CBD effect: miracle cure for pain? | BRIGITTE.de

Whether against sleep disorders, pain or anxiety – cannabidiol is considered a new miracle cure. How high is the CBD effect actually?

What is CDB actually?

“The cannabis plant contains two main active compounds,” says Dr. Eva Milz from Berlin. “On the one hand, THC, which is responsible for the intoxication and is classified as a narcotic. On the other hand, CBD, which does not get you high.” The specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy has been dealing with cannabis in medicine for a long time and also prescribes it for her patients. In the body, cannabidiol binds to receptors of the so-called endogenous cannabinoid system. The exact meaning of this part of our nervous system has not yet been finally clarified. It is involved in many self-regulatory processes, such as appetite and temperature, and apparently also in relaxing the muscles and mind.

CBD effect: more physical than mental

Many users refer to a CBD effect as more of a physical than a mental high or, as Francesco Giammarco in The time writes: “the steaming of a large glass of red wine, only without the drunkenness”. Eva Milz reports that about ten percent of her patients who have previously used THC, e.g. B. used against anxiety disorders, switch completely to cannabidiol: “There is calm and equanimity, but unlike THC, which, for example, increases the pulse, it does not stimulate.”

Is the CBD effect really that good or are we dealing with a placebo effect?

Franjo Grotenhermen, one of the most famous hemp doctors in Germany, sees in CBD primarily potential as an antidepressant, rather less as a painkiller. Eva Milz, on the other hand, reports on people who have been relieved of their back problems thanks to the effects of CBD. “It helps especially against inflammation-related pain,” says the doctor. Others have not had a cold since using cannabidiol. The doctor enthuses: “I’ve rarely had such a substance in my psychiatric vendor’s tray.”

Prof. Volker Auwärter from the University Hospital Freiburg is more reserved. For the forensic toxicologist, cannabinoids are a research focus, he knows the study situation. “In general, CBD can have an anti-anxiety effect and also help with insomnia, and there are people who are very convinced that it has the same effect on them,” says Auwärter. He speaks of a mix of pharmacological and placebo effects in CBD products. “The latter is of course reinforced by the hype surrounding CBD,” says the toxicologist. “People get and take it with a very clear expectation, and then maybe they actually fall asleep better. But at the moment we can’t say what the placebo effect is. We need studies that clearly show where the potential lies – and where not.”

Areas of application at a glance

Cannabidiol is said to be able to alleviate the following symptoms:

Researchers warn: CBD is not a panacea

So far, the CBD effect has only been scientifically proven in very few areas. In children who suffer from rare forms of epilepsy and do not respond to other medications, CBD significantly reduces seizure frequency. A corresponding drug has now been approved in the USA. There is also evidence of an antipsychotic effect, which some studies have shown to benefit people with schizophrenia.

However, the study situation for cannabidiol is not yet clear. The two active ingredients in hemp are not only in inverse proportion to each other in terms of quantity – the less THC a plant contains, the higher the CBD content – ​​but also in its effect. “Anyone who smokes a lot of cannabis has an increased likelihood of developing schizophrenia, but strains that also contain CBD are apparently better tolerated,” says Auwärter. Of course, this is also an important finding: CBD makes smoking weed safer.

Take CBD with caution

However, the hype surrounding the effects of CBD is explained more by these studies: CBD reduced the extent of a heart attack by 66 percent, after a stroke it improved blood flow to the brain, and cancer cells were inhibited in their growth. However, these are either studies on rats or on cells in a laboratory. “You shouldn’t confuse this with an effective cancer drug. It would be completely irresponsible to treat a tumor with CBD and to forego other therapies that have been proven to be effective,” says expert Auwärter and warns: “If a substance suddenly helps against everything and it doesn’t If there’s something you can’t use it for, that’s nonsense, of course. There’s no such thing as a panacea.”

In one respect, however, you are on the safe side with CBD: “There is nothing to suggest that you are exposing yourself to any particular danger by taking it,” says Auwärter. Only in higher doses does it affect liver metabolism. “Interactions with drugs such as anticoagulants should be taken into account,” says Eva Milz. The question of the dose remains. According to psychiatrist Milz, it varies how much z. B. People with sleep or anxiety disorders need: “I have patients who take two drops, but also one who needs over 200.”

High amounts used in studies

In studies, the amounts used are usually very high. In people with social anxiety disorder, 600 milligrams made them less excited before a speech. For the same amount of active ingredient, you quickly need several dozen capsules for a low-dose preparation from the drugstore. Which, by the way, is not cheap: a pack of 30 usually costs around 35 euros, ten milliliters of the ten percent oil can sometimes cost 60 euros, depending on the manufacturer. Both experts advise patients who are hoping for a positive CBD effect to discuss with their doctor which preparation makes sense in which dose.

What side effects can cannabidiol have?

The following side effects can occur from the consumption of cannabidiol:

Usually the side effects only last as long as the cannabidiol remains in the body.

Only in the pharmacy you have a guarantee for drug quality – ordering on the Internet can be dangerous. And that brings us to the area where things get really complicated when it comes to CBD: Because the active ingredient is available as a drug in the pharmacy – since October 2016 it requires a prescription – but also as a dietary supplement, mostly as an oil or capsules, for which no health promises can be made for legal reasons. “Analysis shows that there is often much less than stated,” says Volker Auwärter.

Rarer, but also already established: more THC than allowed. Only less than 0.2 percent of the funds from the hemp plant do not fall under the Narcotics Act. The toxicologist warns: “Especially products from the Internet can contain all sorts of things. Only in the pharmacy you have a certain guarantee for drug quality.” In addition, the dietary supplements legally fall into a gray area: The Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices BfArM classifies CBD as a medicinal product, the EU as a so-called “novel food”. This means that products made from hemp should actually go through an approval process.

A drug without the high, smoking weed with full control – that fits too well with our self-optimized life

Nevertheless, nothing seems to stop cannabidiol. The medical field of application will grow, or at least be better defined, as more studies are made. And the lifestyle boom is also likely to continue: In our meritocracy, that sounds too seductive the promise of a CBD effect that will turn off the stress but allow us to keep our heads clear. On top of that, cannabidiol is now available in almost every drugstore – for example, there are CBD products such as CBD oil that can be purchased over the counter. A drug without the high, smoking weed with full control – that fits too well with our self-optimized life.

You can find out more about the effects of hemp oil and the MSM effect here. Here we also explain the effect of peppermint tea and Ayurvedic nutrition.

Would you like to read more about the topic and exchange ideas with other women? Then look in the “health forum” of BRIGITTE community past!

Here it goes to Subscription for BRIGITTE!

sources

GKF Berlin: Cannabis sativa (hemp) as a medicinal plant

Baden-Württemberg State Association for Prevention and Rehabilitation: Cannabis, hemp and THC

Federal Center for Health Education: Cannabis basic information

Some links in this article are commercial Affiliate Links. We mark these with a shopping cart symbol. Further information are available here.

BRIGITTE 15/2019
Bridget

source site-38