This may be a simple question but the answer is not so straightforward. The internet is full of various reviews, news and opinions all providing conflicting information on CBD which leaves potential users even more confused. So why is it so hard to answer the question of does CBD really work?
Well here’s the thing. Firstly all medicines in the UK need to undergo a thorough testing process which involves three main stages:
1/ The drugs are tested using computer models and skin cells grown using human stem cells in the laboratory. This allows the efficacy and possible side effects to be tested. Many substances fail this first test of a preclinical drug trial because they damage cells or do not seem to work.
2/ Drugs that pass the first stage are tested on animals in the second part of a preclinical drug trial. In the UK, new medicines have to undergo these tests. But it is illegal to test cosmetics and tobacco products on animals. A typical test involves giving a known amount of the substance to the animals, then monitoring them carefully for any side-effects.
3/ Drugs that have passed animal tests are used in human clinical trials. They are tested on healthy volunteers to check that they are safe. The substances are then tested on people with the illness to ensure that they are safe and that they work. Low doses of the drug are used initially, and if this is safe the dosage increases until the optimum dosage is identified.
It is only after these tests are successful that a medicine can be prescribed for any given condition. An example being a new pain killer has passed all the testing stages and can now be labelled/prescribed as ‘take two of these twice a day for pain/headache etc’
As CBD has not undergone any of these tests (for reasons the government still won’t fully disclose) it cannot be prescribed to treat any particular condition so is sold as a dietary food supplement instead.
So Why the Conflicting Opinions
So moving onto the second point. Because CBD works with our own individual endocannabinoid system it will benefit everyone in an individual way too. The human body is a complicated affair and as much as we know about its inner workings there is still an infinite amount we don’t know. Nature really is that amazing.
For some users CBD will help with sleep while for others it works with their anxiety or depression. For some it will help with pain relief and for others it can be beneficial in treating various skin disorders. Until you actually try it yourself you just won’t know.
PROS – You may receive some real health benefits and there are no real side effects of using CBD either so you have nothing to lose in this regards
CONS – You may actually receive no benefit whatsoever when using CBD
Yes, it is a fact that some people will receive no benefit at all when using a CBD product. However that doesn’t rule out that consistent use may not benefit the user some years down the line. Just as a healthy lifestyle tends to pay dividends later in life we firmly believe CBD does the same. It’s an investment in your health.
There is also the placebo effect that is mentioned i.e. you begin to feel better because your mind makes you think that way. Again, this is possible as this has even been shown to work with patients taking prescribed drugs and ‘blank’ pills. Even patients taking the pills that contained nothing began to feel better as they convinced themselves the pills were working.
Until some real medical research provides concrete evidence of CBD and the placebo effect it will remain just another opinion. That said, if taking a product convinces your mind to heal your body then surely it is worth taking right? Until you learn to control your mind enough to achieve a placebo effect without taking a medicine or product that is.
So the Bottom Line is?
There are really only two outcomes to using CBD. You either receive some benefit from it or you don’t.
If you do find it beneficial then the good news is that the CBD is beginning to help your endocannabinoid system to work more efficiently and in a natural way. Your system is beginning to learn how to defend and treat itself without the aid of any artificial medicines.
Also, unlike harsh prescription drugs, there are no nasty side effects and no addictions formed either.
Our final advice would be if you have tried all other avenues and are still suffering then take a closer look at using a CBD product. Check with your GP first though but not to ask their permission, but rather ask them if there are any reasons why you shouldn’t start using CBD in your daily regime.
If they can’t give you any specific reasons (based on your medical history) then you have your answer.
