Mental health Archives - Ministry of Hemp America's leading advocate for hemp Fri, 19 May 2023 09:13:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://ministryofhemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Icon.png Mental health Archives - Ministry of Hemp 32 32 CBD For Bipolar Disorder: Can Cannabinoids Help Treat Bipolar Affective Disorder? https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-bipolar-disorder/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-bipolar-disorder/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 22:45:33 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=55096 4.4 percent of adults are estimated to experience bipolar affective disorder. We took a look at research suggesting CBD and other cannabinoids could help.

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We wanted to take a closer look at the science behind using CBD for bipolar affective disorder.

The National Mental Health Institute estimates 4.4 percent of adults in the United States will be given a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) in their lifetime. Adults with BPAD experience the highest rate of impairment among psychiatric patients; an estimated 82.9 percent suffer from severe disablement.

Bipolar affective disorder and its variants can be treatment resistant, which may explain the high rate of disability. Anecdotal evidence, supported by preliminary studies, suggest that cannabinoids have the potential to improve the symptoms of BPAD in some individuals by regulating the endocannabinoid system.

WHAT IS BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER?

Bipolar affective disorder is a mental illness that causes significant changes in mood, motivation and energy. A process known as cycling, which involves periods of euphoria (manic episodes) followed by hopelessness (depressive episodes), is a hallmark of the illness.

A man hands holding a white paper sheet with two faced head over a crowded street background.
Some preliminary research supports the use of CBD for bipolar affective disorder treatment.

There are four variants of bipolar affective disorder: bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder and bipolar spectrum disorders. The severity and frequency of symptoms are used to determine which variant is diagnosed. Bipolar I is the most severe form of the disease.

SYMPTOMS OF MANIC EPISODES

Manic episodes, sometimes referred to as mania, are characterized by exaggerated self-esteem, insomnia, racing thoughts and abnormal speech, inability to focus, and impulsive behaviours. True manic episodes only affect those diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. However, patients with other variants of BPAD experience hypomania, a less severe form of mania.Mania, although considered the “high” stage of BPAD, can cause disastrous consequences. Many manic episodes result in hospitalization, psychotic symptoms or grave impairment (e.g., risky behaviour leading to legal trouble). Untreated manic episodes can develop into psychosis.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSIVE EPISODES

Depressive episodes mimic a severe form of depression known as major depressive disorder. Symptoms can include feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities. Additional traits of depressive episodes are changes in sleep patterns and appetite, trouble concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and suicidal thoughts or attempts.

This cycle of bipolar disorder is the “low” point of the disease. Like mania, depressive episodes vary in severity depending on which variant of bipolar disorder is present. In mixed episodes, patients with Bipolar I disorder exhibit signs of both mania and depression.

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

Prescription drugs used in conjunction with psychotherapy can help alleviate symptoms of BPAD in most patients. However, bipolar affective disorder can be treatment-resistant, making it difficult to manage in some people. Treatment-resistant BPAD is cause for concern, as up to 50 percent of individuals diagnosed will attempt suicide at least once in their lives.

Medications prescribed for BPAD include anticonvulsants, antimanic drugs and antidepressants. Use of antidepressants alone can lead to the onset of mania or rapid cycling. People often take mood stabilizers or anticonvulsants to negate these possible side effects.

The only pharmaceutical shown to have a consistent, positive effect on suicide rates in bipolar patients is lithium. However, newer research has shown there may be a possibility to control BPAD through manipulating the endocannabinoid (EC) system. These are the neurotransmitters responsible for binding cannabinoid proteins to receptors.

ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION AND BPAD

The endocannabinoid system, discovered in the mid-1990s, is comprised of two receptors, CB1 and CB2. Cannabinoids, a type of compound found in both the human body and cannabis plants, bind to these receptors to alter brain function. The body naturally produces neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids, while cannabis plants contain phytocannabinoids.

 

An illustration of neurons firing in a human head. Post-mortem studies of human brains of people with bipolar affective disorder found some abnormalities in how they process cannabinoids.
Post-mortem studies of human brains of people with bipolar affective disorder found some abnormalities in how they process cannabinoids.

Postmortem studies have found that brains of patients diagnosed with mental illness, including BPAD variants, show abnormalities in the endocannabinoid system. A similar study, conducted using brain slices from mice, showed dysfunctional CB2 receptors inhibited the release of serotonin, suggesting a healthy EC system helps to regulate mood.

An investigation of endocannabinoid gene variants in 83 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), 134 with BPAD, and 117 healthy control participants found two marked differences in the patients afflicted with MDD and BPAD. The researchers found abnormalities in the CB1 receptor (CNR1) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) genes of the ill participants when comparing them to the control group.

REGULATING THE EC SYSTEM WITH PHYTOCANNABINOIDS

Because of the distribution of endocannabinoid receptors throughout the brain, many of the areas they affect overlap with regions thought to be responsible for BPAD, along with other mental illnesses. Studies have shown patients with specific abnormalities in the CNR1 gene are at a higher risk of being resistant to pharmacological treatment, leaving them more vulnerable to the effects of bipolar affective disorder.

For these patients, phytocannabinoids could provide a way to manipulate the EC system and regulate the level of chemicals traditionally targeted by pharmacological medications. As always with hemp and cannabis research, these studies are still preliminary. Researchers will need to conduct more research to prove whether CBD and other cannabinoids can help treat bipolar affective disorder.

Anandamide and THC

Anandamide, called the bliss molecule, is naturally produced in the body and is similar in molecular structure to THC. Both anandamide and THC bind to CB1 receptors, altering areas of the brain responsible for memory, concentration, movement, perception, and pleasure.

FAAH genes are responsible for activating anandamide; indicating people with FAAH gene mutations may not have the appropriate levels of anandamide in the brain. Supplementing brains deficient in anandamide with THC may help restore chemical balances. Theoretically, this could alleviate cycling between manic and depressive phases.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Cannabidiol has been shown to inhibit serotonin reuptake in rats, suggesting it repairs abnormalities in CB1 receptors found to inhibit release in mice. If CBD functions the same in human brains, it could provide an alternative to conventional antidepressants, especially for individuals with treatment-resistant BPAD.

A randomized clinical trial found CBD reduces abnormal brain function in regions associated with psychosis, implying it may have therapeutic effects on symptoms associated with the manic phase of BPAD. If CBD regulates both depressive and manic symptoms, it could help treat individuals who do not react well to lithium.

Other Cannabinoids

Cannabis is a complex compound, made up of over 500 chemicals. Cannabinoids suspect over 100 of these compounds. Limited data exists on chemical effects, excluding CBD and THC, due to insufficient studies determining their reactions in the EC system.

Among cannabinoids that have already been isolated, CBG and CBCV seem to show a potential for treating mood disorders, such as depression. Further study may help isolate more of these chemicals and determine what effect they have on the EC system.

A gloved scientist with a vial of CBD and a hemp leaf. Preliminary research supports further investigation into using CBD to treat bipolar affective disorder.
Though research is just beginning, it seems likely that CBD and other cannabinoids could help people with bipolar affective disorder.

USING CBDS & OTHER CANNABINOIDS FOR BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER

CBD rarely causes adverse reactions. Both conventional methods of treatment and using cannabis derivatives as treatment carry risks. The most dangerous side effect of any treatment for BPAD is the potential worsening of symptoms.

Those with bipolar disorder symptoms or previous diagnosis should consult a medical professional before treatment changes. Even those who present with treatment-resistant variations of the disease can benefit from traditional methods (such as psychotherapy).

Regulating the EC system through phytocannabinoids may provide a way to alleviate symptoms in those with treatment-resistant BPAD. Preliminary data requires validation, but cannabinoids show promise as a BPAD treatment in additional human trials.

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CBD In Addiction Treatment: Can CBD Help Overcome Opiate Withdrawal? https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-for-opiate-addiction/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-for-opiate-addiction/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2022 18:29:55 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=56610 Anecdotes from doctors and patients point to cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential treatment for withdrawal and craving associated with opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD). Although medical advancements have made withdrawal easier, patients in recovery still have a 40-60% chance of relapsing into addiction.

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Anecdotes from doctors and patients point to cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential treatment for withdrawal and craving associated with opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD). Although medical advancements have made withdrawal easier, patients in recovery still have a 40-60% chance of relapsing into addiction.

Between January 2014 and January 2018, the annual number of drug overdose deaths in the United States rose 47%, with the majority caused by opioids. Successful withdrawal and relapse prevention plays a vital role in reducing the growing number of fatalities, and preliminary research supports the alleged beneficial effects of CBD.

Neurobiology of Opioid Use Disorder

Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications (i.e., morphine), synthetic drugs with medicinal value (i.e., methadone), and the illegal drug heroin. Opioid molecules closely resemble naturally occurring endorphins and cause similar reactions. Endorphins and opioids bind to the same receptors in the brain and spinal cord, suppressing pain responses and enhancing mood.

Life-sustaining activities, such as eating, release endorphins into the brain, promoting a positive association and desire to repeat these activities. The brain learns to associate circumstances and environmental cues with these activities. In the case of eating, these positive associations could be a mouth-watering smell or favorite restaurant that triggers hunger.

Opioids act on the same areas of the brain, tricking the natural reward system designed to maintain life into promoting continued drug use. By the time an addiction develops, the brain has undergone fundamental changes that cause it to function normally with opioids and abnormally without them. At this point, drug use is no longer a choice; treatment is necessary to manage and reverse these changes.

The Stages of Opioid Addiction Treatment

Treatment for opioid addiction begins with detoxification, commonly referred to as withdrawal. This part of recovering from addiction has tremendous effects on the mind and body, including but not limited to nausea, fever, muscle cramping, body aches, agitation, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

The second stage of treatment for opioid addiction is relapse prevention. Cravings are often managed with medication, while psychotherapy can help treat any underlying issues that contribute to excessive drug use. Exposure to circumstances and environmental cues (i.e., a friend that misuses drugs) also need to be controlled or effectively managed.

Established Methods of Treating Opioid Addiction

Treatment CBD for Opiate Addiction use disorder usually consists of psychotherapy, medication, and evaluation for underlying health issues. Medical devices may also be used, such as the NSS-2 Bridge that delivers electronic signals to the brain areas responsible for addiction.

Medications are the most common form of treatment, with 80% of patients taking a pharmaceutical during withdrawal. Many of these medications, such as methadone and buprenorphine, are opiate-based and carry their own set of risks. There have been deaths involving these medications, with methadone showing potential to be six times as lethal as buprenorphine.

Other drugs commonly used included clonidine and the fledgling medication lofexidine, approved for use by the FDA in May 2018. Both lofexidine and clonidine belong to a class of drugs that includes high blood pressure and some anti-anxiety medications.

It is important to note that opiate-based treatments can be safe and effective under medical supervision. Belonging to a different class of drugs does not necessarily make clonidine or lofexidine safer.

Using CBD to Manage Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

CBD may be beneficial in influencing many of the symptoms caused by opioid withdrawal. For nausea, multiple human and animal studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CBD, possibly due to the presence of cannabinoid receptors in the areas of the brain that induce vomiting.

A pharmaceutical medication that contains a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD, called Sativex, already exists to treat pain and muscle spasms/cramping in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently approved for use in Canada, Sativex shows potential for pain management in other patients, such as those withdrawing from opioids.

Studies have consistently found CBD has the potential to alleviate insomnia by boosting levels of tryptophan, a chemical required in the production of melatonin. For symptoms of anxiety and depression, CBD is thought to encourage the production of serotonin in a similar way to prescription SSRIs, a type of antidepressants.

Using CBD to Prevent Relapse

The endocannabinoid system is a target for treatments that prevent relapse due to its potential to control cravings. CB1 receptors may influence opioid receptors, due to their location in the brain. CB2 receptors possibly affect dopamine and may reduce its rewarding effects that encourage opioid use.

Preclinical trials in rats and mice have reinforced the theory that CBD helps to control cravings, although why it works remains a bit of a mystery. Mice and rats given CBD in conjunction with morphine showed a lower reward response, making the morphine less appealing.

A similar study of rats addicted to heroin found CBD prevented relapse. Daily doses of 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg kept the rats from relapsing for up to two weeks following their final dose of CBD.

A third preclinical trial shows rats addicted to cocaine and alcohol experience similar effects from CBD treatment. Another trial using rats addicted to amphetamines found evidence that supports using CBD to prevent relapse.

CBD Could Be A Beneficial Adjunct Treatment

Overall, CBD shows a strong potential as an additional treatment for opioid addiction when combined with psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals. Preclinical trials using animals consistently find CBD can be beneficial in preventing relapse, although further clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm this.

CBD may also help treat many of the withdrawal symptoms during detoxification from opioids. However, CBD alone does not replace the vital role of medically assisted treatment for addiction. Anyone suffering from OUD, or any form of substance use disorder should contact their primary care physician to establish a treatment plan.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to ending the opioid crisis, but CBD oil products may prove to be a valuable tool. At this point in time, while millions of Americans battle addictions and tens of thousands die, anything that may help deserves further investigation.

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A ‘Cocrystal’ Could Change The Way We Take CBD https://ministryofhemp.com/cocrystal-cbd-bioavailability/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cocrystal-cbd-bioavailability/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:03:19 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=63473 A cocrystal is a compound that helps to improve the bioavailability of CBD. Learn about CBD cocrystals on the Ministry of Hemp podcast.

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A new techology called a “cocrystal” could improve our ability to absorb CBD oil.

Welcome to episode 62 of the Ministry of Hemp Podcast. In this episode, Matt talks Dr. Andrew Yates, scientific consultant, and Professor Saorise Sullivan, scientific advisor and consultant. They developed a “cocrystal” that will improve the bio-availability of CBD. The two authored a paper about the cocrystal that is being used in the treatment of PTSD in clinical trials in Europe. The conversation touches on how CBD has trouble being absorbed in the human body, why the cocrystal they developed works, and how it could change the way we take CBD.

https://youtu.be/I4mBTQfnlng
A brief introduction to the concept of bioavailability

Matt also mentions his discussion with Dr. Matthew Halpert about a CBD study on aging dogs with arthritis, which used a similar bioavailability booster.

About Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan and Andrew Yates

Professor Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan (@ScienceSaoirse) received her doctorate from Trinity College Dublin in 2001 and moved to the University of Nottingham in 2002 as a Research fellow where she began researching cannabinoid pharmacology through basic and clinical research.  She was made Lecturer in 2007, Associate Professor in 2011 and Full Professor in 2019.  She has over 40 peer-reviewed articles and 3 books chapters on the topic of cannabinoid pharmacology.  In 2016, she was named the International Cannabinoid Research Society Young Investigator of the Year. In 2017, Saoirse set up an independent consulting company called CanPharmaConsulting Ltd, and through this, acts as scientific advisor to companies like Artelo Biosciences, CBDScience Group, Therapix Biosciences and Dragonfly Biosciences.

Dr. Andy Yates has more than 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry including 10 years as an executive at AstraZeneca. Andy Yates is a UK registered pharmacist who received his PhD in cannabinoid medicinal chemistry from the University of Nottingham. Recently he has acted as an independent consultant and scientific advisor for the Biotech, Life-Sciences, Wellbeing and not-for-profit sectors; predominantly within the expanding cannabinoid field. Andy holds an academic position at the University of Keele.

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Two photos are superimposed on a green crystal background: Andy Yates and Saoirse O'Sullivan, who joined the Ministry of Hemp podcast to discuss research into a CBD cocrystal which improves bioavailability.
Andy Yates (left) and Saoirse O’Sullivan (right) joined the Ministry of Hemp podcast to discuss research into a CBD cocrystal which improves bioavailability.

CBD cocrystals: Complete episode transcript

Below you’ll find the complete transcript of episode 62 of the Ministry of Hemp podcast, “A ‘Cocrystal’ Could Change The Way We Take CBD”:

Ep 62 Transcript:

Matt Baum:
I’m Matt Baum. And this is The Ministry of Hemp Podcast brought to you by ministryofhemp.com, America’s leading advocate for hemp and hemp education. Welcome to episode 62 in Ministry of Hemp Podcast and in the little over a year that I’ve been doing this show, I’ve learned a lot about you guys, the listeners. Not just from talking to you when you call our phone line at (402) 819-6417, which you can call, leave a message with your questions at any time. We love to answer your questions on the show.
I’ve also learned a lot about you guys from the comments that are left on the podcast posts on our website, ministryofhemp.com. Based on your calls and your comments, it seems like there are a lot of you that are interested in wellness and then there are others of you that are interested in medicine, medicine as in, I have a condition, will this help. And wellness being, hey, I know I feel better when I do this after I work out or this helps me sleep, neither of which are bad, but on the medicine side, things can get really scary for some people when we start talking about pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical companies.

I’m not going to get into the debate of whether or not they are giant evil corporations controlled by lizard people who want to drug us through the gills so we can’t pay attention to what’s going on anymore, although 2020 did kind of feel like that. But I will say there is something to be said for the rigorous amount of testing and study that goes into producing a drug for human consumption.

Today on the show, I’m going to talk to two scientists. They’re both out of England and they’re both scientific advisors for a company called Artelo. They recently wrote a paper about increasing the bioavailability of CBD. Now we know that there is evidence that CBD has certain effects on the human body and the brain, it helps with anxiety. It can help with pain and inflammation, but one of the major problems with CBD is it’s very hard for your body to process it, to actually pull it in and take it out of whatever it’s in and introduce it into your bloodstream, where it needs to get.

And that’s why a lot of different companies infuse it into tinctures and oils and pills and whatnot. Well, what they are working on is called a cocrystal, which is fairly popular in pharmaceutical, from what I understand from our conversation. But this cocrystal basically bonds with the CBD molecule and makes it far more bioavailable than it’s ever been before. This was an amazing conversation. And you’re going to hear in the very beginning, I had no idea what I was talking about going into it. I was trying to sound smart and they very quickly correct me. And then we have a really good conversation.

Now we’re not going to get into crazy heavy science here, I promise, but what they are talking about could really change this business and just blow it wide open. Today on the show, I’m speaking with professor Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan and Dr. Andy Yates. Like I said, the two work together with Artelo to create something really incredible. And the more incredible part is it’s not far off, it could be coming soon. Here’s my conversation with professor Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan and Dr. Andrew Yates.

What is a CBD cocrystal?

So we are going to talk about a drug that you guys are developing, and it’s one of the first patents and correct me if I’m wrong here, but from what I understand, it’s one of the first pharmaceutical patents that has been issued using CBD or hemp.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
So I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily the first patent because other people have patents. For example, GW pharmaceuticals have patents on their version of CBD that they use in epilepsy. It’s just probably the first composition of musher patent, is that right Andy? In terms of a new molecular structure or a new way of presenting CBD in this cocrystal format. So it’s not a use patent, it’s a composition of musher patent. There’s probably other kind of structural variants on CBD where people have kind of played around with the molecular structure and there’ll be patterns on those also. But in terms of kind of pure CBD, this would be a first.

Matt Baum:
Okay. So let’s talk about that for a second. We’re talking about the molecular structure and you guys have come up with a new, you use the word crystalline structure basically.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yes.

Matt Baum:
So what is the structure that we start with when we’re looking at, and tell me if I’m using the words right, a CBD molecule.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Molecule. Yes. No, that’s right. So [inaudible 00:05:12] how it’s built out of its different elements is the molecular structure. And so CBD is CBD when you put together those elements in the right order, in the right orientation, you come up with the molecule that is CBD.

Matt Baum:
Okay. And you guys have affected it in a way that you can make it more potent, more useful.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And so what Artelo have done is they’ve formed a cocrystal. So this is where you take a molecule of CBD and you bring it together with another compound, which in our case is a molecule that’s used in Chinese medicine. So they’ve brought them together in what’s called a cocrystal. And so that changes the physical properties of the molecule because CBD has some physical properties that don’t make it very easily usable as a medicine. So we need to try and improve its solubility and its absorption.
And one way that pharmaceutical companies go by fast is to make something as a cocrystal and attach it onto something else. And that can change the physical properties of this molecule that you’re interested in, in order to make it more druggable and easier to give to person and basically better and more consistent exposure to that drug within the patient.

Matt Baum:
So the idea that we have [crosstalk 00:06:35]. Go ahead, I’m sorry.

Andy Yates:
I was going to say if I may come in. We’ve taken everything that we love, if you wish, about CBD, [inaudible 00:06:41] exactly the same, but taken away some of the bits that we don’t love about CBD, which is its crystallinity, its melting point, potential stability and it’s bioavailability and we’ve added something else into it as an integral part of the crystal structure. And we hope that that will improve the way that we can use CBD as a medicine.

Matt Baum:
So basically the CBD molecule is kind of a jerk, and we know it does good stuff, but this jerk doesn’t want to play with your system very well.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Exactly.

Matt Baum:
And you have created something, a friend that is saying, “Hey, take it easy jerk. Let’s get along.”

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And they’re holding to this hand as they work through the body.

Matt Baum:
Yeah. Settle CBD down, walks him into the body and says, all right, see, you feel better now, right? And he goes, okay. I was nervous, it was nothing, my bad.

Andy Yates:
That’s a great analogy. Very well characterized.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. That’s pretty much it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, TMP and the CBD cocrystal

Matt Baum:
I’m for hire if you need a PR department. So just let me know. I’m really good at boiling this stuff down if nothing else. I’ll be truly, honestly, I tried to prepare for this and I went back through like all my college chemistry [inaudible 00:07:47], oh God, it’s gone, it’s just gone. And I’m like, I’m going to sound like the biggest steady hits. So thank you for bearing with me on this one.

So the cocrystal you’ve created, you said it’s from Chinese medicine. Now I am a skeptic by nature, and so when I hear a term like Chinese medicine, my first knee-jerk reaction is, oh boy, that sounds a little out there and whatnot. But-

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And it’s funny because that’s the reaction some people have about cannabis-based medicine.

Matt Baum:
I did when I got into this.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And the molecule that we’ve used in the cocrystal is something where we know the molecule really well. It’s something that’s really widely used in Chinese medicine and has kind of widespread clinical use, lots of clinical trials, it’s the particular active ingredient of this plant. It’s very similar story to CBD and the cannabis plant as this molecule, which is called Tetramethylpiperidine or TMP.

Matt Baum:
We’ll go with TMP for the rest of the interview.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. It’s very analogist between the plants and the active molecules.

Matt Baum:
Okay. So it’s part of Chinese medicine in the sense that it’s part of several plants, I guess, that are used in Chinese medicine. So it happens to be there.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah.

Matt Baum:
And I guess my question was, what worried me was like you said, there’s been lots of clinical studies that show that this works as a binder. What other kinds of stuff does this TMP molecule bind to? What else does it help with?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Sorry, it’s not that it is used in Chinese medicine as a binder, it’s used as itself, as the molecule, as a drug in Chinese medicine.

Matt Baum:
I guess it happens to be there.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. And to be honest, that’s not why it was chosen. There was a chemistry screening process where lots of different potential co-formers were assessed because not all, you have the analogy of the two guys walking through the body hand in hand, not all molecules want to be friends. And there was only a few of them in the chemistry screening that was done. There was only a few that actually wanted to hold hands with CBD.
And it just happened that TMP was one of them. The fact that TMP has its own clinical profile is wonderful. And in best case scenario might add some advantage onto the artillery CBD cocrystal, but actually that’s not why it’s there. It’s there really just to be holding the hand of the CBD. And if it adds to CBD then wonderful, but it was kind of happenstance that it was one of the ones that came along that did want to hold hands with CBD.

Matt Baum:
Andy, you were going to say.

Andy Yates:
And also of interest to your listeners, not only does it have a usage in traditional Chinese medicine, but it also has a use in food flavoring.

Matt Baum:
Oh good.

Andy Yates:
So it’s bringing a coffee mocha vibe to CBD. The tones of a TMP are used often in coffee and mocha flavored free products.

Matt Baum:
Really?

Andy Yates:
Yeah.

Matt Baum:
So when you go get like a McFlurry or something, which is, we all agree is not coffee, but has the vaguest hint of coffee flavor, there could be TMP involved.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
There could be TMP in there. Yeah.

Andy Yates:
It could indeed.

Using CBD to treat PTSD

Matt Baum:
Interesting. So this drug that Artelo is developing is going to be tested for PTSD and-

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. It’s a variety of different areas that Artelo are interested in, but PTSD is definitely one of the, probably the first areas of interest. There’s other conditions in which CBD is useful, like inflammatory bowel disease and stroke. And so they’re also kind of on the horizon, but PTSD is probably the first indication that Artelo would try and pursue through clinical research.

Matt Baum:
Okay. So why PTSD? How did we happen upon that? Is it because of the anti-anxiety factors of CBD? And I guess my next question is, is it worth going after CBD to treat this, so much so that you created a cocrystal to help the body accept it better, whereas there are already other treatments for PTSD that are out there? Is this one, do you believe from what you’ve seen in your research, do you believe this is worth it and will be a better treatment?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
So both of those things are true. So it’s because CBD is very good at reducing anxiety and there’s quite a good evidence-based from scientific and clinical literature to show that. And there’s an awful lot of research going on in this area. So we are not the only people who think that CBD is a good [inaudible 00:12:37] agent.
There’s lots of research going on there, but in order to develop a licensed medicine, we need something that is going to be really good. Good bioavailability, getting good absorption, good stability, all the things you want from a good drug and have patentability, because if you’re going to develop a medicine it’s quite a costly process.

Matt Baum:
Of course.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
So we need a good CBD, a reliable CBD that we can give in specific doses and that we can prove in an area which is probably considered to be an area of unmet need. So there are medications available for PTSD, but they’re not without their side effects and some of them can have limited efficacy. So I think that people who work in this area would say, there’s definitely a need for a new medicine in PTSD and CBD is really emerging as something that is of interest in lots of different anxiety disorders, it’s not just PTSD but-

Matt Baum:
Yeah. Absolutely.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
… things like central anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, there’s lots of research going on that points to controlled, randomized controlled data the points to CBD being effective in these areas.

Improving CBD bioavailability with a cocrystal

Andy Yates:
And two additional adds to that, one of the other big parts of PTSD is ability to sleep. And CBD well is unknown aid to sleeping and we think that would obviously help the syndrome itself. And the other aspect is that if you are not going down that route of, as you said, coupling it with a friend to help into the body, the other way of doing it, as I’m sure you’ve seen from shops that sell CBD is to dissolve it in oil.

Matt Baum:
This is my next question. I’m glad you’re going there.

Andy Yates:
You have to hold it under your tongue. And I think what we’ve done with this sort of friendly crystal is that you could start to think about form relate in this now in a capsule or a pill, which I think most people would agree is a much more convenient way to take CBD for the majority of the people. I’m not saying that’s for everyone or the companies like GW have been developing medicines for children, so they’re quite happy to put CBD in an oil or an alcoholic based solution.
So we’ve really got an advantage there with our cocrystal, when it comes to thinking that we’ve designed or we’ve pre-programmed into the solid form, some good characteristics that will make it easily or more easily atunable to a tablet form.

Matt Baum:
So Andrew, let me ask you based on what you were saying, bioavailability, I’m glad you went there because that was my exact next question. This cocrystal is designed to help the body accept CBD better. If I’m not using that, if I just say, have a tincture, a high quality CBD tincture like you said, and I’m putting it under my tongue, what would you say is the amount of CBD that I’m going to, just percentage wise, rough percentage wise versus what I would get from CBD with this cocrystal.

Andy Yates:
I would love to be able to give you a flavor of that. We’re actually doing that work right now to understand it. And I think it would be disingenuous of me to say where those levels could be.

Matt Baum:
You scientists.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
We can say in general that the fact that, and if you’re using a sublingual oil, just of any type of CBD, we’re not talking about our CBD, but probably the bioavailability is maybe 20% to 25% under the tongue, whereas if you’re just taking a cocktail or a tablet orally, it’s probably less than 10%. So just in general terms [crosstalk 00:16:30]

Matt Baum:
I was holding my bottle like, how much am I getting when I pour this in my eyeballs.

Andy Yates:
I’m sorry. I thought you were asking what the difference would be between our cocrystal and what you can get.

Matt Baum:
No. I guess just more broadly. It seems like there’s a lot of research going into this that we have found, like you said, CBD does not want to be absorbed by our body very well. So we put it in carrier liquids, we put it in powder forms. We nano encapsulated stuff.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
We inhale it.

Matt Baum:
We inhale it. Yeah.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
That’s what we’ve always done because actually inhalation is still the best methods, delivery methods in terms of getting as much of the drug into your system as possible. It may not stay around for very long, but there’s a reason why people have always inhaled.

Matt Baum:
Sure.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
But people like to take drugs orally, people like to take tablets, as Andrew said. And if we know that with the tablet only 10% of that drug is going to get into the system, then clearly what pharmaceutical companies want to do is make a tablet that has better bioavailability because that drug is being wasted. 90% of that drug is being excreted. So it’s not good, it’s not good for the economy, it’s not good for the environment.

Matt Baum:
Yes, it’s not good for anybody.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
It’s not good for the patients.

Andy Yates:
And it’s also around the variability as well. We know as Saoirse said that taking a tablet when you’ve got an empty many will be different for your bioavailability for when you take a tablet and you’ve eaten a meal, typically if the meal is fatty.

Matt Baum:
Of course.

Andy Yates:
These things can really affect. If one day it’s a 10% bioavailability and the next it’s a 25% bioavailability, you can expect that you’re going to get lower and higher efficacy and safety side effects.

Matt Baum:
Sure.

Andy Yates:
So if we can bring a crystal to the market, which does things just more reproducibly, both within the same patient and between patients so that every person in the clinical trial, every person using the drug, you take the pill, you get 20%, that’s a much better place than where we are now, where it’s a bit of a sort of coin toss of whether you’re going to get a low or a high dose today.

Matt Baum:
Right. So just the fact that you can establish what we all got X, that’s a starting point that we have not had-

Andy Yates:
Absolutely.

Will cocrystals change the CBD market?

Matt Baum:
… up to this point yet, because of all the different ways that it’s being taken, the different ways it’s being delivered, to the different potencies and whatnot. Now this sure sounds like when this research comes out and it’s accepted, it sure sounds like it’s kind of going to blow the entire CBD market up pretty badly, in the sense that a lot of people that are making claims, which is good. I think it’s a good thing, but a lot of people that are making claims like this is the best way to do it, or we have the highest quality or all of a sudden the bioavailability is going to come into play. And now that you can prove, well, this cocrystal increases bioavailability, this is kind of where everybody has to go next, right?

Andy Yates:
So I think for me, it’s yeah, it is. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. If this delivers everything we think it can deliver, promise what you think it can promise, then it is a game changer for CBD in many respects, because suddenly it’s the go-to form. And we’re talking here whether it’s be the wellbeing market, the one that we, over-the-counter, but particularly in the pharmaceutical field, it’s the go-to form that you would be putting your money, your energy into so that the patients are getting that reliable, consistent dosing and stay higher dosing.
For the pharmaceutical industry, as one of the connotation. And sometimes profits and intellectual property is a bit of a dirty word. But in order for any pharmaceutical company to spend the tens/hundreds of millions of dollars to turn a drug into a PTSD therapy or a PTSD therapy or another therapy area, it has to know that it’s able to recover and make some money for it’s shareholders who put their money in at risk.

Matt Baum:
Of course.

Andy Yates:
And what we found so far, and if you look at a company like GW, is that it stayed away from areas which it doesn’t have this, what they call orphan drug protection behind it. So all of these conditions that their trial in, their drug in tends to be in small groups of patients that they wouldn’t normally have a therapy designed for them, but people like the FDA and the European equivalents give us special dispensation for people who develop medicines in orphan drugs. And one of them is they call it data exclusivity. So if you spend money, develop a drug in an orphan indication, you get rewarded by the regulators with a longer period of time before people can start piggybacking on your data.

Matt Baum:
That’s amazing.

Andy Yates:
That’s great.

Matt Baum:
So if you do that here, you just get fired and then you get made fun of in the news. And maybe you get shot. I don’t know, it’s America. So things are crazy right now.

Andy Yates:
That’s right. It’s really great. But what it does do is it limits where people will spend their money developing CBD right now.

Matt Baum:
Sure.

Andy Yates:
And I think with a cocrystal, you take the handcuffs off and you allow people like Artelo, or it may be others that want to come in and work with Artelo and borrow or pay us to borrow our technology. Suddenly you can start developing in diseases that aren’t orphan drug and know that your investment is protected through the patent that you brought up right at the very beginning of the show.

Matt Baum:
Right. It’s kind of an early game, but it’s a game you have to play if you’re going to bring this to market. And if this will do what you think it’s going to do… It’s pretty amazing because like you said, there can’t be a whole lot of money in PTSD treatment. It’s not like something we see TV commercials. Do you have PTSD? Maybe you can talk to your doctor about [Narco flex 00:22:39] or whatever. So I think the fact that you, it makes me feel a little better that you guys are developing a drug for something like PTSD to show that it works there. And then from there it opens up.

The immense potential of CBD drugs

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And then you go on. Yeah. As Andy is saying, the beauty here is with that IP behind you, you have the potential to go into much bigger patient populations. But ultimately this is going to be good to patients because Epidiolex is only available for these very rare forms of epilepsy, but every kid with epilepsy wants it, but that’s not what it has it’s license for, because they’ve down that route, whereas if we can produce something which is going to hit a much bigger patient population, then that’s obviously going to be really good.
And yeah, you start with PTSD, but then you might go into generalized anxiety, then you might go into other mental health conditions or a sleep, if you get a good signal with sleep, you might go into insomnia. You’ve just got to start somewhere and somewhere where you’ve got good hope that it’s going to be successful as well.
And actually PTSD is on the rise. And especially in the post COVID era, there’s going to be an awful lot more PTSD. And that’s something that we are quite mindful of. There’s going to be an awful lot of people who suffer with mental health conditions because of the pandemic and the impact that it’s had on them socially and financially. It’s huge. And the estimates of the rates of PTSD are that they’re going to really significantly increase. And especially in frontline workers, people who’ve been exposed to the disease.

Matt Baum:
Most definitely.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
So we can see that in the short term, this is going to be a really important [Marcus 00:24:19] to be proving the cocrystal in.

Matt Baum:
So let’s talk about sleep for a second, because you brought that up earlier about how it’s excellent in treating PTSD or any trauma, sleep is definitely one of the biggest issues. Now, this molecule, pardon me, this molecule that you have created, this cocrystal, binds really well as CBD. We’re seeing a lot of companies in the industry saying that CBN, a different cannabinoid, is very useful in sleep. Will this cocrystal behave the same with something like CBN, or is that a whole different jerk of a molecule that needs an entirely different buddy or something?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
The CBN is a completely different molecule. And actually it’s funny because it often has a reputation for being sleep enhancing, but it actually doesn’t have as much evidence as CBD does for sleep disorders.

Matt Baum:
Really?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
No, CBD definitely has far better evidence. There’s very little clinical use of CBN, if any that I can think of, I can’t think of any clinical trial.

Matt Baum:
Yeah. It’s very new. And the same with CBG, is another one.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
With CBN, yes. So this is definitely an anecdote rather than something which has an evidence base. Whereas at least with CBD, we do have an evidence-based. There is randomized control data either where sleep has been looked at as the primary endpoint. So specifically in people who have sleep disorders, but more often what you see in a clinical trial is that the CBD is being used for something else but sleep is coming back consistently as being one of the other symptoms that’s positively affected by CBD. So it’s one of the secondary findings of a trial.
So we have quite a lot of information with CBD in areas like autism, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s disease, or there’s types of conditions where people are reporting that they’re sleeping better when they’re taking CBD. And actually being sleepy is also one of the side effects of CBD. So we have that as a signal as well. So I think CBN has the rep, but probably CBD has a better evidence base.

Matt Baum:
Got you. So it’s one of those things where, and I realized I may be asking you out of your field here because you’ve been focusing on one thing, but it does seem like the claims are being made again. And with a health claim like sleep, it’s not like you’re saying, hey you blind guy, you’ll be able to see again. That would be a health claim that can’t make, but something like sleep, I take a CBD with CBN in it to help with sleep. And chances are, from what it sounds like you’re saying, it’s the CBD that’s putting me to bed.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Until somebody does the trial and convinces me otherwise, all I can go on is the data that I have seen and I haven’t seen data with CBN. So it might be excellent, but nobody has tested it yet. So yeah, it could be that people find us goods, there could be anecdotes of it. And that’s a great place to start if you want to design a study, but we just don’t have that kind of empirical evidence [crosstalk 00:27:32] about CBN.

Matt Baum:
Sure.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
And it may be that the combination is excellent. If you were designing something which was purely a sleep aid, then maybe a combination of CBN and CBD is and great.

Matt Baum:
But we got to do the work first.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. We’re just not at that level of kind of granularity, I think in cannabis-based medicines of knowing exactly which combinations of compounds to put together. But the probability is that CBN is probably just like CBD in that in most of these compounds from the plant are very fussy lipophilic. And so they all have these problems that they’re not very well absorbed. So it may be that CBN needs a friend as well.

Matt Baum:
Just a different friend. We’ll find out.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yeah. Who knows what the friend will be.

The future of cocrystals and CBD

Matt Baum:
How far away are we? So I assume if you’re talking to a podcast or in Omaha, Nebraska, right now, you guys feel pretty positive that this is coming through and it’s going to happen. How far out are we from this cocrystal exploding onto the scene?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Andy you’re better at these, understanding the length of pipelines.

Andy Yates:
I think in something like PTSD, which has already got a good evidence-base in it, which is one of the reasons we chose to develop in that area. We’re looking roughly at being able to generate clinical data. So the sort of data where Saoirse said before, where we have compelling evidence that our cocrystal does something in PTSD.
I would say looking at sort of a two to three year time horizon for where we are now, before you’d be seeing that data come out. Beyond that, to get something which would be available to go to your doctor, your physician for, you’re probably looking at another two to three years on top of that. That’s the realistic sort of timeframe that you’re looking out for a true drug developer to do this,
That being said, Artelo bio-sciences aren’t exploring this, but potentially people might want to come and talk to us about using this cocrystal in the wellbeing market. And if that’s the case, then obviously without putting claims behind it, but potentially having knowledge that this is better absorbed or more consistently absorbed by the body. This could be available on the shelves within a year if it wanted to be used in that sort of way.

Matt Baum:
So I’m not asking you to bust any deals here, but have you been approached by anyone? Because I guess I was of the mindset that, and I don’t know how this works, but I was of the mindset that once you to go down this pharmaceutical path, we do not sway from it, we’re not allowed to. I thought maybe there was a direct line. I didn’t know that you could be approached by a private company and say, we want that.

Andy Yates:
Yeah. Exactly. We’ve been approached by a lot of companies to talk about our portfolio because it’s sort of out there in the sense of all of our compounds target the endo cannabinoid system, that’s a sort of fairly hot topic and very relevant topic. So we speak to a lot of people all the time about our innovations. Obviously I couldn’t say if we’re speaking about this specifically with any partner, but what I think is of interest is that particularly in Europe. And the US has some interesting views and rules on this, but in Europe it’s clear that you could develop this in a wellbeing product and you could develop it as a pharmaceutical.
You may not wish to do that for commercial reasons, but there’s nothing stopping you from the laws and the regulations from doing that. And I don’t see why you couldn’t do that in the US particularly because it’s not approved as a medical product. And as so she said at the beginning, you have to see this molecule with its friend, the way that it’s cocrystallized, right. It’s a sort of unique sort of chemical entity. It’s got unique composition of matter. So until it is a medicine, if you wish, the analogy is it’s not a medicine, it can be put into some products to… So watch this space.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
It just like kind of straight CBD is available over the counter or through Epidiolex. So it already exists in these geo world worlds.

Matt Baum:
So it’s not a matter of they could put it in a purple pill and give it a crazy name and patent it and now no one can use that crystal but of them. This is the kind of thing where yes, it could be very available and very soon.

Andy Yates:
Yeah, absolutely. It could be. If somebody wants to come and speak to us about using this in a wellbeing product, does it say that’s not Artelo’s remit. But if people want, because the thing is, with some drugs, as you probably know, they can be developed in different therapy areas and obviously we would hope to do that with the cocrystal. But sometimes it’s probably not commonly known for necessarily listeners of the show, but the pharmaceutical companies can sometimes do these types of deals. And it sort of sells the rights for the drug, the Parkinson’s disease to company A, and it sells the drugs for the treatment of pain conditions to company B. It’s called split in indications, but we’re not invoking to do that, but potentially you could see something where somebody wants to have this as a wellness product. And Artelo don’t wish to develop in that space. So yeah.

Matt Baum:
Let me ask you, are other people working on this too, because not too long ago, I spoke to a vet that was out of, I think it was Murray state, I can’t remember, left me now. But they were working on a study with aging dogs and arthritis and how CBD affected the inflammation and whatnot in the dogs. And one of the things he mentioned was, I can’t say he used the word crystal, but an element that they were working with that was increasing the bioavailability majorly. And he said, I can’t say the name, I can’t talk about it, it’s very exciting and it’s coming in. It’s huge. Was it you guys? Is it you?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Well, Andy and I can both comment on this is that it’s widely known that CBD isn’t great by itself. And so lots of people are looking at ways to improve bioavailability. They tend to use different strategies. So there’s multiple strategies in the pharmaceutical world of how you can make a drug better. And so most companies so far have focused on things like using different types of solubilizers or maybe making emulsions or non-emulsions and that those were using… So solubility enhances is probably more common. And so through that way, can they improve the bioavailability of CBD?
And so there are some, there’s not an awful lot of data out there. A lot of people have kind of claimed that their CBD has enhanced bioavailability. There are some that have shown that, have demonstrated this through proper kind of pharmacokinetic profiles. So there are people out there who have developed ways of improving the bioavailability of CBD. But just not through the cocrystal strategy. Andy and I also recently wrote a paper called, Towards Better Delivery of CBD.

Matt Baum:
Cool.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
You could point people to that because it’s a really good summary of everything that people are doing in the pharmaceutical world, not just Artelo but other companies as well. And so we basically summarize the strategies of lots of different companies who are trying to make CBD better. And so it would be a really good thing to link to [crosstalk 00:35:14]

Matt Baum:
Yeah. Please shoot me that link. That sounds awesome. That sounds totally awesome.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Obviously we did that on Artelo time. So there is a, not a conflict of interest because we did it in a very independent way of just looking at what was out there. But our summary is that we think that the cocrystal, because this is a really, this is a typical strategy of pharmaceutical companies to do the cocrystals. And so we think it is applying that kind of pharmaceutical knowledge that Artelo have onto a common problem in drugs. Cannabis isn’t unique or cannabinoids aren’t unique in having physical issues. And so there are lots of different ways that people can approach this. And I think Artelo have done a very smart job of making CBD better.

Matt Baum:
This really sounds like it’s going to change everything. Not to mention the fact that once we can get something like a cocrystal that like you said, can prove that it’s delivering X, a value of some kind. I think that’ll go a long way with the American FDA setting up rules as well, because we can establish something and say, all right, this is exactly what it’s putting in your body. And right now, maybe you’re drinking olive oil. You know what I mean?

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
We actually did a study last year, and then I work for another organization in the UK called The Center for Medicinal Cannabis. And we actually took 30 over-the-counter, CBD products and we did find that one of them with a fairly hefty price tag was just olive oil, there were no cannabinoids in there.
So there was a lot of issues in the over-the-counter CBD markets. And Andy’s working really hard in the UK trying to solve those issues and have some regulation in the industry. Even when you have a good product, the best that it can be is still probably not as good as a consumer would want from a product. And the basis, something we didn’t really mention is that in a lot of the medicinal uses of CBD, you do need quite a lot of the molecule within your body for it to have the pharmacological effects that you need. And for that kind of dosing, it’s very difficult to achieve that with sublingual oils.

Matt Baum:
Oh yeah, definitely.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
It’s very difficult to get hundreds of milligrams of cannabidiol into your body using an oil. It just doesn’t. It’s not a very effective way of drug delivery. It doesn’t taste good, you’re never quite sure exactly how much, you’re guessing because you’re using a dropper trying to figure it out by yourself. Tablets are consistent, you know if you take a paracetamol it’s 500 milligrams of paracetamol to go with. Wherever you go, that’s how it comes.
We need to get to a very pharmaceutical way of delivering basic cannabinoids. If we want them to really be the best that they can be, we’ve got to have that approach to them. And tinctures and oils and foods for me are not necessarily the best way of if you want it for medicinal reasons. Now I’m not talking about what are the reasons you might be taking them. But if you were trying to cure an ailment, you need to know what dose you’re getting.

Matt Baum:
Sure. If you’re targeting an anxiety, for example, then we need to target the anxiety and we need to make sure everything we are shooting at it is getting to the anxiety.

Saoirse Elizabeth O’Sullivan:
Yes. And that’s why you need a product that you can have reliability and consistency and have good stability and absorption, and all the other things that over-the-counter medications should have.

Matt Baum:
Right. And you can write that right on the side of the bottle and say, this is exactly what it does and we know that. That’s important. I think you guys are doing the work of the CBD angels right now honestly, thank you.

Final thoughts from Matt

I want to thank Dr. Andy and Professor Saoirse so much for coming on this show, putting up with my uninformed BS and gently correcting me. And to also just for boiling a very heady, intense pharmacological discussion into something that we can all understand. And I cannot stress how important what they’re working on is. If this cocrystal can do what they say it can do, it literally changes everything. We’re talking about better dosages, real dosages, putting less CVD into your dose, which brings the price of CBD down.

I will have links to the paper they wrote in the show notes and I will also have a link to the episode I mentioned where I interviewed Dr. Matthew Halbert about aging dogs and arthritis, and how CBD is helping them.
Speaking of show notes here at the Ministry of Hemp, we believe that a more accessible world is a better world for everyone. So you can find a complete written transcript for this show in those show notes that I was just talking about.

That is about it for this episode. Thank you again for listening, for downloading, for interacting. And if you have questions about what you heard, I’m going to repeat myself, but call us at (402) 819-6417 and leave your hemp and CBD related questions. Now, those are questions about how it works, not telling me that you want to buy some, because people do that a lot. And that’s great. And we’ve got all kinds of trusted brands that you can find right here on ministryofhemp.com. Speaking of ministryofhemp.com, get over there and check out our new review of the level two. It’s an infusion machine that allows you to make things like infused hemp butter and oil, which is fun. We also have just in time for the holidays, our best 11 CBD skincare and hemp beauty products to help you create a hempy skincare routine.

And if that’s not enough for you, follow us on all of our social media, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, just search Ministry of Hemp. You’ll find us. We’re always putting up all of quality information. And if you appreciate this quality, hemp education, then please go to Patrion/ministry of hemp, and become a ministry of hemp insider. It is the best way to help us out, keep the show going and keep us putting out high quality researched information on hemp and hemp products.

Also, it gets you access to all kinds of early articles and podcast extras. Like this week, I am talking with Dr. Andy about his side gig working with the UK health system to make sure that CBD and other wellness companies are held to a very high standard when it comes to what is actually in the bottle. I’m sure could use someone like that here in the United States.

Luckily, you got us to help you with that. Like I mentioned, we have a trusted brand section at ministryofhemp.com and we have our own seal which says, we researched it, we checked out the lab testing and we know these people are for real. Next time on the show, we’re going to talk about hemp straws and a company that is making them the right way and why hemp plastic might not be as cool as we think it is. And guess what? I’m guilty of that, but hey, I’m here to learn and I’m glad that you guys are here to learn with me.

Now it’s starting to get cold outside and COVID numbers are starting to spike again, so please take care of yourselves out there, wash your hands, wear a mask. If you’re feeling anxious, up your CVD dosage a little bit. I know I have, and it’s really helped. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, take care of others and make good decisions, will you? This is Matt Baum with the Ministry of Hemp signing off.

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What Are The Side Effects Of CBD Oil? Is CBD Safe? https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-oil-side-effects/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-oil-side-effects/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2020 17:01:00 +0000 http://kapumaku.wpengine.com/?p=33805 With all the attention CBD has been getting, it’s easy to find information on all its benefits — but is there a downside? Does CBD have any side effects? Even here at Ministry of Hemp, we’ve focused a lot on exploring the benefits of CBD oil and the endocannabinoid system over the past few months. […]

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With all the attention CBD has been getting, it’s easy to find information on all its benefits — but is there a downside? Does CBD have any side effects?

Even here at Ministry of Hemp, we’ve focused a lot on exploring the benefits of CBD oil and the endocannabinoid system over the past few months. Yet, so much has been written about how CBD is helping people that we wanted to take a look at its potential drawbacks too.

To create this article, we looked at both scientific research and anecdotal reports from CBD users. You can’t overdose on CBD and, from our in-depth research, the side effects of CBD oil are usually minor, and, for most people, the benefits far outweigh the rare reports of discomfort.

Table of Contents

Overall, our research suggests that, just as with any health supplement, the quality and source of your CBD oil can make a big difference when it comes to side effects. In fact, many unpleasant experiences from CBD reported by consumers could be due to impurities or poor quality CBD oil, as we’ll discuss later in this article.

Is CBD safe and what are cbd oil side effects? Image shows two bottles of CBD, hemp leaves, and some letter blocks spelling out cannabidiol.
Is CBD safe and does it have side effects?

If you feel unpleasant effects from any supplement, it’s better to take a break and, when in doubt, consult your doctor. Keep reading to learn more about the safety of CBD, and read about some common side effects and potential drug interactions.

Is CBD safe? The World Health Organization Says Yes

It’s worth noting that even psychoactive cannabis — what’s often called “marijuana” — is also considered to be extremely safe, contrary to what the government wants us to believe.

It’s so safe that it’s basically impossible for an adult human to ingest a fatal dose, although they can certainly make themselves feel very sick from eating or smoking too much. There’s every reason to believe that CBD extracts from hemp plants are as safe, or even safer, than psychoactive strains of cannabis.

In 2017, the World Health Organization declared CBD to be safe.

In 2017, the World Health Organization ruled that CBD is safe with no potential for abuse. Since that time, various global and national authorities have come to support the use of CBD. For example, while some athletes are still banned from using CBD, depending on the sport, the World Anti-Doping Authority removed CBD from its list of banned substances that same year, and the USADA followed suit in 2018.

It’s worth noting that the FDA doesn’t regulate CBD, though they do issue warnings to companies that blatantly break the law. Typically, these companies made outlandish claims about the supplement’s abilities. In late 2019, the FDA issued some guidance, including safety concerns about CBD. According to the FDA, more research is needed to definitively prove that CBD is safe. But it’s worth noting the findings of global authorities like the WHO, and the safe results found in the studies we outline below.

CBD oil studies find few side effects

Although the medical research is still in its preliminary stages, scientists have devoted considerable effort to proving that CBD oil is safe for human consumption.

A study published in 1986 in the International Journal of Neuroscience, examined the effects of CBD oil in 5 patients with dystonic movement disorders (muscle tremors and other forms of uncontrollable movements). CBD oil’s side effects “were mild and included hypotension [low blood pressure], dry mouth, psychomotor slowing [slowed thoughts or movements], lightheadedness, and sedation,” according to the study’s authors, Paul Consroe, Reuven Sandyk and Stuart R. Snider.

According to this study, CBD seemed to help people with their dystonia, but might have made some symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (found in 2 of the study’s subjects) a little bit worse. However, other, more recent research has found that CBD can benefit Parkinson’s patients.

Most studies into CBD oil show few side effects, mostly minor ones like sleepiness or mild sedation. Photo shows hemp leaves near two beakers of green liquid, depicting hemp and CBD research.
Most studies into CBD oil show few side effects, mostly minor ones like sleepiness or mild sedation.

One study of 8 healthy volunteers and 15 patients with epilepsy, published in 1980 in Pharmacology, looked at the side-effects of CBD when consumed daily for a month. “All patients and volunteers tolerated CBD very well and no signs of toxicity or serious side effects were detected on examination,” wrote the researchers, who also found that CBD can help some people with epilepsy.

Consuming higher dosage of CBD caused no toxicity

In 2006, a group of researchers studying the potential benefits of CBD in treating psychosis and anxiety, looked at several studies of CBD oil’s safety and summarized their findings in a paper published by the Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research. Noting that CBD safety was first proven through animal research, the scientists added:

“Therefore … the available clinical data suggest that CBD can be safely administered over a wide dose range.”

Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research

“Acute CBD administration by the oral, inhalatory or intravenous route did not induce any significant toxic effect in humans. In addition, chronic administration of CBD for 30 days to healthy volunteers, at daily doses ranging from 10 to 400 mg, failed to induce any significant alteration in neurological, psychiatric or clinical exams. Finally, in patients suffering from Huntington’s disease, daily doses of CBD (700 mg) for 6 weeks did not induce any toxicity. Therefore, confirming results from animal studies, the available clinical data suggest that CBD can be safely administered over a wide dose range.”

A 2007 study published in Phytomedicine found that CBD, along with other similar substances including THC (the main active ingredient in psychoactive cannabis), have potential as an anticoagulant, so people with who have diseases like hemophilia that cause problems with blood clotting should use extra caution with these substances.

Are there concerns about liver toxicity?

We wrote above that the FDA raised concerns about liver damage from CBD. In reality, this is an area where we need more research.

Thousands of people take CBD everyday without showing signs of liver damage and, as we write in this guide and elsewhere, a lot of research shows CBD to be very safe for human consumption even at very high doses.

On the other hand, a very limited amount of research suggests liver damage is possible at high doses of concentrated CBD. For example, a very small study (16 participants) showed that 44% of participants (7) had elevated values of some liver enzymes. It’s important to note that the dosage in these studies (1500mg of CBD per day) far exceeds the amount consumed by almost all CBD users. This would be the same as consuming multiple bottles a day of some lower strength CBD supplements.

For now, there’s still no reason to believe normal use of CBD supplements poses any serious risk to your liver, but when in doubt check with your doctor.

CBD, grapefruit and pharmaceutical drugs

There’s an unexpected connection between CBD oil and grapefruit, the citrus fruit that’s a popular breakfast choice. That connection? It’s possible that, like grapefruit, CBD could interfere with certain medications.

How is CBD like grapefruit? Both could interact with some pharmaceutical drugs. Photo shows two grapefruits, one whole and one sliced in half to show the inside.
How is CBD like grapefruit? Both could interact with some pharmaceutical drugs.

Grapefruit can actually interfere with the absorption of some common drugs, potentially resulting in unbalanced or dangerous levels of the drug in a person’s bloodstream. There’s quite a list of affected drugs, including some cholesterol-reducing drugs as well as some psychiatric medications. This connection is well known and, in most cases, your doctor would tell you if you need to avoid grapefruit. When in doubt, you can use a drug interaction checker online or check with your doctor or pharmacist.

The possible connection with CBD is less well-known, and also less well-established. However, some preliminary clinical research suggests grapefruit and CBD could affect the same enzymes, meaning CBD should be avoided with the same medications. However, it’s important to note that the clinical studies where this connection was found involve much higher doses of CBD than people typically take at home.

Even so, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you’re supposed to avoid grapefruit, or you’re concerned about potential interactions, check with a medical professional before starting or continuing to take CBD.

An anecdotal look at CBD Oil side effects shows quality matters

Of course, since many of these studies have small sample sizes, and every person reacts a little bit differently to any substance, we looked at CBD oil users’ anecdotal reports, posted on popular online communities and forums, such as Reddit and sites that sell CBD products.

A handful of very sensitive people who use CBD oil report feeling mild mood and mind-altering effects, similar to a low dose of psychoactive cannabis, but these effects appear to be rare. Some people also reported mild digestive upset, including diarrhea, from ingesting CBD oil.

According to one post on Reddit, some people get headaches from using CBD oil, which is a bit unusual since CBD can also sometimes be used to treat migraines. However, other Redditors have suggested the problem was actually the purity of the CBD extract.

“I have just recently started taking CBD for headaches, and after three weeks of getting a worse headaches, I finally figured out that my CBD oil was cheap crap — and that a LOT of it is,” a Redditor named Pellquin.

The War on Drugs hurts cannabis & hemp research

Due to the the stigma associated with the war on drugs, free and open research into both hemp and its close relative, psychoactive cannabis, is only just beginning in many ways.

For example, the first study into the benefits of cannabis in veterans with otherwise untreatable post-traumatic stress disorder began in 2017, but only after the researchers struggled through years of red tape and put their careers at risk in order to do promote the need for this vital research. Fortunately, their work, and that of others like them, have begun to peel back the bureaucracy preventing scientific research.

On the hemp side of the equation, the 2018 Farm Bill fully legalized the growth and sales of agricultural hemp in the U.S., and the production of its derivatives like CBD oil. We hope this finally opens the way for research into the benefits and possibilities of hemp in all its forms. While this article summarizes some of what we’ve found from our research into CBD side effects, we expect to see a lot more research in this field in the years to come.


Want to learn more about CBD? Download a PDF version of ‘The Complete CBD Guide


When it comes to CBD, purity & source matters

That redditor had it right: there’s a lot of poor quality CBD oil from unreliable brands. Some especially bad products may even include unexpected ingredients. The CBD oil market is still in its infancy, and it can be challenging for consumers to educate themselves except through expensive trial and error. When Ministry of Hemp investigated CBD oil purity and safety, we found a host of potential problems.

CBD oil is an unregulated market. Since hemp absorbs chemicals from the ground, including lead and mercury, growing conditions can make a big difference. Labeling of CBD products is also often inconsistent and unclear, making it confusing for CBD consumers to know what they’re buying.

When we interviewed Carlos Frias, founder of Green Lotus and a cannabis industry expert, he gave us three pieces of advice for buying CBD oil:

  • Always ask for third-party lab results when buying CBD oil
  • Pay close attention to product labeling
  • Don’t hesitate to ask a more knowledgeable expert for help.

CBD is safe, but research before you buy & use

Angry Real Housewife & cat meme: Housewife: You said CBD would work. Cat: You bought it from a gas station.
If you want CBD to work without unpleasant side effects, buy your CBD from a reliable and trusted source.

Overall, we found that scientists and doctors consider CBD oil to be safe for most people to use, and there are few, if any, serious side effects.

While everyone has their own unique body chemistry, it seems like the vast majority of people can ingest CBD oil without ever feeling any unpleasant side effects at all, and the remaining few will mostly likely experience only minor symptoms like stomach upset or dry mouth. Since scientists are using pure extracts from known sources, it’s likely that some consumer reports of headaches or other minor adverse reactions could be due to impurities in inferior CBD products.

As always, you should closely research the products you buy. Look for CBD oil reviews and other information on our site, or reliable websites like ours. And never hesitate to consult with a medical expert if you have any doubt about the best or safest way to use CBD oil.

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CBD For Nausea: Here’s What Science Says About CBD & Nausea https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-nausea/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-nausea/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2020 19:11:34 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=62136 Preliminary research suggests CBD oil could help relieve nausea, or ease symptoms of other conditions which might cause nausea.

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While more research is needed, some people report that CBD helps with nausea. But how effective is it?

The market is flooded with over-the-counter nausea medication. Yet, do you often find that most just aren’t doing it for you? This may be because nausea is a lot more complicated than we think and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

More often than not, nausea is a symptom of another illness rather than an underlying disease in and of itself. It appears when we have a stomach bug, are struck with a bad flu, or even when we’re feeling the effects of a mental health condition like anxiety.

With that said, most over-the-counter medications are crafted for specific types of nausea. While some are effective, sometimes they can cause side effects that feel worse than nausea itself.

So, what if there was a well-rounded supplement out there that helped with a variety of nausea types and came few side effects?

Well, there just might be. Limited research suggests that CBD may be a great all-natural remedy for nausea and some consumers claim it’s the answer they’ve been looking for. Throughout this article, we’re going to take a deeper look into CBD and nausea to see if this cannabinoid truly is the solution.

Table of Contents

What’s happening when you feel nausea?

Before we dive into how CBD can help with nausea, it’s important to understand why nausea happens in the first place. As mentioned, nausea is caused by a versatile selection of underlying health problems and, sometimes, by temporary health conditions, such as motion sickness.

If you’re looking for CBD as an answer to nausea, it helps greatly to understand where your nausea is coming from. And while there is no list big enough to explain the various illnesses that promote nausea, there are a few key health conditions many people experience.

One of the most common forms of nausea happens when our body is undergoing a viral infection. While the exact cause of nausea through viral infection varies from virus to virus, researchers have found that rotavirus and norovirus cause a toxin to excrete within infected cells. In turn, enterochromaffin cells (a type of sensory cell) are stimulated within our digestive tract. In turn, these cells communicate with the brain to cause nausea.

Photo: A white woman with red brown hair rests her head and arms on the arm of a chair, looking depressed or sick.
Illness can cause nausea, but so can other conditions like migraines or anxiety.

Food poisoning is another common health problem that brings temporary nausea. When we ingest something our body finds toxic (i.e. contaminated food), its natural response is to put all its efforts towards ejecting these toxins. This usually comes in the form of nausea and, eventually, vomiting.

However, nausea can also appear in less common and less obvious health complications.

Anxiety is a great example and often goes overlooked. Anxiety in itself causes the brain to release neurotransmitters into the brain, in order to prepare itself for danger. Some of these neurotransmitters may enter the digestive tract and distress the gut’s microbiome. When this happens, sensations of nausea naturally occur.

A few more common causes of nausea

As you can see, nausea comes in all shapes in sizes. Besides those mentioned above, you can also experience nausea from the following health complications:

  • Consumption of drugs and alcohol
  • Chemotherapy
  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Migraines
  • Motion sickness
  • Pregnancy
  • Side effects of medication

Many times, nausea comes with vomiting or, at least, the feeling that you’re going to vomit. However, it can also appear by itself without this sensation.

How could CBD help with nausea?

Unfortunately, there still isn’t enough research surrounding CBD and nausea for us to fully understand how the two interact. However, there’s more research surrounding the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and CBD, so researchers have some ideas.

Our ECS is a biological system within our bodies that’s responsible for a number of functions, from our mood to our quality of sleep. In connection with nausea, the ECS also interacts with our digestive system, nervous system, and immune system.

A key aspect of our ECS is the fact that it’s composed of endocannabinoids (cannabinoids naturally formed within our body) and cannabinoid receptors. The hemp plant (along with other cannabis plants) contains phytocannabinoids. 

Photo: An older white woman with gray hair smiles as she takes Every Day Optimal CBD oil while sitting at an outdoor cafe.
CBD could ease nausea through its interactions with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). (Photo: Every Day Optimal)

When we ingest cannabis products, these  phytocannabinoids naturally attach themselves to or interact with the cannabinoid receptors within our bodies in similar ways to our body’s own chemicals.

While it’s not entirely understood how CBD interacts within the body, it’s theorized that the phytocannabinoid has an influence on both our Cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and Cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors. This theory is one of the reasons it’s believed CBD can help with so much.

Since CBD is suspected to balance out our ECS — and since CB1 and CB2 receptors are found within the digestive system — medical professionals believe the phytocannabinoid could help with nausea. However, besides many people self-reporting that CBD has helped them, there’s only so much scientific evidence to prove this theory is accurate.

What does scientific research suggest?

As of now, we found two key academic papers examining the topic of CBD and nausea. Obviously, a great deal more research needs to be done. 

Preliminary research suggests CBD could be a helpful add-on to other nausea treatments.

The first is a survey of cannabinoid research published in 2013. Available research suggests CBD can help regulate nausea due to its effects on the ECS. This survey concludes that cannabidiol has a strong potential to be used as an adjunct (add-on) therapy for various nausea-inducing health complications. However, the authors agree that CBD isn’t the sole solution and more research is generally needed.

The second is a 2015 study that found various cannabinoids can help to suppress acute and anticipatory nausea for chemotherapy and other therapeutic treatments. This study used rats, so we still don’t know how directly this research can apply to humans.

Other conditions & other ways CBD can help with Nausea

Still, even with limited research, we do know one thing for certain. CBD has a lot of potential to help with various ailments. Since it can help with a number of issues that cause nausea, it’s likely it can also help to reduce nausea.

Some of these include:

  • Anxiety – Many CBD consumers report that cannabidiol seems to help with symptoms of anxiety, even at relatively low does. Some scientific research backs this up, as well. Since anxiety can cause feelings of nausea, it makes sense that CBD might help. 
  • Appetite – It’s been found that CBD can help to stimulate people’s appetites when they are experiencing a lack of appetite. For example, one study found that 30% of epileptic children underwent an appetite stimulation after taking CBD for seizures.
  • Inflammation – A large promoter of nausea and vomiting is inflammation. As research has shown, CBD can help to manage various types of inflammation and is, in many regards, a natural anti-inflammatory.
  • Pain – While pain in itself can cause nausea, it’s more often that pain medications cause nausea. Since CBD has shown in a number of cases to help in battling chronic pain, it may be able to help certain people who experience too much nausea from pain medication.

What consumers say about taking CBD for nausea

While anecdotal evidence is no substitute for scientific research, it can be helpful to see what people online are saying about how they use CBD. One resource that we find helpful is the CBD subreddit on reddit.com. 

“CBD is an aide to help you work on underlying issues.”

CBD consumer on Reddit

We found a handful of reddit users who reported using CBD for nausea, but anecdotal reports were not as common as they are for other uses of CBD. One interesting discussion specifically addressed using CBD for anxiety-induced nausea, with a few users chiming in to support this. However, most users emphasized using CBD in conjunction with other treatments and building good habits.

“Just try and lock in some time for mindfulness and exercise at a consistent time each day,” commented the user ThymeandPatience, who suggested taking CBD at the same time as you practice other regular self care.

“Hopefully you see CBD as an aide to help you work on the underlying issues,” wrote user bigbura. “To help you build anxiety response abilities and skills that can be learned from a mental health professional.” 

Potential Side Effects of CBD

The majority of people will not experience side effects from taking CBD. However, in rare cases, some may experience the following mild symptoms:

  • Appetite changes
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry mouth
  • Increased blood pressure

It’s also important to mention that if you are on any prescription medication, you should consult your doctor before taking CBD. While it remains rare, CBD has been known to negatively interact with certain medications.

Final Thoughts: How to take CBD for nausea

From what research can tell us, CBD seems to hold the potential to help ease nausea. However, since nausea is often a symptom of another illness, it’s almost impossible for CBD to be the one-and-done answer many are looking for.

Photo: A white woman with dark brown hair looks at her smartphone while blowing chewing bubble gum in bed. A box of Every Day Optimal CBD gum rests on the bed.
Some research suggests chewing gum can ease nausea. (Photo: Every Day Optimal)

It should be noted that high doses of CBD have the potential to cause fatigue (even in products that don’t advertise as sleep agents). With that said, it may be beneficial to take a lower dosage of CBD as fatigue holds the potential to cause nausea.

The CBD consumption method you choose may also play a role in how much this phytocannabinoid helps you to relieve nausea. 

For example, Every Day Optimal’s CBD gum may be an appealing option. This is because gum produces saliva and current research suggests that this saliva production may relieve nausea under some conditions. CBD tinctures, when held under the tongue or sipped from a soothing beverage, might be beneficial as well, since they’re relatively fast acting. 

It can also help to incorporate healthy habits into your day-to-day lifestyle. Drinking plenty of water, controlling your breath, and doing exercises that help relax your muscles can all play an integral role alongside CBD in fighting against nausea.

Kit O’Connell contributed reporting to this guide.

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Natural Focus Without Coffee: How to Stay Focused While Working From Home https://ministryofhemp.com/natural-focus-work-from-home-focl/ https://ministryofhemp.com/natural-focus-work-from-home-focl/#respond Thu, 04 Jun 2020 20:31:27 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=61564 Are you looking for a natural way to maintain your focus without guzzling coffee or energy drinks all day? We created a guide to healthier alternatives.

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Are you finding yourself struggling with energy and motivation while working from home? Are you looking for a natural way to maintain your focus?

When it comes to focus at work, society’s top choice is coffee. While caffeine can certainly give us a great boost of energy and cognitive momentum, overconsumption comes with its dangers. For some, coffee can cause nervousness, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. In extreme cases of overconsumption, coffee can cause muscle tremors, and even nausea.

While a cup of coffee every so often won’t do too much harm, there are a number of all-natural alternatives that help boost energy and promote focus. Throughout this article, we’re going to take a deeper look into these alternatives and how they might help you. 

First though, we’re going to look closer at why working from home can be so challenging, and offer some tips on creating better habits for keeping your energy levels high throughout the day.

Why is it so hard to focus at home?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have found ourselves working from our homes. While this is a luxury for many, it’s been detrimental to other’s focus. To put it simply, working from home provides a wide range of distractions that are likely to eat up productivity.

A woman works on her laptop on an end table in a living room with a mug resting nearby. In the background, a young child sits on a couch.
It’s challenging to stay productive and focused when we’re not working in our usual office. But drinking lots of coffee can quickly become counterproductive.

According to Psychology Today, one of the biggest reasons for this is we’ve found ourselves trying to be productive in our personal space rather than our professional environment. Our homes are meant to comfort us while our offices, admittedly, tend to stress us. It’s easy to avoid the stress of work when we’re as comfortable as we are in our personal spaces.

But it goes without saying that this isn’t productive nor healthy. And, unfortunately, many of us still don’t know when these stay-at-home guidelines are going to end. Some major companies like Twitter have already decided their employees can work from home permanently. Your company may be next.

So, what can we do in order to maintain focus while we’re doing our jobs from the comfort of our homes?

The answer to that question is naturally going to look different for everyone. You may find it beneficial to grab a cup of joe while others find coffee brings on too much anxiety. Due to these differences, we’re going to offer alternatives to maintaining a mental focus that comes with little to no side effects.

Better focus isn’t just about natural supplements

Before we get into the supplements you can take to improve focus, it’s important to remember that there’s no natural alternative that can fix all your problems. You should look at these supplements as lending a hand with a bigger issue.

When it comes to maintaining focus, our brains are wired to functioning on a routine. The healthier this routine, the better our focus is. If you wake up at the same time every morning, go to sleep at the same time every night, and perform similar activities throughout your day, you’re going to be much happier and more productive.

But what should this routine entail?

A woman does the yoga "tree pose" while standing on a yoga mat, against a bare cement wall background.
Having a healthy routine can help us maintaining focus naturally when we’re working from home.

Again, this is something that’s going to look different for everyone. Some will find a morning workout to help while others need a 20-minute nap in the middle of the day to recharge. The bottom line is you’ll want to find a routine that works best for you.

With that said, it is in your best interest to consider some activities that promote health and well-being. These can include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Exercise
  • Meditation
  • Spending time with friends and loved ones
  • Staying physically active (take a walk, stretch, etc.)
  • Taking time to relax (napping, reading, etc.)

We encourage you to experiment around with healthy activities and to find where your perfect fit is. Don’t be afraid to try something new, you may just surprise yourself: maybe you are a morning person after all.

Top natural alternatives to coffee that improve focus

While you promote healthy activities, it can also be beneficial to look into all-natural alternatives that have been found to promote focus and energy. Admittedly, we could write an encyclopedia about the versatile selection Mother Nature has to offer. But for the sake of this article, we’re going to keep our focus on 9 alternatives to coffee that have shown the most results.

Bacopa Monnieri

Sometimes referred to as brahmi, water hyssop, thyme-leaved gratiola, and the herb of grace, bacopa monnieri has been a principal plant for traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It’s been known to help improve memory, concentration, and attention. Not to mention, it’s also a great source of antioxidants that can protect you from free radical cell damage.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

As you probably know, CBD has a list of potential benefits that make it a staple in natural alternatives. It’s able to do this by indirectly balancing out our endocannabinoid system (ECS), part of our nervous systems that’s responsible for a variety of things, from our immune response to the communication between cells. Since our ECS is so prominent in our daily lives, balancing it out can actually help our brains focus.

Sitting in a park, a man and woman exchange a bottle of FOCL Day, a supplement including CBD that promotes natural focus and energy.
The right combination of natural supplements can be part of a healthy work from home routine. (Photo: FOCL)

To take things further, CBD mimics certain compounds within the body that will have an effect on non-cannabinoid receptors. These effects leave you feeling healthier and, when we feel healthier, we tend to be more productive.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

When we consume foods and supplements with omega-3 fatty acids, they preserve fluidity of cell membranes. In turn, there’s better communication between nerve cells and this provides us with better concentration and mental coherence. Not to mention, by preserving fluidity of cell membranes, omega-3 fatty acids may help with other ailments, such as anxiety and depression. Did we mention hemp seeds are a great source of these?

Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane is a mushroom that’s become a popular natural supplement. One of the most prominent aspects of Lion’s Mane is that it’s an adaptogen. This means it can help restore your body and brain’s balance while you’re experiencing stress. Through these properties, Lion’s Mane has also been found to help improve cognitive performance, reduce brain fog, and promote overall mental well-being.

L-Theanine

This amino acid, originally found in tea, supports mental focus while improving cognitive performance. In turn, you’ll have the ability to learn at a quicker rate while processing information faster. It’s worth noting that when L-Theanine is consumed with caffeine, it can further improve cognitive performance and your overall mood.

Rhodiola Rosea

Like Lion’s Mane, Rhodiola Rosea is an adaptogenic plant that helps your brain and body keep balance during times of stress. To take things further, Rhodiola Rosea can also alleviate fatigue and anxiety. Due to these characteristics, this adaptogen has been found to help improve mental concentration and alertness.

Natural sugars

While it isn’t good to overconsume sugar, natural sugars (more particularly, glucose) have been found to enhance alertness. Preferably, you should receive these sugars from various fruits — like oranges and pineapples — rather than sugary foods like cookies and cake.

Experiment with exercise, meditation, natural supplements and more to find your perfect healthy routine.

Keep in mind, recharging your brain with natural sugars is all about quantity. The right amount can improve memory and thinking. But too much can actually inhibit concentration.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 has been found to support mood regulation, focus, and memory. These prominent characteristics have garnered the vitamin as essential when it comes to our brain health. Unfortunately, our body doesn’t naturally produce these — so, the only way to receive these benefits is through food and supplements rich in vitamin B6.

Water

Staying hydrated is a crucial element to maintaining focus throughout the day. And perhaps there’s no better supplement for that than water. In a study published by the University of East London and the University of Westminster, it was discovered that consuming 300ml of water will improve your attention by 25%!

There’s a better, natural way to maintain focus at home

While supplements are a great way to assist us in mental focus, it’s vital we incorporate a number of healthy activities to make the most of natural alternatives. As mentioned, our brains are wired to be on a schedule. It’s safe to say many of our typical routines were thrown off when this nationwide crisis began.

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t make the changes necessary in order to improve our cognitive performance now and for the future.

As you go about this change, you may find yourself curious enough to research some supplements that can help improve focus. While there are a number of great products for you to choose from, we recommend you check out FOCL Day. These capsules are designed to assist in cognitive performance and incorporate many of the natural alternatives we listed above.

We wish you the best of luck as our definition of normal changes day-by-day. Remember, we’re in this together!

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Isolation Self-Care Guide: Hemp-Powered Stress-Relief During A Pandemic https://ministryofhemp.com/isolation-self-care-guide-pandemic/ https://ministryofhemp.com/isolation-self-care-guide-pandemic/#respond Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:48:26 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=60865 From our favorite hemp and CBD products to a delicious recipe, we offered a few tips to make self-care easier during a pandemic.

The post Isolation Self-Care Guide: Hemp-Powered Stress-Relief During A Pandemic appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

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We’ve all had some hard days recently. Whether you’re in isolation or have to work out in the world, we wanted to offer some self-care tips to help you feel a little better about everything.

For most of us, our daily routines and regular passions have been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. Even if you are fortunate enough to be relatively untouched by this pandemic, we’re all at least shaken by this change to our way of life. Self-care can be challenging right now, especially if you were used to engaging with the world in ways that simply aren’t possible anymore. 

Whatever your situation during this pandemic, we hope you’re able to take a little time each week when you can focus on caring for yourself. That’s where this isolation self-care guide comes in. We’ve included a delicious healthy recipe and some self-care tips we’re using to maintain a healthy outlook. We also selected a few of our favorite hemp and CBD products which you might find nourishing, soothing or relaxing to try.

While we don’t know what you’re going through right now, we hope the best for you and your family, and hope these tips can give you a little more relaxation.

Table of Contents

Check out our list of CBD assistance programs if you’re having trouble affording CBD during this time.

Isolation self-care tips from the Ministry of Hemp

Many of us at Ministry of Hemp are used to working from home. But this pandemic is stressful even for those of us with years of experience working this way.

There’s no longer any way to escape the same four walls for long, whether it’s to a café or a coworking space. All our routines are being disrupted, not to mention facing the stress and anxiety of this uncertain, scary and dangerous time. 

Photo: A hand, leaning out of an open door and wearing a disposable glove, picks up a mesh bag of groceries from a back porch.
Sometimes self-care is caring for others. Is there a vulnerable neighbor you can help during isolation?

At the time we’re writing this, some states are beginning to open up again. But medical experts are cautioning it will be a long time, from months to years, before things go back to anything approaching normal. And, sadly, we may see several waves of the virus, forcing us to stay home again. Making the most out of our home life is going to be important for a long time to come.

We polled everyone in our virtual office, to find out how they’re coping. Here’s some of our favorite isolation self-care tips:

Separate work & home 

If you’ve got the space to do so, create a separate space for work and living. Having a home office, and a clear end time to your work every day, will help you maintain a work/life balance.

That means both physically separating your work from the rest of your home, to the extent it’s possible to do so, but also deliberate scheduling. Especially if you’re not used to working from home, it’s easy to turn a normal workday into an all nighter, or find yourself answering emails at all hours, even when you’re trying to get some sleep or visit with your family or partner. Try to create a concrete start, and end, to every workday.

Take time every day for self-care 

Our video producer Desiree says she spends 20 minutes every morning, drinking coffee while laying in the sun on her deck. Drew, our sales & sponsorship assistant, loves to listen to sound meditations and garden. Of course, taking CBD might be part of your self-care routine too. Some studies and numerous anecdotal reports suggest CBD can reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Maintaining our connections with others is vital too, however we’re able. If you’re living in isolation with someone, make sure to make time for each other. Many of us are participating in video chats and regular phone calls with friends and family that we can’t be near.   

Don’t spend all your time online 

Have you found yourself awake at some weird hour, staring into your social media feed as you watch the world seemingly fall apart? We’ve been there and it sucks. Set limits for yourself. That might be a maximum amount of time you spend on social media per day, or you might decide not to check your phone for a certain amount of time before sleeping or after waking up. Consider keeping your phone out of the bedroom, and maybe switch to a book before bed.

Keep to a routine …

What day is it again? If you’ve been stuck at home, and all your routines are a mess, it can make it harder to cope. If you can, stick to a regular routine as much as you can. Make sure to get sleep. Get up around the same time. Make sure you eat regular meals. 

… but love yourself when things go wrong

At the same time, make allowances for the hard days, when you just aren’t able to do as much. You might need to sleep more, or have trouble sleeping. Things might feel a bit hopeless. That’s OK, so let yourself feel it too. 

Self-care is more important than ever during a pandemic, whether we're in isolation or have to work outside. Photo: A woman looks out a window while leaning on the back of a futon couch. She's holding a cup of tea.
During isolation, set aside time every day for self-care. Put down your phone and disconnect from the internet for a while.

If you do feel out of control or overwhelmed by your feelings regularly, considering reaching out to your doctor, a therapist or other medical professional. Most therapists are offering video chats now, and it’s hard to overstate how valuable these conversations can be.

Help your neighbors

We’re all feeling a little disconnected right now. Look for ways to support people close to you, even if you didn’t know them before the pandemic. Maybe there’s an older or immunocompromised neighbor that needs someone to bring over some groceries. If you have money, consider donating part of your stimulus check to someone who has less. Leave notes on doors, or find people to help on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and NextDoor. There may even be an organized volunteer or mutual aid network in your community that you can tap into to help even more. 

Helping others can be a valuable form of self-care, because it turns self-care into community care. And it helps us all feel less isolated, even while maintaining isolation for safety. You might make new friends that last long after this crisis passes.

Eating well is the best isolation self-care

Eating nutritious foods is one of the best forms of self-care during isolation. Taking time to cook with or for your partner, or even just yourself, can feel extremely nurturing. And that’s even before you dig into your freshly made food. There’s lots of ways to safely get fresh food in many communities, whether it’s through grocery pickup, or joining a local farm share. Here in Austin where many of us work, some local restaurant distributors are even now selling their produce to the public.

Of course, we’re big fans of hemp seeds. Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are nutritional powerhouses, full of amino acids, omega3s and other nourishment. We also think they taste good too. But whether or not you’re eating our favorite plant, we encourage you to pick meals that are both good for you but also nourish your spirit. And if that means indulging in some ice cream after a rough day, we say go for it.

Recipe: Cookie Dough Smoothie

Photo: A glass of cookie-dough smoothie surrounded by actual chocolate chip cookies.
This cookie-dough smoothie makes for decadent, but nutritious self-care during isolation. (Photo: Chris Thomas)

Who hasn’t taken a bite of cookie dough out of the bowl? This delicious CBD smoothie offers you a healthier version of an old favorite.

Salty and sweet, this cookie in a cup has a frosty, blended-ice texture with chocolate chips (or cacao nibs if you want something less sweet). This smoothie is filling with a secret fiber- and protein-rich ingredient … chickpeas! You’ll never know they’re in there, but once you try this, you won’t be able to stop using them in your own smoothie blends.

Excerpted from CBD Drinks for Health by Carlene Thomas. Copyright © 2020 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 (2-CUP) SERVING

Per Serving

Calories: 242 – Fat: 7g – Protein: 6g – Sodium: 777mg Fiber: 5g – Carbohydrates: 41g – Sugar: 20g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sweetened vanilla oat milk
  • 1⁄4 cup canned, drained, and rinsed chickpeas
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
  • 1⁄2 small peeled frozen banana, cut into chunks
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 15 milligrams CBD isolate oil

Directions

  • Add oat milk, chickpeas, salt, chocolate chips, banana, and ice cubes to a small blender.
  • Start blender on low and increase to high for 1 minute and 30 seconds until smooth.
  • Add in CBD oil and blend on low for 10 seconds. 
  • Serve immediately.

Nourish yourself inside & out: Hemp & CBD products for isolation self-care

To close out our isolation self-care guide, we thought we’d select some of our favorite hemp and CBD products. All of these are products we’ve enjoyed during our time working from home. They have helped us feel more relaxed, more nourished, moisturized, and less anxious. 

We’ve broken down our selections into categories. Click the product below to go directly to the listing, or keep reading to see them all.

Beauty & Skin Care

Health

Fashion

Food

Ministry of Hemp received free samples of these products for evaluation. We receive a percentage of sales if you buy products using the links or coupons below. We only selected products that we genuinely enjoy, and that meet our high standards, for inclusion in this article. 

EngErotics products

EngErotics Soaking Sands Bath Shots

What is it? EngErotics Soaking Sands Bath Shots are single-serving bath salts that combine moisturizing oils, delightful scents and the soothing effects of CBD. 

Why did we select this product? A relaxing bath can be the perfect way to ground yourself in your body and focus on self-care rather than the stressful news of the day. And you know you’re supporting a great small, black-owned business with your dollars.

What’s it cost? $12.00 each

Photo: Kino White Gardenia Hemp skin care products create soothing self-care for cracked skin during isolation.

Kino Whole Plant Hemp CBD Body Lotion

What is it? Kino’s CBD Body Lotion, enhanced with kukui nut and hemp and rich with vitamin E will moisturize, heal cracked skin, and ease painfully dry hands. 

Why did we select this product? We’re all washing our hands over and over and over again! A soothing, moisturizing lotion is some of the best self-care right now. The White Gardenia scent helped mentally transport us to another place, too, far from isolation.

What’s it cost? $58 for an 8oz bottle

Prima Night Magic

Prima Night Magic Facial Oil

What is it? Prima Night Magic is a face and skin oil designed with a targeted blend of vitamins and nourishing oils, plus the power of hemp. 

Why did we select this product? A mindful skin care routine can become a kind of meditation, and there’s something intensely relaxing about this facial oil, with its warm earthy undertones and soothing feel. We’ve applied it to our face and neck, dry hands, even elbows. A little goes a long way!

What’s it cost? $88 for a 1oz bottle

Special Offer: Use coupon MINISTRY20 for 20% off your entire order!

Populum CBD Oil

Populum Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD Oil

What is it? A top-quality, full-spectrum product, Populum CBD Oil rich is with terpenes and cannabinoids, but blended with a fresh orange flavor that makes it easy to take. Available in 250mg, 500mg and 1000mg bottles.

Why did we select this product? CBD oil can offer stress relief, pain relief, and often helps relieve anxiety. There’s so many little ways CBD can help during isolation, so we make sure to take some every day. The great flavor of Populum’s CBD means there’s no hempy taste to contend with either.

What’s it cost? $59 – $179.00 depending on strength

Special Offer: Subscribe to monthly deliveries for 20% off

Joy Organics CBD Softgels

Joy Organics CBD Softgels

What is it? Broad-spectrum, THC-free Joy Organics CBD Softgels made with nanoemulsion technology to ensure fast absorption and high levels of bioavailability. Available in 10mg and 25mg strengths.

Why did we select this product? If you’re already taking other supplements or medications, a softgel can be an easy way to add CBD to your everyday self-care routine during isolation. Softgels also make it easy to take the same dose every time. 

What’s it cost? 44.95 – 74.95 depending on strength

Vitagenne Pure Sleep Hemp CBD Capsules

What is it? Vitagenne’s Pure Sleep Hemp Capsules combine 25mg of CBD isolate with 5mg of melatonin and 180mg of valerian extra in every softgel.

Why did we select this product? You’re not alone if you’ve been having trouble sleeping during the pandemic. Combining CBD with other natural sleep aids like valerian and melatonin, these capsules could help you drift off and sleep deeper.

What’s it cost? $49.99 for 30 capsules

Special Offer: Use coupon MOH20 for 20% off your entire order!

WAMA Hemp Underwear

What is it? WAMA Underwear is super soft, super comfortable, super durable underwear made from hemp! Available in 8 styles for men and women.

Why did we select this product? Hemp underwear is some of the softest underwear you can imagine and, like all hemp fabrics, it just gets softer as you wash it more. Plus, hemp is naturally antibacterial, meaning you’ll stink less around anyone you do get close too during isolation.

What’s it cost? $24 each for men’s underwear styles, $20 each for women’s underwear styles, discounted multi-packs available 

Hemp Zoo Hemp Socks

What is it? Ultra comfortable Hemp Zoo Hemp Socks available in basic black or cute hemp leaf print. These come in a crew style.

Why did we select this product? A warm, soft pair of socks just relaxes our feet, making great self-care when we’re isolating inside in the air conditioning all day. Hemp Zoo also has a wide selection of hemp clothes that are great for lounging indoors, helping you stay a little stylish while still very comfortable. Plus that whole anti-stink feature we mentioned above applies here too.

What’s it cost? $14.99 per pair

Hemp Seeds & Bars from Humming Hemp

What is it? Humming Hemp sells U.S. grown hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) that are easy to add to almost any dish. For quick snacking, we love their delicious hemp-based Hummingbars. Try several of their products in their special Stay Home Humming Kit.

Why did we select this product? Hemp seeds are very balanced nutrition, offering a complete protein along with other vital nutrients. Good nutrition is essential self-care, especially during the stress of isolation. 

What’s it cost? Various. Hemp hearts start at $9.99.

Neurogan Hemp Tea

What is it? Each bag of Neurogan Hemp Tea contains only caffeine-free hemp leaves and a small amount of CBD (10mg). Hemp has a natural earthy flavor that many tea lovers will adore. 

Why did we select this product? Neurogan is a CBD and hemp brand with Scandinavian roots. Neurogan seeks to promote the art of “hygge,” which means enjoying the simple things in life. A warm cup of hemp tea is the perfect simple self-care we need during isolation.

What’s it cost? $15.95 for 20 tea bags

Drew De Los Santos contributed to this guide.

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Science Explains How CBD Oil Could Help Ease Your Anxiety [UPDATED] https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-oil-anxiety/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-oil-anxiety/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2020 15:40:00 +0000 http://kapumaku.wpengine.com/?p=34052 Could you use CBD oil for anxiety? We’ve examined the connection between CBD and anxiety. Preliminary scientific research look promising.

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As millions of Americans struggle with increasingly stressful lives, some of them are turning to cannabis, specifically CBD, to ease their anxiety.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 19 percent of Americans experienced the symptoms of an anxiety disorder at some point over the past 12 months, making it the most common form of mental illness in the United States. Even for the rest of us, our chaotic, unpredictable world can still often leave us feeling overwhelmed.

Regular users of psychoactive cannabis, also commonly known as “marijuana,” frequently report using the substance to relax after a hard day. For many people, hemp-based CBD oil can offer similar benefits, but with few side effects and without making them feel “high”.

Just as with our article on using CBD for pain relief, we’ve examined both the scientific evidence and anecdotal reports from regular CBD consumers. There is still a lot of research to be done into CBD and anxiety. However, the preliminary results looks extremely promising.

Table of contents

Paradoxically, while many people look forward to that afterwork toke, other people report struggling with paranoia when they ingest psychoactive cannabis. This seems to happen often when they take more than they’re used to. Science suggests that CBD plays a key role in this seemingly paradoxical set of responses to the same substance.

Cbd could help with anxiety. Photo: A blurry crowd of rapidly rushing people.
In today’s high stress, unpredictable world, anxiety is one of the most common struggles faced by Americans.

Bailey Rahn, a writer at the cannabis information site Leafly, reported that some cannabis users have successfully counteracted these feelings of paranoia by taking additional CBD oil. Consumers of high CBD strains also report that they are less likely to induce paranoia. Anxiety sufferers in states with legal recreational or medicinal cannabis prize high CBD strains. And people in every state use CBD to help relieve anxiety, whether they take an oil, vape CBD, or even smoke hemp “joints.”

“Cannabidiol balances the buzz and softens the euphoria — or, in some cases, the dysphoria — induced by THC, which, in concentrated form, can make people feel very loopy and weird,” wrote cannabis expert Martin A. Lee in his book “Smoke Signals,” in a passage quoted by Rahn.

Science supports CBD’s ‘Considerable Potential’ as anxiety treatment

Like all extracts of hemp or cannabis, CBD oil is known to work primarily through its effects on the endocannabinoid system. There CBD mimics chemicals similar to cannabis that are naturally occurring in all humans (and all mammals). Some research even seems to link Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety-linked conditions to lower than normal levels of these natural occurring compounds.

“CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders.”

Most current research looks at the effects of CBD on serotonin. This neurotransmitter, found in the human brain and nervous system, plays a crucial role in mood (including depression and anxiety), sleep and other key biological processes.

A lot of the scientific research of CBD for anxiety is “preclinical,” meaning animal research rather than on humans, but these studies have found that CBD seems to function similarly to commonly prescribed SSRI class of pharmaceutical drugs by encouraging the action of serotonin receptors in the brain. Both SSRIs and CBD seem to promote regeneration of the hippocampus, a region of the brain that plays a role in both depression and anxiety.

Promising surveys of CBD research

In a survey of 34 studies which did include human subjects, published in May 2012 in Pharmaceuticals (Basel), Simon Zhornitsky and Stéphane Potvin found that CBD showed promise in numerous conditions from bipolar disorder to social anxiety.

“[P]reliminary clinical trials suggest that high-dose oral CBD (150–600 mg/d) may exert a therapeutic effect for social anxiety disorder, insomnia and epilepsy,” they wrote, but warned that high doses of CBD can “also … cause mental sedation.”

In a similar September 2015 survey, published in Neurotherapeutics, a team of 4 researchers looked at the results of both human and animal studies of CBD.

“Overall, current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders,” the team wrote, though they emphasized that further study is needed.

CBD users find lower doses can also be effective

Scientific research into CBD seems to mostly focus on its positive effect on overall anxiety levels, and anecdotal reports we read from CBD consumers suggests it may be more effective when taken regularly rather than a treatment for specific flare-ups of “acute” anxiety.

“For me, it’s good for quelling the low level, day-to-day anxiety that buzzes in the background, but it isn’t strong enough to stop a panic attack the way xanax can,” wrote redditor WilliamMelvinHicks in a 2017 discussion on Reddit.

Other redditors reported that too high of a dose of CBD can sometimes exacerbate anxiety. “That’s why [it’s] always good to start small and work yourself up,” wrote kiiinglouie, another redditor.

CBD isn't a cure for anxiety, but many consumers report major relief from some of its most troubling symptoms. Science is beginning to support this use. Photo: A double exposure-style photo showing two images of a white woman in a white t-shirt, hugging herself with anxiety, shoulders hunched.
CBD isn’t a cure for anxiety, but many consumers report major relief from some of its most troubling symptoms. Science is beginning to support this use.

New research continues to support CBD and anxiety

While research is ongoing, we wanted to look at a few more recent studies. Since we first wrote this article, even more research now supports using CBD for anxiety. If you search online (Google Scholar is a great resource), you’ll find even more.

“More high-quality clinical trials must be published before sound conclusions can be drawn.”

In February 2020, the Journal of Clinical Psychology published a case study on using CBD in a teenage patient with Crohn’s disease. The patient struggled with intense fear and anxiety over medical treatments. The authors cautioned that the case study can’t substitute for a real scientific study, but results were promising. Because CBD can also reduce inflammation, it offered dual benefits for the patient in question. While it’s also not scientific, one of our writers, Annalise Mabe, reported intense relief from “the psychological burden/worry, abdominal pain, and overall anxiety” caused by Crohn’s.

Another February 2020 case study, this time published in the German publication Neuropsychiatrie, found CBD offered relief to a teenager struggling with both anxiety and harmful use of mind-altering drugs.

However, it’s worth noting that a review of various studies and research, published January 2020 in Current Opinion in Psychiatry was more reserved. While noting some promising results, researchers cautioned that some studies failed to show significant anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) benefits from cannabis.

“More high-quality clinical trials must be published before sound conclusions regarding the efficacy of cannabis for treating anxiety can be drawn,” they wrote.

Final thoughts on cannabis and anxiety

We still have much to learn about CBD and anxiety. The 2018 Farm Bill made CBD legal for everyone in the U.S. Since then, they’ve exploded in popularity.

It’s worth experimenting with hemp extracts to see if they can help you find stress relief. Remember, we’re not doctors. You should always consult with your medical professionals before changing your treatment in any way. While it’s rare, CBD can have side effects. In particular, if you’ve ever been warned to avoid grapefruit because of its interaction with your prescription drugs, be sure to check with your doctor before starting CBD.

Let us know how you’re using CBD too, we’d love to hear your stories. Reach us at hello@ministryofhemp.com.

* This article is part of our series of exploring the potential benefits of CBD oil. Read our other posts:
 
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DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS

The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.

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CBD For ADHD: What Does Science Say About CBD & ADD? https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-adhd/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-adhd/#comments Tue, 18 Jun 2019 21:09:38 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=57618 As part of our continuing look at the science of cannabinoids, we thought we’d look at what current research says about using CBD for ADHD and ADD. We all have trouble concentrating and controlling our impulses from time to time. But for a considerable number of children and adults, these problems can disrupt their lives. […]

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As part of our continuing look at the science of cannabinoids, we thought we’d look at what current research says about using CBD for ADHD and ADD.

We all have trouble concentrating and controlling our impulses from time to time. But for a considerable number of children and adults, these problems can disrupt their lives. In the United States, approximately 8.1% of the population struggles with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at some point in their lives.

Although research is still preliminary, a growing body of evidence shows cannabinoids could be beneficial in ADHD treatment, not only by alleviating symptoms but by also improving the chemical imbalances that cause them.

Below we’ll look at what the current science suggests about using CBD for ADHD, including its safety.

What is ADHD?

A neurobiological disorder, doctors typically diagnose ADHD during childhood or adolescence, though it often persists into adulthood. Characterized by inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity, there are three subtypes:

  • Inattentive type, or attention deficit disorder (ADD), involves inattentive symptoms. These include being easily distracted and having trouble concentrating.
  • Hyperactive-impulsive type is the opposite of ADD. Symptoms include excessive talking and inability to sit still.
  • Combined type, as the name suggests, is when both groups of symptoms are more or less equally present.

Additional symptoms can include problems with managing stress, insomnia, anxiety, aggression, and self-focusing behavior (the inability to recognize the needs or wants of others).

Probable causes of ADHD

An extremely complex disorder, ADHD is thought to be caused by a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Widespread brain abnormalities, spanning from the prefrontal cortex to the cerebellum, are associated with the disorder.

Seen from behind, a girl swings on a swingset alone outdoors. Numerous factors contribute to ADHD, including both environmental and genetic contributors.
Numerous factors contribute to ADHD, including both environmental and genetic factors.

Whether dependent on genes or environment, individuals who do develop the disorder have lower than average levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Both of these neurotransmitters play a critical role in the motor and reward systems, which may explain the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.

Environmental & genetic factors

The chances of inheriting ADHD from a parent is somewhere between 60-90%. This suggests genetics are the primary cause but not the only one. Chromosomal deletions and duplications, where parts of the genetic code are either missing or repeated, are common in individuals with the disorder. These likely cause the associated brain abnormalities.

Environmental factors during fetal development and infancy can aggravate pre-existing genetic issues. Prenatal exposure to alcohol and nicotine, low birth weight, malnutrition, and a lack of socialization early in life may increase the risk of ADHD.

Of course, it is not possible to alter genes using cannabinoids or any other medications. However, CBD may help with addictions, possibly reducing fetal exposure.

Dopamine deficiencies

People with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine, which affects reward-motivated behavior. Pharmaceutical stimulants, like Ritalin and Adderall, increase the availability of dopamine in the brain. Unfortunately, these medications do not work for everyone. They also pose a risk of severe or life-threatening side effects.

Some cannabinoids, like the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), may increase dopamine activity in the bain. They do this in the same way as stimulants, and all other drugs with a potential for abuse, by triggering the reward system.

CBD may also increase availability but in a very different way. In a preclinical trial, mice with lower than average numbers of G protein-coupled receptors (GPR6) in the brain showed higher levels of dopamine than mice with a normal amount of these receptors. This indicates that reducing activity in GPR6 increases either dopamine production or release.

A brain receptor is a sort of parking lot for different neurotransmitters, with spaces for them to ‘park’ and produce their effects. Because CBD can ‘park’ on GPR6 but does not do anything once there, it reduces activity in the receptor by taking up space. Theoretically, this may increase dopamine levels.

Norepinephrine deficiencies

A neurotransmitter and hormone vital to everything from movement to blood pressure, norepinephrine levels are also lower than average in people with ADHD. Nonstimulant medications, like atomoxetine and clonidine, increase levels of norepinephrine. This improves attention span and lowers hyperactivity and impulsivity.

The locus coeruleus (LC) region of the brain, which plays a role in the ability to concentrate, is a principal source of this neurotransmitter. CBR1 cannabinoid receptors appear throughout the LC. Stimulating these receptors seems to increase the release of norepinephrine into the rest of the brain.

Study shows some synthetic cannabinoids created in the lab may increase norepinephrine activity in the LC, consequently raising dopamine levels. Cannabinoids also show the potential to regulate this area of the brain by preventing over-activation, which can reduce the ability to focus. Because these chemicals mimic naturally occurring cannabinoids, plant-based treatments may produce similar results.

A woman sits cross legged in bed working on a laptop. CBD seems to be very safe in adults, and may show promise for CBD treatment.
CBD seems to be very safe in adults, and may show promise for some symptoms of ADHD.

The beneficial effects are possible due to the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO), which helps metabolize dopamine and norepinephrine. Slowing the breakdown process of these neurotransmitters can lead to higher levels throughout the brain.

Studies on cannabinoids, including CBD, and ADHD

While the body of research on the effect of cannabinoids in the brain is quite large, there are very few studies specifically on ADHD. The few that do exist show there is potential, but further research is necessary.

In a preclinical trial, researchers used a drug called MK-801, which induces inattentiveness and hyperactivity in rats. This mimics the symptoms of ADHD. Pretreatment with CBD reduced hyperactivity but did not appear to affect attention span.

A clinical trial conducted in 2017 compared the effects of a placebo treatment to Sativex (an oral spray containing a 1:1 ratio of CBD to THC) in 30 adults with ADHD. The adults given Sativex showed improvements in hyperactivity-impulsivity, attention span, and emotional control, while the placebo group did not.

Is it safe to use CBD for ADHD?

While the existing studies show cannabinoids indeed have potential, the likelihood of ADHD treatment beginning during childhood means more research is needed to determine their safety. Although 5.2% of children already take traditional stimulant or non-stimulant medications, most are not recommended for use in patients under six years old, and the effects of long-term use are not clear.

A young student hides playfully behind a piece of posterboard while sitting at a desk. Some research supports using cannabinoids like CBD for ADHD.
Some research supports using cannabinoids like CBD for ADHD. However, too little is known about the potential

Over 20 weeks, a group of 20 children took a cannabis extract containing 100 mg/ml CBD and 2 mg/ml THC. Most of the participants had mild adverse effects, such as tiredness and poor balance, but these resolved themselves within eight weeks.

While these results are encouraging, further study is needed to determine the long-term effects. Behavioral therapy is the recommended frontline ADHD treatment for younger pediatric patients. Medication is only appropriate in older patients, when therapy proves ineffective. And we just don’t know enough about the effect of cannabinoids on young minds.

When it comes to adults, there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that CBD has very few side effects. Even the World Health Organization reported that CBD is safe and nonaddictive.

Final thoughts on CBD and ADHD

Approximately 26.5 million Americans struggle with ADHD at some point in their lives. If cannabinoids can help even a fraction of them, an enormous amount of lives could be improved.

We can’t stress this enough, but it’s vital to consult with a medical professional before beginning any treatment program. This is even more true when it comes to children and adolescents. It’s also important not to change your existing treatment plan without medical advice. Abruptly discontinuing behavioral or pharmaceutical therapies can be extremely detrimental and is not recommended in any circumstance.

We think it’s clear that CBD and other cannabinoids could help some people with ADHD. We hope scientists continue to investigate and we’ll continue to report back when they do.

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First CBD And PTSD Study Reveals Promising Potential For More Research https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-ptsd-study/ https://ministryofhemp.com/cbd-ptsd-study/#respond Sat, 01 Jun 2019 18:18:27 +0000 http://ministryofhemp.com/?p=57235 A promising preliminary study of CBD and PTSD suggests more research could be very fruitful. In the small study, patients reported reduced symptoms including few nightmares.

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A promising preliminary study of CBD and PTSD suggests more research could be very fruitful.

Scott Shannon, MD, working with CV Sciences, recently conducted the first study determining whether CBD is a beneficial treatment medicine for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Since becoming popular, many CBD consumers now claim it’s one of the best all-natural supplements for mental illness. Yet, without proper research and regulation, medical professionals are hesitant to recommend it to patients. Furthermore, since current medical knowledge of CBD and PTSD is limited, it’s difficult to consult a doctor about using this medicine.

Due to this, Shannon’s research is vital to the industry. Not only does it provide the public with credible insight into CBD’s effects, but it brings us one step closer to widespread acceptance of the benefits of CBD.

“These are promising results and an indication that CBD would be beneficial to people with PTSD. However, to confirm it, you’d want to run a larger, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” — Dr. Duffy MacKay, CV Sciences

Dr. Duffy MacKay, CV Sciences’ senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, told us “Science grows in increments. Science grows through hypothesis and then testing of hypothesis.” CV Sciences are the creators and marketers of the PlusCBD Oil products which were used in the study.

With science behind CBD revealing itself, the future of the hemp industry and human health looks even brighter.

CBD AND PTSD STUDY REVEALS ‘PROMISING NEWS’ FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Shannon is a physician and psychologist who’s worked in the mental health field for some time. After learning about how CBD works with the endocannabinoid system, he became highly interested in its potential to be used as a treatment for PTSD.

“There are some animal models and studies that suggest cannabidiol would be beneficial mechanistically,” explained Dr. Duffy. “So what [Shannon] did in his patient population was a series of retrospective cases where he was treating people with our product.”

A new study of CBD and PTSD offered promising evidence. Photo: A woman seated in a fetal position rests her head on her knees.
A new study of CBD and PTSD offered promising evidence.

Shannon gathered together 11 adult patients, all of whom were going through regular PTSD treatment, including other medications and psychotherapies. While having them continue this treatment, he also provided them with a flexible dosage of CBD oil.

The study found that 10 out of the 11 patients experienced a decrease in PTSD symptom severity. Patients especially reported a reduction in nightmares. This is important, as these tend to be vivid reimaginings of their traumatic experiences.

“This is promising news,” Dr. Duffy said. “But this is not a rigorous, randomized controlled trial. When you have a successful study like this — Dr. Shannon would be the first to say this — these are promising results and an indication that CBD would be beneficial to people with PTSD. However, to confirm it, you’d want to run a larger, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.”

In other words, Shannon’s experiment was the foundation of future experiments surrounding CBD and PTSD.

ENCOURAGING EVIDENCE

With that in mind, it’s not professionally recommended for people with PTSD to use CBD as a medical treatment. Yes, Shannon’s study gives us a lot of evidence that should allow us to think otherwise. However, in order to understand just how CBD works within people suffering from PTSD, more research must be conducted.

As Dr. Duffy reiterates,

“We are developing a hemp extract that’s sold as a dietary supplement. This is not a drug or a prescription drug. We’re focusing on the quality of our product. We make no claims. PTSD is a very complicated and serious condition and we will always tell a consumer to talk to their doctor about any changes to the treatment they’re doing.”

Still, Shannon’s evidence will inevitably be an encouragement for more medical professionals to perform studies in regards to how CBD can help with PTSD. Furthermore, it supports people with PTSD who want to ask their doctors about CBD.

“It’s important to mention all of the patients in this study were under routine psychiatric care,” Dr. Duffy emphasized.

“They received medication. They received counseling. And the CBD was added on top of their care. This is not a replacement of any drugs. This is not a cure-all. If anything, if doctors are open-minded and willing to try a non-intoxicating, natural product, this study would indicate it’s a safe option for them.”

Using CBD for PTSD can ease some of this complex condition's most troubling symptoms. Photo: Cropped shot of female soldier in military uniform sitting on sofa and holding wooden cubes that spell PTSD.
Using CBD may ease some of this complex condition’s most troubling symptoms.

CBD AND THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE

It’s safe to say that CBD has strong potential for treatment of PTSD and other mental disorders. Still, many questions remain on the matter. Are there any other symptoms CBD can help with? Is it better for some types of PTSD than others?

This is why it’s vital for medical professionals such as Shannon to keep investigating CBD within the medical field.

“There’s a lot of different science you’d have to overlay on top of this study in order to really start answering specific questions,” Duffy added.

We have a long way to go until cannabidiol is properly recognized within the eyes of medical professionals and the government. It’s important for hemp advocates to continue pushing for more research like this.

The post First CBD And PTSD Study Reveals Promising Potential For More Research appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

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