CBD Benefits: Fact or Fiction

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients in Cannabis sativa L, also referred to as marijuana. CBD is different from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the other active ingredient in cannabis, because CBD does not cause intoxication and has several health benefits

CBD became legal in 2014 in the U.S., when Congress passed a law allowing farmers to grow hemp, or cannabis with low THC.  Since 2014, consumers have been enjoying the benefits of CBD, however, the scientific evidence on the health benefits of CBD is limited because before 2014, CBD was illegal and almost impossible to conduct research. Now that CBD is legal, a rapidly growing body of scientific evidence is being developed. Unfortunately, the early excitement surrounding this new ingredient led to marketing hype that exceeds the available scientific evidence.

So, what do we actually know about CBD? We know that consumers love it, and that observational studies show that CBD users report using it for stress and anxiety, to manage aches and pains, and to support sleep.  

Benefits of CBD: Fact or Fiction

Can I use CBD For Stress?  

Researchers have looked at using CBD for the stress of public speaking, as well as protecting from anxiety from excess THC. In one study of humans taking CBD the scientists saw the anxiety reducing effects occur in the limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain that are associated the experiencing of emotions.

Can I use CBD for Sleep?  

You may have heard of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, or Kelly Ripa touting the benefits of CBD oil for sleep.

But the truth is, while there is some evidence that CBD may support healthy sleep patterns, the evidence on CBD alone is mixed.  

Some studies that show CBD is helpful for sleep, and others that have shown no effect. When we did a randomized control trial with our CBD-rich full spectrum hemp extracts in the real world, self-reported measures of improved sleep quality and quantity was one of the main findings.

While the evidence for CBD alone on sleep is limited, when CBD is accompanied by other sleep supporting ingredients like melatonin, lemon balm, or magnolia bark, is a prudent choice for sleep support. This combination of ingredients is why our CBD Sleep gummies are a great place to start supporting your sleep.

Can I use CBD for occasional Pain & Inflammation? 

In a published survey, patients reported that CBD helped their pain. Athletes are using CBD for pain, and even the NFL is spending a million dollars to study the effects 

There are several scientific reviews that provide the scientific explanation for CBD’s effectiveness on pain and inflammation. And in surveys of patients in the real world, they found CBD to be helpful for their occasional pain and inflammation. While the evidence is promising and emerging quickly, there is still a lot to learn on how CBD helps people with pain and inflammation.

While the hard scientific evidence is still emerging, our customers are using CBD-rich full spectrum hemp extract for occasional inflammation. Our customers prefer to use CBD topically, and internally for best results. We recommend a CBD balm to work on the problem from the outside, and CBD capsules to help soothe and relieve from the inside.  

Can I use CBD to improve the tone of my Endocannabinoid System?

Your endocannabinoid system is a signaling system that your brain and body use to maintain balance and homeostasis. CBD helps to balance the endocannabinoid system and to bring balance and health across the body. It improves your endocannabinoid tone, and this is part of the way CBD helps with other health challenges.

CBD and all the other ingredients in a full spectrum extract act as a gentle tuning tonic that helps to keep the body well-oiled, to protect the brain and calm the mind. Supplementing your body’s own actions with CBD seems to help enhance your natural tendency towards health.

To help find the best CBD product to help your endocannabinoid tone, take our online quiz.

See How CBD Oil Benefits You

As you can from the above, with everyone so different, the best way to see how CBD works for you is to give it a try. The problem is that many secret buyer programs and quality reports, such as this recent one from LeafReport, have found major quality problems in the CBD industry.

The majority of products tested do not fall within acceptable measures for variance, usually measuring too low. Less than half of the brands test for quality – and of those that do, less than 15% of brands take the next step of purity testing for heavy metals, pesticides, fungus and other contaminants. This is standard practice everywhere else in the nutritional supplements world – but CBD consumers need to be cautious because of how new this industry is.

CV Sciences – one of the very first CBD companies in the United States – has always led with quality. The first to have stringent testing requirements in place, the first to implement a batch system for quality control, and the first to achieve compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (a thorough set of tests for paperwork and processes to ensure quality). 

 There’s a reason that we won Nutritional Outlook’s 2020 Best of the Industry Award. We’ve been focused on quality products for our consumers since the beginning, and we’re always seeking to raise the bar.

Try a CBD-rich hemp product to start seeing the potential benefits for yourself.