About depression

Depression, also known as depressive disorder, is characterised by significant and persistent depression and is the main type of mood disorder. The depressed mood can range from sullenness to grief, low self-esteem and even pessimism, and in severe cases, psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.

Today, take a look at the relationship between CBD and depression to see if CBD can really help treat depression.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural compound that has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to a large body of research into its potential health benefits, including the treatment of depression. The results of some preliminary studies on CBD and depression look promising.

CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoid compounds that are naturally present in the hannabis plant. Although CBD is similar to THC and is a tautomer, the two compounds have completely different effects in the human body. THC is psychoactive and can give the body a high and can cause hallucinations, which is what people experience when using cannabis, whereas CBD is not psychoactive at all, does not cause euphoria and has no negative effects on the human body.

In this article we will look at the potential of CBD to help relieve the symptoms of depression. CBD may not be suitable for everyone and there are a number of other things that need to be carefully considered before using CBD to treat any illness.

CBD and depression

CBD may be useful in the treatment of depression because of its ability to interact positively with 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in the brain.

Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental health conditions that can have a lasting impact on a person's health, social life, ability to work and overall well-being. Doctors often prescribe medications to help patients treat or manage depression, but many of these medications come with serious side effects that can cause patients to experience symptoms such as mood swings, insomnia and sexual dysfunction.

In initial studies, CBD showed promise for treating depression and anxiety, and for some people, it may have fewer side effects. 2014 findings may help explain why CBD is effective in treating depression. They point out that in most of the studies found, CBD appears to have a positive interaction with the brain's 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors are responsible for a range of functions in the body, including a person's emotional state and sense of well-being. Keeping levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in balance through control is often a key treatment for people with depression.

Research shows

Tests conducted on animal models have provided some evidence for the use of CBD to help treat depression. The authors of the journal Review 2014 state that the results of various studies suggest that CBD is an antidepressant and anxiolytic compound in animal models of depression.

A 2018 review also noted that many studies have shown that CBD has anti-stress and antidepressant effects in animal model experiments, with the compound exhibiting significant anti-stress effects after short-term or long-term use. In some tests, CBD exerted an antidepressant effect. the authors of the 2018 review also found that CBD compounds did not directly activate endogenous cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which may indicate a lower risk of CBD addiction or addiction.

Researchers have even looked at the potential of CBD in helping to reduce drug dependence in patients with opioid use disorder. Based on the results of a 2018 study, researchers noted that CBD holds promise as a fast-acting antidepressant.

Most researchers conducting animal CBD studies have called for more direct studies in humans, however, their preliminary findings are a key step in determining how CBD works in humans.

CBD and Panic and Anxiety Disorders

Taking CBD may be helpful for people who suffer from anxiety or panic disorders. Some studies in humans suggest that CBD may help with other problems associated with depression, such as anxiety disorders or panic disorder. In fact, in 2017, some positive results were published in a report evaluating the potential therapeutic benefits of CBD for panic disorder. According to the authors of the report, panic disorder affects approximately 5% of the world's population and leads to unexpected episodes and relapses of unprovoked phobias.

One study in the review showed that in a human model, the use of a single dose of 300 mg of CBD significantly reduced anxiety levels following a test that simulated public speaking. And another study also found that the use of 600 mg of CBD significantly reduced anxiety levels in people with social anxiety disorder.

Side effects

There are no side effects associated with the use of oral, inhaled or topical CBD.

However, if a person is sensitive to the compounds in CBD, they may experience :

1.Changes in appetite or weight

2.Physical weakness

3.Diarrhoea

CBD can also interact with some drugs and increase liver toxicity. For example, the well-known CBD epilepsy drug Epidiolex has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but there are still warnings about the risk of liver problems in people who use it.

In 2019, researchers tested the Epidiolex drug against mice in a study initiated by the journal Molecules. The researchers found that the mice that took high doses of the drug developed problems with their liver within a day. While the results of the study on rodents may not have direct implications for humans, the results do prove that a natural ingredient does not necessarily mean it is completely safe at high doses.

Anyone considering the use of CBD should consult a doctor to check for interactions between current medications and CBD, which may interact with certain over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and prescription drugs. The warning against taking grapefruit with prescription drugs also applies to CBD, so extra caution is needed.

How to use

A variety of CBD tinctures, capsules and CBD oils are now available to people. Many people choose to take CBD orally, mainly in various tinctures, capsules and oils. CBD is likely to be most effective when a person uses it regularly. The risk of addiction to CBD does not exist, so long-term use is safe for most people. However, the FDA has not yet approved any over-the-counter CBD products.

It is therefore vital that you buy CBD products from a reputable manufacturer. It is also important to check the laboratory results of a third party testing laboratory to clarify the CBD content of any particular product.Hemp-derived CBD products are not legal in the Federal Government sense, but are legal under the laws of some states. Hemp-derived CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC are legal at the Federal Government level, but are still not legal under the laws of some states.Therefore, everyone should check the laws of their state, as well as the laws of their travel destination. It is important to remember that the FDA does not currently approve over-the-counter CBD products, so many of them may be inaccurately labelled.

Conclusion

CBD is a very potent compound with unlimited potential and is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative drug. While there is some promising evidence that CBD may become an antidepressant in the future, this requires more human studies to determine whether it is safe and effective. Anyone interested in using CBD to treat depression or anxiety should talk to their doctor about its use and how to avoid the risks associated with its interaction with other medications.