It’s time to manage Seizures with CBD oil.
You’ve probably heard a lot about how marijuana can help with epilepsy. This is because more and more recent studies on medical marijuana have been proven it’s effective in eradicating the degree and number of seizures in those with epilepsy. So how does medical marijuana even do this?
Exploring Marijuana
There are a lot of different chemical compounds that give medical marijuana it’s therapeutic effects, even the oils that make up its infamous smell provide their own therapeutic properties. But the main chemical compounds that provide the majority of marijuana effects are called cannabinoids – pretty easy to see how they got the name isn't?
Cannabinoids found in cannabis work with receptors found both in the brain, as well as in the rest of the body. When these receptors are activated, they provide both psychological and psychological therapeutic effects. The brain itself will produce its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, that will activate these receptors naturally.
There are two main cannabinoids found in cannabis: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). We’re not 100% sure, but it appears that the way these cannabinoids naturally work in our bodies provides medical benefits that are currently unavailable on the market. One of the ways we can see this is by looking at how cannabinoids have been used to treat forms of epilepsy that are normally drug-resistant, such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome in both adults and children.
This is great for those that have never been able to manage their epilepsy before, but most don’t want to be high all day just so they can function. Well, that’s where CBD oil comes in, which is like medical marijuana, but with one big difference. It leaves out the cannabinoid THC, which is the only cannabinoid that gives marijuana its psychotropic effects, or in other words gets you super high.
Can Cannabidiol (CBD) Treat Seizures?
Both THC and CBD appear rather effective for improving the symptoms of epilepsy, and while THC has long gotten the focus, researchers are turning their attention to CBD since it doesn’t cause a high at all.
To better understand how CBD works, let’s go back to that internal system in our bodies that are made up of cannabinoids and receptors for them. This system is called the endocannabinoid system, or ECS for short.
This is a pretty neat but odd system that we first discovered in the early 1990’s. This system developed in mammals millions of years ago, and appears to have a serious and crucial role in maintaining and balancing normally occurring internal functions that happen 24/7.
Without writing a novel, it’s important to know that the ECS is playing a role in most internal systems found throughout the body. From maintaining the immune system to insulin production to even anxiety and our fight-flight response, the ECS seems to have a hand in it all.
What’s even weirder is CBD doesn't even attach to cannabinoid receptors in our body, instead, it protects an endocannabinoid from being prematurely broken down by an enzyme that prevents this endocannabinoid from keeping the ECS activated and running smoothly.
The Role the Endocannabinoid System Plays in Epilepsy
When the endocannabinoid system functions poorly it may cause chronic seizures. When the function of the endocannabinoid system is stifled seizure duration can significantly increase.
The moment endocannabinoids levels amplifies however, the endocannabinoid system starts functioning better, thus maintaining proper balance in the body. CBD helps in managing the flow of ions, such as calcium and potassium that increase the excitability in the brain. As well, CBD suppresses glutamate activities as well – this will lower inflammation and is one of the reasons CBD is taken as an anti-inflammatory.
Side Effects of CBD Oil
CBD hardly generates any side effects, and in the rare case that they do occur they are quite mild, such as dry mouth. Only at high doses do noticeable side effect occur, such as drowsiness and lightheadedness - when CBD first enters the bloodstream it causes a slight dip in blood pressure that lasts for a few minutes.
Finding CBD oil
Today, a number of companies are taking an interest in manufacturing and retailing their CBD products but are purposely misleading their customers and creating CBD oil that may have THC in it or worse has no CBD at all.
When looking for a great company Vita Leaf Naturals is a great place to look. Their CBD oil is derived from organic hemp and has the lab tested for purity and potency right on the label which is incredibly nice.
For more information on CBD Oil for seizure, click here!