CBD AS A TREATMENT FOR AUTISM

Image by Bikki from Pixabay

A recent webinar presented at the University of California at San Diego on CBD use for autism, three presenters spoke of the use of CBD for autism. Dr. Keith Vox, a pediatrician working with autistic patients for the last two decades, offered a history of cannabis use as a medicine in the United States. He offered accounts of major successes in treating epilepsy with CBD. In addition, he suggested that CBD has been used to treat autism with some success.

A STUDY IN ISRAEL HAD MIXED RESULTS

The study that was sponsored by the University of California at San Diego, was fueled by a recent study in Israel where some children with autism saw significant improvement after using CBD, and some children did not see a major improvement.

A NEW STUDY AT UCSD

Dr. Alysson Muotri, Ph.D., Director of the Stem Cell Program Department of Pediatrics & Cellular Molecular Medicine at UCSD School of Medicine detailed the multi-discipline study of 30 children with autism to determine the mechanisms of CBD treatments for autism. He went on to detail the tests that would be performed on the subjects as the study progresses.

STUDY ON INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS’ BRAINS

Gabriel A. Silva, Professor of Bio Engineering and Neurosciences and Founding Director, Center for Engineered Natural Intelligence, spoke about how signals move through a network and the speed at which it moves. The study will examine the measured signaling in the patients’ network of neurons, the signaling breakdown in autism, and the effects of CBD in autism on the signaling network.

This study will give the science community a great deal of information on how CBD helps patients with autism and will help physicians to know what is happening in the patients’ brains when CBD is administered and how to determine the efficacy of CBD treatment.   

CBD – AN ANSWER TO OPIOID ADDICTION?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

A report found on the web page of Northwestern Medicine addressed a recent study that has promising information about CBD helping those who are addicted to opioids. The article quotes Dr. Melinda R. Ring, executive director of Northwestern Medicine Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, speaking about how CBD may help manage triggers for cravings and anxiety in people who use heroin due to its inhibitory effect. She said, “From a research perspective, there’s interesting data that needs to be confirmed.”

THE STUDY’S FINDINGS

In a short-term study, 42 patients taking CBD reported reduced cravings for up to one week after their dose of CBD. Dr. Ring suggests the findings are significant, suggesting that CBD could be a powerful tool in helping individuals seeking help for addiction

The study concluded, “CBD’s potential to reduce cue-induced craving and anxiety provides a strong basis for further investigation of this phytocannabinoid as a treatment option for opioid use disorder.”

A DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY

This study’s results were, “Acute CBD administration, in contrast to placebo, significantly reduced both craving and anxiety induced by the presentation of salient drug cues compared with neutral cues. CBD also showed significant protracted effects on these measures 7 days after the final short-term (3-day) CBD exposure. In addition, CBD reduced the drug cue–induced physiological measures of heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. There were no significant effects on cognition, and there were no serious adverse effects.”

CONCLUSION

CBD, after more research, will be one of the major treatments for those with opioid addiction. This is due to the success of helping people addicted to opioids stop the craving and the fact that there is little or no side effects from the CBD.

IS CBD FOR YOU?

When anything new is introduced, we can often be overwhelmed by all the hype intrinsically found in advertising and marketing. All too often, we are bombarded by false and overblown claims about a product’s capabilities which leave us unbelieving and cynical about the product and its benefits. Unscrupulous businesses can try to misrepresent and exaggerate leaving the general populace confused. I hope this blog can help dispel some of the hype and confusion.

WHERE IS THE RESEARCH?

When claims are made, I always want to see the actual research backing the claim. If the research is not available, I then become somewhat skeptical and start to take whatever is said with a grain of salt. Seeing the research, or references to research indicates to me that the claims made are at least based on scientific principles. In addition, I will search out the research on my own before I even think about purchasing a new product, especially one that claims medicinal properties.

WHAT ARE OTHER PEOPLE SAYING?

In addition to scientific research, I like to seek the opinions of those who have used the product, looking for corroborating evidence to the research. In the absence of scientific research, anecdotal evidence can be a compelling argument for or against a product. This should be from trusted sources, if possible.

WHERE DO YOU PURCHASE IT?

Purchasing from trusted sources can help us when trying a new product. Do they stand behind their product? Do they have scientific evidence of its ingredients? Do they specialize in the product or genre of the product, or is the product just a side business?  These are important questions when deciding where to purchase a product, or where to go for information about a product. My advice is to buy from the specialists to insure quality and purity.

TO ANSWER THE INITIAL QUESTION – IS CBD FOR YOU?

If you struggle with pain, insomnia or anxiety, then I would suggest you begin your research and discover for yourself the benefits of CBD. At Eden Organics, we have the research and anecdotal evidence that you can read and make an informed decision if CBD is something you would like to try. In addition to the above-mentioned issues, there are many other ailments and conditions that CBD can help with. It just may be that CBD can be a blessing to you. It is worth the time and effort to find out.    

CBD AND THE NEW YEAR

Image by M Harris from Pixabay

As 2020 begins, many are looking for renewed health and a new freedom from a variety of ailments. There are many different directions the search for relief can take, including CBD. As research continues and more and more benefits from using CBD are introduced, more and more people are finding benefit from its use.

CONFUSION CONTINUES AROUND CBD

Even with the mounting evidence indicating the significant benefits of CBD, there is still a great deal of confusion and controversy surrounding the cannabis derived product. There are still many who believe it is illegal or ineffective. Too often, people have purchased CBD from questionable sources and have actually purchased hemp seed oil which contains no CBD. With the absence of CBD in the product, none of the benefits can be realized.

CERTIFICATES OF ANALYSIS ARE VITAL

As we have mentioned in this blog before, it is always important to see a Certificate of Analysis for any product that claims to contain CBD. The COA (Certificate of Analysis) will detail the exact amount of CBD contained in the product and all the other compounds that make up the product. In addition, the COA will also detail what isn’t in the product, such as heavy metals, pesticides, etc.

BUY FROM TRUSTED SOURCES

It is always a good idea to buy your CBD products from trusted sources. Sources that have COA’s, that have a local presence, and ones that have your best interests as one of their established goals. You can always trust Eden Organics.

May your new year be filled with health, happiness and prosperity.

POST REGISTER PRINTS ARTICLE ON CBD

Recently, the Idaho Falls Post Register published an article on CBD and the stores that offer CBD products. The article written by Sally Krutzig, appeared in the East Idaho Business Journal. The article was informative and presented CBD as beneficial to those who suffer from pain, insomnia, and anxiety. The article presented facts and refrained from hyperbole and scare tactics that can often accompany articles about CBD and other cannabis related products.

CBD WILL SOMEDAY BE MAINSTREAM.

As consumers have more occasion to read rational and informative articles on CBD, they will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing CBD and whether or not it is the right solution for their particular ailment. Kudos to Ms. Krutzig and the Post Register for their willingness to inform their readers.

CBD HELPS TO RELIEVE MANY AILMENTS

CBD is continuing to amaze those who research and study its many benefits to the human populace. New uses are coming to light at an increasing frequency as the research continues. We are discovering new uses for CBD on a regular basis and will undoubtedly discover more as the research delves into new areas. As outlined in this blog, CBD has been found to aid in cancer treatments, allowing chemotherapy drugs to be directed to the cancer cells rather than throughout the entire body. CBD has shown to have antibiotic properties as well. There are many more areas where CBD can have a beneficial impact.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF CBD USE

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

2018 STUDY

In a study published in 2018 on the PMC US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health web page, the demographics of CBD use was examined. Part of the results of the study concluded: “CBD is well tolerated in humans and maintains a good safety profile. Neither abuse nor dependence has been demonstrated. In preclinical studies, CBD shows potential therapeutic efficacy against a diverse assortment of medical conditions. These include seizure disorders, psychotic symptoms, anxiety, depression, inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, symptoms of multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain, either used alone or when coadministered with THC.”

WHO USES CBD?

The demographics of the study are diverse. Out of the 2409 respondents, the majority were in the US and represented all 50 states, with a majority of the US respondents located in California. In addition, 23 countries were also represented. The sample was balanced on gender with 50.87% male and 47.40% female. The difference was those who didn’t answer that question. Most were either graduates of, or currently enrolled in, college or a postgraduate program (71.22%)

WHY THEY ARE USING CBD

The study reported:

“There were 1483 respondents who reported using CBD to treat at least one medical condition. A minimum of 3963 medical conditions were reported. This represents an average of more than two and a half (mean: 2.67) different medical conditions per respondent.

In order of frequency, the top three medical conditions reported were chronic pain, arthritis/joint pain, and anxiety.” We can ascertain from this report that the majority of people are using CBD to treat existing medical conditions, in fact, more than 60% (61.56%) used CBD for existing conditions versus for general health.

CAN CBD HELP YOU?

Chances are that if you are suffering from chronic pain, anxiety or depression, insomnia, or many of the other medical conditions reported by the study, you may find some relief by using CBD.

CBD a powerful antibiotic

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

CANNABIDIOL (CBD) IS A POWERFUL NEW ANTIBIOTIC

An article published on Neuroscience News. Com reported that CBD is a powerful new antibiotic. I will use much of that article here. The research, led by Dr. Mark Blaskovich at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Center for Superbug Solutions, in collaboration with Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd, found that CBD was remarkably effective at killing a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, including bacteria that have become resistant to other antibiotics.

CBD HAS A SIMILAR POTENCY TO ESTABLISHED ANTIBIOTICS

The new research indicates that CBD is active against infections such as Staphyloccocus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae and that it has a potency similar to that of established antibiotics such as vancomycin or daptomycin.

CBD RETAINS ITS POTENCY, UNLIKE OTHER ANTIBIOTICS

CBD was found to be effective against Gram-positive bacteria, including bacteria that have become resistant to other antibiotics. In addition, CBD did not lose its effectiveness after extended treatment. The article states, the study found that, “…under extended exposure conditions that lead to resistance against vancomycin or daptomycin, Cannabidiol did not lose effectiveness. Cannabidiol was also effective at disrupting biofilms, a physical form of bacteria growth that leads to difficult-to-treat infections.”

CBD IS A PROMISING NEW ANTIBIOTIC

Dr. Mark Blaskovich stated, “Given cannabidiol’s (CBD) anti-inflammatory effects, existing safety data in humans, and potential for varied delivery routes, it is a promising new antibiotic worth further investigation.”

THE RESEARCH PAPER WAS PRESENTED IN JUNE  

The paper on this research was presented in June at the annual conference of the American Society for Microbiology, ASM Microbe 2019, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. This is promising news and as further research in competed, we will be able to conclusively state that CBD will be used as a powerful antibiotic.