A couple of years ago, a remarkable thing happened when CBD become legal in United Kingdom. Short for cannabidiol, it is derived directly from the hemp, which is closely related to marijuana plant and both of which are found in cannabis. This particular substance is made by extraction of oil from the cannabis plant, and then that formula is diluted with regular oil and mixed properly. It is important to note that this is very different from actually using both hemp and cannabis because it is not used for the same purpose, as the drug itself is. The oil extract is missing, its basic component – THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol and is a psychoactive ingredient that causes one to get ‘high’.
Scientists have been working on it since the 1970s and it has proven to have some health benefits along with some side effects.
What Are The Side Effects of CBD?
The issue commonly faced is that with every health problem, someone or the other will propose that CBD can help cure it, without actually looking at the harm it can cause. There is also no denying of the knowledge that, until proven otherwise – the side effects are relatively mild as compared to other counter, OTC or prescriptive drugs. It is important to note that when buying it, you ask the provider or the manufacturer if the oil is extracted from organic hemp or not. This is less likely to contain contaminants, eliminating chances of harm.
Anxiety; addiction:
CBD is commonly used to address or reduce the levels of anxiety. It changes the way a person’s brain’s receptors respond to serotonin, a chemical linked to mental health, and tells the body to calm down. Also, it has been used to safely treat insomnia. The issue here is that this can be highly addictive; some people argue that this is not the case but recent studies and ongoing clinical trials have indicated that this could be. A person with mild insomnia or anxiety issues is likely to become very dependent on it, cause improper brain function and higher chances of uneasiness. People have also known to use it as a substitute for nicotine intake.
Non-authentic Substance:
Another problem that arises, as the product reaches popularity is that people, without doing proper research confuse it for a cannabis or hemp instrument, not knowing about the absence of THC; and use it in foods (brownies), and as a substitute for trying out new ways of intake of marijuana, to put it simply.
Vendor’s credibility:
It is also very important to check your vendor’s credibility because in some cases, people may misuse it intentionally, as mentioned above; but in other cases, without actually being aware, they may be taking in THC, which is not intended.
Dry Mouth:
People who actively use marijuana, know that they will have a dry mouth for some time. This also follows with excessive use of CBD. According to some scientists, it is because the product is still extracted from the very plant and the pathogens which gives a dry mouth.
Unstable Blood Pressure:
This also causes a significant drop in blood pressure, which people with heart diseases and of old age, cannot afford. This is usually in case of people whose antibodies receptors are acting as hostile to the substance, causing them to feel lightheadedness. In this case, it is advised to consult a doctor before further administration.
Dizziness And Fatigue:
Indeed, everyone reacts differently to CBD. Some people are perfectly normal using it for the first time and then there are others who, with an intake of even lighter doses feel dizzy. If consumed in proportionate amounts, it can help improve the focus, uplift the mood but if reversed, it can cause fatigue and extreme tiredness.
Gastrointestinal Issues:
One major reported issue with the usage of CBD is its difficulties in causing gastrointestinal health problems, mainly diarrhea. CBD is highly contaminated with a carrier oil, mostly in form of MCT oil, (it can cause a disturbance in both the intestines and the lining of the stomach – causing diarrhea, only when consumed in high amounts). Thus, people who are regular users of CBD, are advised to switch their carrier oil to a different one, emu or olive oil; for better digestion and unneeded issues.
Exposure To Other Medications:
One other health issue that it causes is the disturbance with other medications, prescribed to a person. For any person, taking in any other medication regularly is advised to consult their doctor before taking in CBD because in the anatomy; the liver in excessive amounts contain Cytochrome P-450, which undertakes the task of metabolizing other drugs. CBD interferes with this process because of its ability to process drugs in a body, resulting in higher levels of unwanted substances in a body at any given time.
Causing overdose of other prescriptive medicines:
This leads to another serious problem. Scientists have discovered that it is nearly impossible to overdose on CBD, but when it mixes itself with other medication/drugs as described above, it can cause an overdose of those said drugs in a body, which can be fatal in some cases. Because of unwarranted information in this department in regular people, they can’t diagnose when such an incident might take place in their bodies, and by the time they consult a doctor, it might even be too late.
Conclusion
Even with all its side effects, it can be easily concluded that the drug has more health benefits than side effects. Even in the initial stages, there have not been many reports of when things have gone wrong with the dosage and all of the above mentioned are a precautionary measure to keep people updated with the research and new findings.
Within the last few years, awareness of CBD is growing fast, with a widespread increase in demand. Fortunately, irrespective of its ingredients, it is legal in most countries and can be bought, if prescribed by the doctor. Though there are already various benefits of it there is much more to be learned about the efficiency and safety. Without proper and thorough clinical trials on the subject, it is still not decided if the product has additional benefits or side effects. However, what can be concluded from recent studies, is that CBD provides a safe, powerful – natural treatment for many serious health-related issues, yet as a precautionary measure, it is still recommended that without any prescription of doctor it shouldn’t be consumed in any form.