomfort in the body.
While many people who use CBD report that they experience a greater sense of calm after using their tincture of choice, CBD’s effects on the brain may be substantially more significant than just a pleasant little boost to the mood. It may also help relieve stress when it triggers serotonin receptors in our brain, essentially producing more cortisol.
Medical researchers are constantly working behind the scenes to uncover more uses for CBD. It’s currently being tested for its potential positive impact on the brain for practical and medical applications.
Although research often moves slowly and raises more questions after each study, there’s currently a wealth of research that suggests that CBD may be even more helpful than initially anticipated.
The Effects of CBD Changes Your Brain
A systematic review focusing on 17 studies relating to CBD and the brain uncovered one of CBD’s most profound effects on the brain. These studies suggest that CBD can actually change the way your brain works, producing several health benefits that meaningfully improve cognitive function. CBD is a neuromodulator, and its effects are measurable in people living with certain conditions that impact the way their brain processes signals.
CBD works to help modulate overall cognition, emphasizing verbal memory, auditory processing, visual processing, and emotional processing. It also moderated resting limbic activity in individuals with anxiety.
Although the systematic review emphasizes the importance and necessity of future studies to confirm or duplicate the observed effects, its conclusion acknowledges that CBD correlates with positive functional changes in the brain, stating:
Neuroimaging studies have shown that acute CBD induces important alterations in brain activity and connectivity patterns during rest periods and the performance of cognitive tasks in healthy people with health conditions.
Basically, CBD modulates brain function for everyone. People generally recognized as healthy are just as likely to experience benefits as those living with conditions impacting their mental health.
It’s easy to become very excited over this prospect. Still, it’s important to remember that we’re nowhere near the end of the line in terms of evaluating CBD and other cannabinoids for their potential medical or therapeutic applications. More work needs to be done before the efficacy of CBD for diagnosable conditions can be established.
CBD As a Neuroprotective
CBD (and its associated phytocannabinoids) are known to have neuroprotective effects. One study conducted on animals demonstrated that, in newborn piglets, CBD served as a neuroprotective agent after hypoxia-ischemia occurred.
The findings were so significant that the researchers suggest that these findings are powerful enough to pursue clinical research of CBD in human neonatal intensive care units.
CBD Might Reduce Anxious Feelings
CBD has been shown to modify the brain’s emotional response in people who have experienced anxious feelings. CBD may be a potential treatment for people living with anxious feelings. More research and clinical review are needed to determine how large of a role CBD may play.
Many people receiving treatment for mental health symptoms and similar conditions may benefit from incorporating CBD into their care plan. Only the medical professional overseeing a patient’s care is qualified to assess whether or not CBD can play a valuable role in a treatment plan.
Can CBD Be Used Therapeutically?
CBD is used as a supplement for holistic wellness support. It works with the body’s endocannabinoid system to support its role in normal body and brain function. It’s not a replacement for professional medical or mental health treatment.
If you’re looking to use CBD to treat targeted medical or mental health concerns, speak with your care providers first. You may be able to use CBD in conjunction with traditional therapies and treatments.
If you’re otherwise healthy and looking to experience the broad and general wellness benefits of CBD, you can incorporate it into your wellness ritual. You can use CBD at the same time you use your other supplements.
Generally, healthy individuals can safely use CBD daily. The benefits of CBD are cumulative, becoming most pronounced after 30 days of consistent use.
Is CBD Safe to Use?
CBD is generally regarded as safe for use in most people. Side effects are minimal, and it’s usually tolerated well in large doses. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning that it won’t get you high.
Full-spectrum CBD products do contain a small amount of THC. By law, hemp can contain up to 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. It usually contains less. This small amount of THC makes its way into the finished products. While it isn’t enough to cause psychoactive effects, it may still accumulate in your system.
When THC accumulates in your body fat, it needs to work its way out naturally. Exercise or changing eating habits doesn’t produce enough of a significant effect to cause that THC to dissipate. Any detectable THC in your system will register on a drug test, which can pose significant consequences for many people.
This is something consumers should be aware of before they begin using hemp-derived CBD wellness products. Switching to a hemp-free alternative eliminates the risks of potentially negative consequences that may stem from CBD use.
It also makes many people more comfortable. A lot of people don’t want to use THC, even in small amounts. They can still enjoy the benefits of CBD by switching sources.
Summary: Peels Is All CBD, No THC
Peels CBD doesn’t contain THC because it isn’t made from hemp. We make our CBD from orange peels. Orange peels contain the same terpenes (aromatic compounds) found in hemp. We use a process called cyclic terpene assembly to convert those terpenes into a bioidentical form of CBD. It will work with your body the exact same way that hemp-derived CBD will.
If you are looking to boost your overall mood, appetite support, decreased nausea, and reduced oxidative stress - it may be worth looking into CBD.
Our freshly squeezed CBD doesn’t contain any THC. Our ingredients are simple: Orange peel-derived CBD, medium-chain triglyceride oil derived from coconuts, and natural organic flavor.
All you need is a single dose of CBD. That’s it. It’s CBD that everyone can feel comfortable using.
Sources:
The Impact of Cannabidiol on Human Brain Function: A Systematic Review
Neuroprotective Effects of the Nonpsychoactive Cannabinoid Can
Review of the neurological benefits of phytocannabinoids | National Institutes of Health
FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat