Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid derived mainly from the hemp plant. It is used as an active ingredient in many health and wellness products due to its potential therapeutic effects like relieving pain, reducing inflammation, managing anxiety, reducing stress, etc. Because of this, scientists believe that it could be used for improving mental health and functional brain health. Read on to know how cannabidiol can be useful for improving brain health, and shared below are details about this.
CBD And The Endocannabinoid System
CBD uses are due to its positive effect on the ECS. Two of its main receptors are CB1 and CB2. Cannabidiol produces its effects by interacting with these receptors, especially the second one.
The Effects Of CBD On The Brain
Due to CBD’s influence on the ECS, it also affects neurological functions, and this is discussed in detail below.
Reduction In Blood Flow: Studies have been conducted for understanding the effects of CBD on people with social anxiety disorder. The participants reported that they felt better, and they could manage themselves in social situations. Furthermore, their brain scans revealed that cannabidiol (CBD)produced a noticeable reduction in blood flow in brain areas commonly associated with anxiety.
Promotes The Health Of Neurons: As people age, they experience age-related cognitive decline. However, you can prevent this and slow down the decline to a certain extent by practicing cognitive exercise and taking CBD as a health supplement. It is believed that cannabidiol increases neuroplasticity and neurogenesis.
Potential Use For Treating Alzheimer’s: Researchers are looking at the potential use of CBD for treating the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This is because scientists theorize that cannabidiol has excellent antioxidant properties, and this may be useful for protecting neurons from damages due to oxidative stress. Not only that, but this may also be useful in the treatment of atherosclerosis and Parkinson’s disease because they are caused due to neurodegeneration, which can be controlled using CBD.
Studies show that CB2 receptors play a key role in our body coping with the damage due to oxidative stress. Cannabidiol (CBD) interacts mainly with these receptors of the ECS for producing its therapeutic effects.
We hope that this article clarified your doubts about using CBD for improving brain health and mental health. It will be a good idea to discuss with your doctor before using CBD for improving your mental and physical health.