You must’ve heard about CBD by now, maybe not tried it but heard of it. But, if you are someone still wondering if CBD can get you high, we’re here to break it down, explore its benefits and learn about possible side effects as well as who and why should be using it. 

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What is CBD and can it get you high?  

CBD is a cannabidiol and is the second-highest ingredient in cannabis after THC (that one that does get you high). Is CBD legal? Yes,  in 2018 the Farm Bill legalized the cultivation and commercialization of help derived products and its use. CBD can be found in drinks, foods, bath bombs, creams and balms, pet products and even clothes. CBD is found within the hemp plant, but it can also be produced in the lab. It has not showed any signs of dependency in humans as well as any health related problems in regard to using pure CBD. 

An early disclaimer that we would like to make is that due to CBD being so new to the market and in return research about it being also fairly new, there’s still a lot that is unknown. All the benefits that we’ll be talking about are based on research, nonetheless. Another note is that at current moment, any CBD product with more than 0.3% THC would be considered illegal in the states where recreational marijuana has not been legalized yet. 

Now let’s get into why CBD is so awesome!

Top 10 Benefits of CBD

  • Aids in relieving Anxiety and Depression

One of the largest and most well known effects of CBD is the ability to lower levels of anxiety and aid in managing depression. 

There’s been a study done on 57 men done by the Brazilian journal of Psychiatry that created a simulated public speaking test. Subjects were given placebo, 150 mg of CBD, 300 mg or 600 mg before their speech and the ones who got 300 mg reported significantly lower levels of anxiety compared to the 150 or 600 mg groups which on the other hand experienced higher level of anxiety. 

Another study revealed that CBD has similar effect to Imipramine, which is an antidepressant. It’s not been confirmed that CBD produces the same reaction in the body, and it needs more research. It has been found to interact with brain receptors that are involved in regulating the mood. 

  • Treats some Epilepsy Symptoms 

There are some situations where CBD can be used to treat seizures. 

There’s been multiple studies done on 516 people who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, and they received either CBD in the form of medication or placebo. Epidiolex (brand name for the CBD product) has been shown to decrease the amount of seizures, when taken with the other prescribed medications, when placebo didn’t. 

Epidiolex has been approved in 2018 by the FDA. 

  • Helps reduce PTSD Symptoms

In a 2018 study done by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11 people who suffered with PTSD received CBD as well as psychiatric care for 8 weeks. Ten of eleven people noticed a decrease in PTSD symptoms and had a good experience taking CBD. 

While CBD can aid in reduction of anxiety and depression, therapy is still a huge factor in working through PTSD and triggers that it causes. 

From 2012 to 2016 there’s been four trials that also showed CBD aiding in reducing PTSD, but some studies included THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the one that gets you high) in the treatment. While combining CBD with THC created a complementing benefits, high dose CBD with high dose of THC would not change the “high”, but high dose of CBD and low amount of THC would end up enhancing the effects of the CBD. 

  • Relieves Pain Levels

Marijuana has been used for pain treatments as early as 2900 B.C.  Much more recently, it’s been discovered that it’s really the CBD that has those pain-relieving effects.
Human Bodies actually have a system called endocannabinoid system or ECS that is responsible for regulating things like pain, immune system functions, sleep and appetite.

There’s been several studies that found a combination of CBD and THC to be effective in treating multiple sclerosis and arthritis. There’s been a spray created that is a combination of both called Sativex, and it’s been approved in multiple countries for treatment of pain and multiple sclerosis. 

A study with 47 people receive Sativex and placebo for a month, and a group that received the drug reported improvements in pain levels and muscle spasms. There’s also been another study with 58 people, and there’s also been an improvement in pain during movement. 

There’s been a study in 2020 that used topical CBD for a group of people who suffered with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy. One group used the CBD treatment, while another got placebo. In the end of the study, the group using CBD showed a major decrease in intense and sharp pain compared to the group that got placebo. While the effects of CBD oil will not be able to aid in systemic issues, as that can only be done by having it in the bloodstream, it’s still a great tool for pain. Topical CBD is also great for muscle soreness and pain. 

  • May Reduce Acne

Acne is one of the most common conditions that affects over 9% of the population. 

Based on recent studies, CBD oil has been found to be a great aid in treating acne because of the anti-inflammatory nature of it, as well as the ability to lower sebum production. 

There’s been a few studies that confirm these findings, however it’s still early in the research and more studies on humans are needed. 

CBD oil is nonetheless something worth trying to lower the inflammation and control production of sebum. ​​

If you want to learn more about various holistic ways to treat acne, click here to go read the recent post on it.

  • Might protect against neurological disease

CBD has been found to provide benefits for neurological disorders like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. CBD affects the endocannabinoid system and other brain systems. 

Sativex, an oral spray that’s been used for pain treatment, that contains both CBD and THC, has shows the ability to reduce muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis. Another study showed major reduction of spasms for people with epilepsy. 

Several other studies have shows that CBD as a part of the treatment aided in sleep quality for people with Parkinson’s disease. 

Animal studies showed decrease in inflammation, as well as aid in preventing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline that happens with Alzheimer’s disease. 

  • Aids in Sleep 

Other common use for CBD is for improving the quality of sleep. 31% of people taking CBD for anxiety and depression reported an improvement in sleep quality. 

In a case study done with 72 people, 48 reported improved sleep during the first month of using it. 

  • Can help with Heart Health

Research done in the past few years discovered that CBD can provide benefits for heart health and is able to lower high blood pressure.  

High blood pressure can lead to a lot of issues down the road including stroke, heart attacks and metabolic syndrome. Stress and anxiety can also be factors adding to the ride of blood pressure. 

One study showed on a sample of healthy men, taking 600 mg of CBD oil showed the decrease in resting blood pressure when compared to the group that received placebo.

Multiple animal studies also showed that CBD can reduce levels of inflammation and cell death that’s associated with heart disease. Another study discovered the reduction of oxidative stress and heart damage in mice with heart disease. 

  • Can relieve cancer related symptoms

CBD has been found to reduce symptoms of cancer as well as side effects that come with treatment. 

Study been conducted with 117 people who suffered with pain that would not be relived with medication. This study included both CBD and THC.
Subject that received a combination of both experienced higher reduction in pain versus the group that only received THC. 

CBD also been found to relieve side effects like nausea and vomiting being the most common ones from treatment. 

One animal study even showed the ability of CBD to promote cell death of human breast cancer cells. 

More studies are still needed to know exact effects in humans, but the outlook is optimistic. 

  •  Appetite Stimulant

CBD is great in providing higher appetite. This is good for people struggling to gain weight or older population that is losing appetite with age or the medications they are taking. Both CBD and THC stimulate appetite and can be a great tool for people struggling with it. 

While CBD trials are still new, a lot of promising results are coming our way and at this point already there’s plenty of positive that comes from CBD.

Overall, we always recommend to talk to your general practitioner, especially when it comes to pain and medical conditions.

By Co-Author (Primary): Karina Movsesova

Editor: Amanda (Meixner) Rocchio