What Is CBD? A Beginner’s Guide

There’s no doubt that CBD is one of the buzziest topics of the moment. Seriously, CBD has had quite the year and has been popping up in everything from your lattes to facial moisturizers to hair gummies! However, CBD does cause a lot of confusion among consumers because there’s so much research and questions surrounding it. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about CBD, which is especially useful for anyone who’s curious and beginners as well.

What Is CBD?

CBD is the abbreviation for cannabidiol. It’s a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant and female hemp plant. These plants have well over one hundred chemicals found in each of them, but CBD can account for a large percentage of their make-up. CBD is not THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), therefore it does not have any psychedelic effects on the body. CBD is known to provide a more relaxing and easygoing experience among users — many labeling it as “therapeutic”.

What Are the Benefits of CBD?

CBD is known to have a wide range of mental and physical benefits. The most promising benefit of CBD is that it helps reduce inflammation. A recent study showed that CBD demonstrated the potential to exert an anti-inflammatory effect without any psychoactive effects. This same study showed that CBD demonstrated the potential to relieve arthritis-related pain in the joints of its subjects. The anti-inflammatory effects of CBD can also target other health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, acne, and even hair loss. CBD can help suppress hair-damaging inflammation and increase scalp circulation, both of which are important for healthy hair growth.

Another topic that has come into question is if CBD can benefit those who suffer from anxiety. A study showed that CBD directly helped those with anxiety-inducing factors relating specifically to public speaking. In 2015, a deeper analysis of CBD studies concluded that the chemical compound did have anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects. CBD oil posed a promising treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others.

Many CBD users claim it helps them sleep, relieves pain, and provides an overall sense of relaxation. This can lower cortisol levels, which is important for hair health since high amounts of cortisol in the body have been linked to hair loss. CBD is also being explored as a treatment for autism, but the stages of research are still very early. The FDA recently approved Epidiolex, a prescription drug containing a derivative of CBD, to treat different types of seizures. Some cancer patients have also used CBD to help fight the disease because scientific research is exploring the possibility that CBD can prevent cancer cell growth.

It’s important to note that CBD should not be considered a cure for any health-related issues. CBD should be viewed as a component to other treatments for serious diseases and should not be used in place of any prescribed medication.