Seizure activity is on the rise in the United States. The most common cause of seizures is epilepsy, though seizures can also occur after a stroke or closed head injury. Reducing seizure activity in people with epilepsy is a top priority for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as the healthcare community at large. CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., notes that "Millions of Americans are impacted by epilepsy, and unfortunately, this study shows that cases are on the rise."
As the number of people with epilepsy continues to grow, the focus on finding effective treatment options has increased. In particular, CBD oil has shown promising results as management for seizure activity in adults and children with seizures. CBD oil treatment is non-invasive, may be effective, and convenient for people to use. Below is a look at the top benefits of CBD oil as a treatment for seizures.
How can CBD oil help people with seizures?
CBD offers a host of benefits to adults and children with seizures. Research shows that the benefits of CBD oil extend far beyond the ability to help reduce seizure frequency. CBD oil may also help control health problems such as high blood pressure and insomnia that are linked to increased seizure activity. Below are eight ways that CBD oil can help people with seizure disorders enjoy a better quality of life:
1) CBD Oil may help reduce the frequency of seizures
"This is a highly significant reduction in the number of seizures that the majority of patients experienced, nearly a two-thirds reduction across the entire study population. Some patients experienced an even greater reduction of seizure frequency."sxx
- Martina Bebin, M.D., Department of Neurology Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham studied the impact of CBD oil on 60 adults and 72 children with intractable epilepsy. The study reviewed each patient's seizure frequency at four points in the study, starting at baseline and again during monitored visits at 12, 24, and 48 weeks.
Results of the study showed that seizure frequency decreased from a mean of 144 seizures every two weeks at baseline to 52 seizures at the 12-week mark. This two-thirds reduction did not fluctuate throughout the remainder of the study with some patients exhibiting an even larger decrease in seizure frequency.
2) CBD oil may help people with seizures by improving sleep quality
"CBD has the ability to reduce anxiety, which can be helpful in reducing sleep difficulties and improving sleep quality. CBD may increase overall sleep amounts, and improve insomnia, according to research. CBD has been shown to reduce insomnia in people who suffer from chronic pain. In smaller doses, CBD stimulates alertness and reduces daytime sleepiness, which is important for daytime performance and for the strength and consistency of the sleep-wake cycle."
- Michael J. Breus, PhD, The Sleep Doctor™
Since the 1960s, researchers have posited that sleep deprivation is linked to seizure activity. Studies of people who suffer from seizures show that stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation are often reported as pecipitants to seizure activity. Additionally, studies show that people with epilepsy often suffer from sleep deprivation.
Today's sleep specialists highlight CBD's ability to improve sleep quality by reducing daytime sleepiness and improving insomnia. By helping to regulate sleep cycles, CBD oil is able to help address a key variable associated with seizure activity.
3) Children with autism have shown improvement with CBD oil treatment
"Similar to treating severely epileptic children with CBD oil, children who suffer from severe cases of autism can show great improvement with CBD oil treatment. There have numerous cases where a non-verbal child develops significant verbal skills and exhibit much more social interaction as little as 3 weeks."
- Lianne Fachetti, Researcher and ABA Therapist for Autistic Children
The relationship between epilepsy and autism is pronounced. While epilepsy only affects 1 to 2 percent of the general population, it is present in roughly one-third of children with autism, highlighting the need to address dual-diagnosis issues in children with both conditions. Children with severe cases of autism may be completely devoid of verbal activity. Without intervention, these children will become one of the 25% of autistic people who speak few or no words. CBD oil treatment has provided hope for children with autism by helping non-verbal children develop verbal skills and increase their level of social interaction in less than a month of treatment.
4) CBD oil helps epilepsy patients when multiple medications have failed
"For many who have used CBD oil, the newly available treatment has provided relief when all else failed. About two thirds of epilepsy patients will respond to the first or second medicine they're given for epilepsy. But once an epilepsy patient has taken two different medicines without relief, the odds that a third medication will work are less than 1 percent, doctors say. That leaves other options, such as special diets, surgeries, device implementation—or CBD oil."
- Ryan Holeywell, Texas Medical Center
Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are the most common treatment of choice for adults and children who have epilepsy. However, AEDs do not work for 30% of patients. Researchers at Texas Medical Center note that a patient's ability to respond to medication significantly declines after they have taken two different AEDs without result.
5) CBD oil offers remarkable neuroprotectant capabilities
"As a neuroprotectant, CBD helps reduce damage to the brain and nervous system and encourages the growth and development of new neurons. Oxidative stress caused by ischemia, traumatic blows, or autoimmune and genetic disorders can cause temporary or permanent neural damage, but studies have shown that CBD is able to protect against this damage and improve recovery. These findings suggest that CBD could be therapeutically beneficial for traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, spinal cord diseases, and strokes."
- Echo Connection
CBD oil offers impressive neuroprotectant capabilities that can help protect people with seizure disorders against neural damage. Also, proponents point to CBD's ability to bolster nervous system healty by promoting the growth of new neurons. In addition to helping people with seizures, CBD oil offers therapeutic benefits for patients with spinal cord disorders, stroke, and brain injury.
6) CBD oil is a welcome alternative to surgery for people with seizure activity
When people with epilepsy fail to respond to anti-epileptic drugs, they are left with very few traditional treatment alternatives. Surgery is often discussed as an option for people with severe seizure activity or those who have failed to respond to AEDs. Surgical treatments range from minimally invasive procedures that do not involve opening the skull to a craniotomy, which involves surgical perforation of the skull.
While scientific advances have increased the surgical options available to patients, all types of surgeries are invasive and carry a host of risks and potential complications. Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Medicine Team highlight some of the serious risks associated with craniotomy. They include infection, blood pressure problems, pneumonia, blood clots, bleeding and risks associated with general anesthesia.
As a non-invasive treatment for seizures, CBD oil does not carry any of the serious risks outlined above. Additionally, patients do not have to endure a lengthy hospital stay, prolonged recovery period, or post-surgical downtime. These advantages also result in significant cost savings for CBD oil users.
7) CBD oil reduces blood pressure
"Our data sh cvow that a single dose of CBD reduces resting blood pressure and the blood pressure response to stress, particularly cold stress, and especially in the post-test periods. This may reflect the anxiolytic and analgesic effects of CBD, as well as any potential direct cardiovascular effects."
- Khalid A. Jadoon, Garry D. Tan, and Saoirse E. O'Sullivan, The American Society for Clinical Investigation
For years, researchers have studied the link between hypertension and seizure activity. High blood pressure is an established risk factor for stroke, which is linked to seizure activity. By helping to reduce resting blood pressure, CBD oil can help to reduce the risk of seizure activity. Additionally, CBD oil helps people with seizure disorders improve their overall wellness.
8) CBD oil is easy and convenient for people with seizure activity to use
In contrast to other non-traditional treatments for seizures, CBD oil is easy to use for adults and children. Compared with other treatments such as EEG biofeedback, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or acupuncture, CBD oil treatment is less invasive and does not require the application of needles or specialized equipment. Here is a look at some of the key conveniences of CBD oil treatment for seizures:
- Unlike ketogenic diets, CBD oil treatment does not require any unpleasant food restrictions
- Seizure-prone individuals can take CBD oil supplements from the comfort of their own homes or from the location of their choice
- CBD oil is a cost-effective treatment, especially when compared with surgery or EEG biofeedback
- People can easily and legally order CBD oil online and begin using it in a matter of days
9) Parents of children with epilepsy report marked differences in their children
"A child born with epilepsy, a child that has failed to reach seizure freedom with multiple medications piled onto each other. A child in a wheelchair because she cannot use her muscles. A child who will be going to kindergarten soon, but still in a diaper. A child who cannot read or write or meet milestones like so many of our children.
Then she (the child's mother) began a different story, a child who stopped anti-seizure medications. A child who started getting CBD oil for her seizures. A child who weaned each medication successfully. A child actually seeing seizure freedom. A child who began to speak, walk, and no longer wear a diaper."
- Samantha Klawon, Complex Child
A growing number of parents who have children with epilepsy are turning to CBD oil to help their children. Many of these parents point to the effectiveness of CBD oil as a means of stimulating verbal activity, continence, and motor skills in children whose symptoms were unresponsive to medications.
A bright future for CBD oil
"Cannabis data analytics firm New Frontier Data predicts CBD sales will nearly quadruple over the next four years, from $535 million in 2018 to over $1.9 billion by 2022. CBS News medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula reports it is used for a variety of conditions including anxiety, insomnia, depression and seizures."
- CBS News
As CBD oil continues to increase in popularity, product sales are expected to increase fourfold between 2018 and 2022. In addition to its ability to treat seizures, CBD oil is growing in popularity as a treatment for sleep disorders, anxiety, obesity, weight management, and other prominent healthcare problems. Adding to CBD oil's popularity is the ease with which consumers can order products online from the convenience of their homes or offices.
Selecting a trusted CBD Oil Provider
As CBD oil continues to gain recognition as a treatment for seizures, the number of CBD oil providers across the globe will continue to increase. However, not all CBD Oil providers are created equal. Selecting a trusted CBD oil provider is critical to ensuring that you receive a high quality product from industry experts.
Unlike many online providers, VitaLeaf has over a decade of experience in the CBD oil industry. VitaLeaf offers product formulations that are based on 100% organic hemp and they use the highest quality ingredients in an effort to optimize wellness for their customers. Here are just a few of the reasons why VitaLeaf is the most trusted name in the CBD oil arena:
- CBD oil and all other products are laboratory tested by a third party to ensure high quality and customer satisfaction.
- VitaLeaf offers a 30-day money back guarantee that provides a refund to dissatisfied customers who return their product within 30 days.
- CBD oil and other VitaLeaf products are 100% natural, containing no pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
- VitaLeaf products do not contain THC or cause psychoactive side effects.
The Bottom Line
CBD oil is on the rise as a treatment for epilepsy and other seizure disorders in adults and children across the globe. In addition to helping to reduce the number of seizures people experience, CBD oil can treat conditions such as high blood pressure and sleep disorders that are associated with seizure activity. As the future continues to brighten for the CBD oil industry, consumers will have more choices than ever as they attempt to find a trusted CBD oil provider. With over 10 years of industry experience, the VitaLeaf team is second to none in their dedication to customers who recognize the benefits of CBD oil. We invite you to contact us to learn more about our CBD oil and its many benefits. We look forward to serving as your trusted resource for all of your CBD inquiries!