What Is CBD and What Are Its Health Benefits?
You may have heard of CBD oil or you may be wondering what is CBD. Little CBD shops are popping up all over the place. It’s being sold in gas stations, liquor stores, shopping malls, and places where vape products are sold. But what is CBD exactly, and why is it becoming so popular?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is a type of cannabinoid that is extracted from cannabis and hemp plants. Cannabis plants are the same plants cultivated for marijuana, but hemp plants that are part of the same species have been used for centuries in textiles and industry. While these plants share similarities, there are differences as well, and many cannabinoids such as CBD may have health benefits.
Recent research suggests that cannabinoids may relieve pain and inflammation, reduce stress and anxiety, and elevate mood. The reason is that they react with our endocannabinoid systems that regulate mood, pain sensation, stress levels, and appetite.
In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Farm Bill, which legalized hemp in the United States. Hemp strains are legal, and hemp extract is legal so long as it contains less than 0.03 percent THC. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is also a cannabinoid, but it is currently illegal in many states because it is the psychoactive compound in marijuana that causes euphoria. There are over 100 cannabinoids, and ones like CBD do not cause euphoria.
In many states, CBD is legal so long as it contains less than 0.03 percent THC. But even lawmakers wonder what is CBD, because, in many states, CBD or hemp extract is still heavily regulated, only available medicinally, or completely illegal. What makes matters worse is the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved one CBD formula and currently considers consumable CBD unsafe. So whether or not CBD is legal depends on the laws in the state where it is grown, extracted, sold, and used.
CBD oil is extracted from hemp plants to be utilized in a variety of products, from vapes to tinctures to pills and creams. There are lots of products that now contain CBD, so it’s difficult to answer the question What is CBD oil? without knowing that it exists in all these different products. Of course, CBD oil is also available as an oil in liquid form that can be taken sublingually, vaped, rubbed on as an essential oil, or used in drinks or foods.
There is anecdotal evidence that suggests cannabinoids such as CBD have healing properties, but this evidence is deep and vast due to the different types of CBD, different extraction processes, and the different types of hemp from which CBD is extracted. In other words, not all CBD is created equally, and health benefits can vary from user to user.
So can CBD help you? Again, it depends on a variety of factors. As mentioned above, there is evidence that CBD can help reduce pain and stress. There is evidence that it has helped chemotherapy patients. It’s simply important to do your research before settling on a brand and using CBD for its reported health benefits.
What Is the Difference Between Full-spectrum and Isolated CBD?
Another thing we have to consider when asking What is CBD? has to do with how it is extracted. There is a difference between isolated CBD and full-spectrum CBD. Remember, there are over 100 cannabinoids found in hemp plants. Proponents of full-spectrum CBD argue that all of these cannabinoids along with other substances such as flavonoids found in hemp plants work together in what is often referred to as an entourage effect. In other words, without the full-spectrum of cannabinoids, you won’t get the full health benefits of CBD. Proponents of isolated CBD argue that pure CBD is better for your health due to it being more concentrated.
Chances are, full-spectrum CBD may work better in your situation due to it being purer and closer to the way nature intended. Again, do your research and draw your own conclusions, and be sure to check the laws where you live to make sure CBD is legally available.
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