What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is an essential oil extracted from the marijuana, or cannabis plant. Discovered in 1940, CBD is one of (at least) 113 different cannabinoids (chemical compounds derived from the cannabis plants) found in the cannabis plant. Being one of the more dominant cannabinoids, it accounts for a huge 40% of full plant extracts from the cannabis plant.
How Does CBD Oil Work For People?
Before we answer, you need a short biology lesson.
Inside your body are receptors, or cells able to detect an external stimulus, and transfer a corresponding signal to a sensory nerve, or simply put a “sense cell“. Cannabinoid receptors can detect the presence of cannabinoids in your body. There are two different types of cannabinoid receptors in the human body, CB1 and CB2, or cannabinoid type 1 and 2.
Your Nerves and You
For everyone who didn’t pay attention, or simply forgot what they learned in health class, the nervous system is what sends information to your brain to process.
Your senses, sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste, all get picked up in different ways, switched over to electrical impulses in different nerves, and emailed right to your brain, so it can figure out what is going on and how to respond to things.
There are thousands of “micro-senses” inside your body that pick up the levels of hormones, chemicals, fats, carbs and proteins, as well as bacteria, viruses, and infections (white blood cell count mostly). Think of this like the sensors in your car, telling you your fluid levels and possible problems.
Once the brain receives one of these thousands, or even millions, of signals and decides how to respond, it sends its response to the appropriate part of your body and the response happens.
If you hear a loud noise, you instantly look in that direction, but you may not notice thousands of tiny micro-movements that start you in the opposite direction of the noise at the same time. Your brain is immediately directing you out of possible danger.
All of these nerves and receptors are divided into two main groups, central and peripheral nervous systems.
Your central nervous system is similar to the router in your home, connected to all of the signals in the outside world through your computer. It consists of the brain and spinal cord, sending and receiving all the signals to and from all the parts of your body to and from one central location.Your peripheral nervous system is the rest, all the small, subsidiary sections of the body, that work independently of each other, but all connected to the brain.
Where are the CB1 and CB2 Receptors?
The two types of receptors are found in two very different locations.
CB1 receptors are found almost exclusively in the central nervous system, mostly in specific parts of the brain, but also in the male and female reproductive systems, and in the eyes.
CB2 receptors are located in heavily in the immune system, the most being in the spleen. CB2 receptors appear to be the reason for the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids.
CB1 and CB2 receptors combined make up the ECS system (Endocannabinoid System)
What Benefits Does CBD Oil Have?
Introducing CBD to CB1 and CB2 receptors, through smoking or vaping cannabis, or ingesting another form, sends a signal to the brain, alerting its presence. Once that happens, the brain changes some of its normal functions in response.
One of the most common benefits that people want CBD oil for is pain management. It can provide a significant improvement for those suffering from chronic pain, migraines, or fibromyalgia.
CBD has been successfully used to aid in coping with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. While finding a more permanent solution is recommended, such as traditional therapy, hypnotherapy, or other alternatives that help a person handle external situations better, CBD creates an immediate benefit, making it easier for those that are suffering to maintain a more normal life while seeking treatment.
CBD has been known to be very beneficial to cancer patients, obviously for the aforementioned pain management benefit, but also by reducing nausea and vomiting. Tests done found that CBD combined with THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis) created a much better pain management benefit for cancer patients. Some tests have also shown cell death when CBD was introduced to (breast) cancer cells.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can help reduce the regularity or appearance of acne. It can lower the swelling when it does happen and reduces the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands of the skin. Overproduction of sebum is the leading cause of clogged pores, and creates the discharge behind the pore, forming a pimple.
The most incredible (and only FDA-approved) benefit is the ability to treat epileptic seizures in children and adults. It effectively treats those with the two main forms of epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS).We honestly hope this article has helped you.
For more information on where and how to buy CBD oil, click here.
It was just like I was in high school in a biology class. You sure did a good job explaining this. CBD oil has really taken the world by surprise and the popularity is growing by the day due to its benefits on the human body. I did not really know much about how it works in the body and reading this post has definitely enlightened me.
Glad I could help. That’s why I do what I do
This is a very informative article and also a very well-writen one!
I have no experience with CBD oil, but I’ve heard a little about its great benefits and your post cleared up everything in my head now. I find very interesting the fact that we have CB receptors and also the way they are located.
Great post! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much!
A detailed explanation of how the CBD oil works positively in solving health related problems.. The aspect of depression, chronic pains, migraine wowed me and shows how effective this oil can be. Which can also be used in epileptic seizures in children as well… I give this article kudos for the enlightenment
Thank you very much for that. I appreciate the positive feedback.
I believe CBD oil to be an amazing natural remedy for a wide range of things. I have a friend that has Multiple Sclerosis and she has so many side effects from the illness as well as from the treatments that she has to take. CBD oil has been so beneficial for her not only to help her with the symptoms of her illness but also to help combat the side effects of the medication she has to take.
It is heartbreaking to see her suffering so much, so I am grateful that CBD oil gives her a little bit of respite.
I know it is also amazing for people that have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. I’ve even heard that it is beneficial for dogs too!
I have known two people with MS and I know exactly what you are talking about. It is incredibly unfair when your body starts fighting itself.
My mother also died of bowel cancer, and I wish this was available when she was still around. She tried smoking cannabis, but it caused paranoia for her. I’m sure CBD oil would have been a much better solution.
Yes, it is good for dogs! I will be doing a review for that shortly.
Thanks for your comments and experiences. It is very helpful.
You know,with the way this CBD binds with receptors in the human body,it wouldn’t be long before we find that this wonder oil has more benefits to other health conditions.
Its amazing how nature has already provided all that we need to be able to get all the benefits of the wonder plant. This post was really insightful and should help more people to know about how CBD oil works and that way,people who can benefit from using it can get the information before its too late.
Thank you for bringing this article my way. The functional benefits of CBD oils can never be underestimated. For the first time, I’m getting to learn about the CB1 and the CB2. Also the different sense organs in the bodies that need the impact of the CBD oil like especially the way the CBD oil send signals to the nervous system which cuts across our sense organs.
This article has benefitted me in knowing how the CBD oil can help take down serious pains like the migraine, and other chronic pains. I am sending my fiancee the URL of this article to read through its content because of her migraine issues.
Thanks once again.
Thanks for the share. I will be posting a review on a CBD brand in the near future. Make sure you check in.
As a Nurse Practioner for all of my adult life, I have had the opportunity to prescribe CBD oil for many of my patients. You covered the biological functions within the body as well as any medical student could. I personally feel we have just begun to learn all the benefits of CBD oil.
Thank you for this comment. I truly hope to help as many people as possible.
I have been hearing a lot about CBD oils lately and never truly knew the reason for it. This is a very informative article and I have learned that this might be good to try for my anxiety. I might be able to be social in a room full of people instead of shutting down or just leaving. Thanks for the information.
Have a look at Where and How to Buy CBD Online – The Best CBD Oil, they are a great company with all-organic, zero-THC products. Excellent for someone just looking for the medicinal aspects of cannabis.
They also have an excellent guarantee that backs their product!