The most important scientific research in the field of CBD
Why conduct studies on CBD?
CBD's rise to popularity has been very rapid. Like any trend, it's important to study it to understand its long-term effects, especially when it comes to a product that has become freely available and is associated with substances known for their harmful effects. Alongside THC and cigarettes , CBD is therefore the subject of more and more studies to learn more about its use, to prove its benefits, and to assess the risks involved.
The goal of these studies is not to destroy its reputation, but to learn more about CBD . If the studies prove positive, it will be easier to democratize it and make it accessible to more people. For the moment, the majority of studies are interested in the feelings of users and the consequences on their health .
CBD to combat anxiety and improve mood
Many CBD users have begun to look into it as a way to relieve stress, reduce mood swings, calm anxiety, and even overcome panic attacks. All of these imbalances are caused by a neuropsychiatric disorder. Therefore, the Technion University in Haifa began investigating the effects of CBD on the brain in 2018. The goal is to understand how CBD can treat cognitive deficits related to mood, depression, anxiety, and stress . After extensive research, they established that CBD has real benefits for people with these issues.
To go further, researchers at Washington State University in Pullman published an article indicating these same benefits. Thus, they support the fact that CBD helps reduce depression, anxiety, and stress after analyzing nearly 12,000 people suffering from these disorders who had used CBD. This analysis comes from an application listing the use of medical CBD and the evolution of symptoms for each of these people. The purpose of this study demonstrated that in total 50% of medical cannabis users noticed a reduction in their depression, 58% in their anxiety and stress. This result only emerges from the data of this application, but it already proves that at least one in two people tested noticed positive effects on their psychological state after using CBD.
Overcoming Addiction with CBD
Addiction has long been studied by researchers and scientists. Each year, new solutions are proposed to help those suffering from it try to quit. With the arrival of CBD, new studies have also emerged. It is not considered a drug since it does not have psychotropic effects. Conversely, nicotine and alcohol are the two most easily accessible addictions today, and many people are trying to overcome them.
At the University of London, and more specifically at the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, researchers conducted a study on the fight against nicotine addiction and the effect of CBD on it. They succeeded in demonstrating that the use of CBD helped people addicted to nicotine to quit . To do this, they studied 24 smokers and compared the effects of CBD to the placebo effect on nicotine consumption. Thus, 12 people consumed CBD and 12 others used a placebo. After one week, those using CBD told researchers that they had reduced their consumption by 40% without complaining of the side effects caused by this reduction. Conversely, no difference was observed for those who used a placebo compared to people trying to quit smoking in the traditional way.
When it comes to alcohol addiction, a study by the University of Lyon Addiction Department found that CBD can reduce the urge to consume alcohol . According to the researchers, CBD curbs temptation while protecting the liver and brain from damage caused by alcohol . As a result, the risk of developing an alcohol-related illness could be reduced. However, this study was only conducted on animals and therefore cannot yet be proven in humans.
CBD for Pain: Effective or Placebo Effect?
One of the benefits of CBD is its effect on pain. To find out if it's real or just a placebo, a study from Syracuse University in the United States attempted to prove it in 2021. The objective of the experiment was to verify whether CBD can truly reduce pain or not. To do this, they conducted an experiment with thermal pain induced by controlled equipment. The goal was to see how the nervous system responds to this pain, and then how it evolves after administering CBD or a placebo. They then studied the candidates' responses. To go even further, the researchers sometimes revealed to the candidates that they had received CBD when in reality it was a placebo, and vice versa.
As results, improvements in pain were observed in both those who received CBD and those who received a placebo. This can be explained by the fact that humans do not experience pain in the same way if they expect it or not. Therefore, by receiving a placebo without knowing it, the candidates in question expected to be in pain and therefore prepared themselves psychologically for it. It is therefore difficult with this study to determine if the people who received CBD also had the same way of thinking or if it was actually the CBD that reduced the sensation of pain. The researchers do admit, however, that CBD makes pain more bearable .
Thus, there are now more and more studies on CBD, its benefits, and its uses. None prove its 100% effectiveness, but users report experiencing numerous benefits. However, extensive research has confirmed that CBD has powerful therapeutic properties for the body.
