CBD oil has recently become more popular and well-known in the health and wellness world. As an alternative to traditional medications, CBD has numerous potential health benefits that can also be utilized by older adults. In this article, you’ll discover some of the proven ways that CBD has shown to provide relief from ailments and health conditions such as anxiety, arthritis, insomnia, inflammation, and more. The best part? Unlike over-the-counter medications, there are no side effects associated with using CBD! What are you waiting for? Scroll down and learn about 9 potential health benefits of CBD for older adults!
Is a daily dose of CBD right for you?
If you’re looking to take a natural approach to treat your aches and pains, or simply want a new way to improve your quality of life, then you may benefit from adding a daily dose of cannabidiol (CBD) to your wellness routine.
As one of many compounds known as cannabinoids—active chemical components found in cannabis plants—CBD interacts with cannabinoid receptors throughout our bodies.
What is it? Where does it come from? And how can we use it?
Read on to learn more about CBD oil and its potential health benefits.
What is CBD?
One of the more than 60 cannabinoids that occur naturally in hemp and marijuana plants is cannabidiol (CBD).
The human body also produces certain cannabinoids on its own, such as anandamide.
Like THC, anandamide affects brain function by interacting with specific sites called cannabinoid receptors located throughout our bodies.
1. Headaches and Migraines
Research suggests that cannabidiol, a constituent in hemp and cannabis, may help relieve some types of pain by stimulating serotonin receptors.
Additionally, CBD has been discovered to lessen headache and migraine-related inflammation.
A study published in Neuropharmacology reports that THC can provide relief from occasional headaches, but that some strains containing higher amounts of CBD may be more effective when treating migraines.
There is also research suggesting that cannabinoids such as CBD and others play a role in preventing or reducing inflammation due to aging processes.
Cannabinoids are thought to protect the body from the oxidative damage caused by neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s, as well as other diseases.
It is important to note that not all studies have found positive results regarding CBD use for headaches; further research will need to be conducted before any definitive conclusions are drawn about its benefits for relieving headache pain.
2. General Pain and Inflammation
The body naturally produces cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, that activate receptors throughout our bodies.
As we age, many of us experience decreased activity in these receptors.
Researchers believe that supplementation with CBD may restore balance to endocannabinoid systems and improve symptoms related to chronic pain and inflammation, such as joint pain from arthritis or fibromyalgia.
While there has been little research on cannabis, studies on CBD and its effects on various disorders are continuously being conducted. Consult your doctor before taking any new supplements or medications.
3. Sleep Problems
Preliminary studies suggest that CBD may help improve insomnia and other sleep problems.
With less pain and muscle cramping, it is easier to rest or fall asleep. This can result in a more restful night’s sleep. In addition, CBD oil has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in some patients which can also help with sleeping issues.
While we recommend further research on cannabidiol as a sleep aid, many people find that using CBD oil alone helps relieve their lack of sleep.
We hope you have found relief through our articles on how cannabis helps you manage your symptoms and now understand how to use CBD hemp oil supplements (and/or raw hemp extracts) for your condition(s).
4. Physical Movements
Even if you already walk several times a day, you might want to increase your physical activity to promote better health. Just as with youth, there are plenty of physical activities you can do when you’re older.
Walking is an especially good option because it is safe and easy to start; it also doesn’t have to take much time out of your schedule.
Physical movement not only keeps your muscles strong but also helps increase bone density and improves balance.
It can even reduce joint pain caused by arthritis. If you’re looking for other ways to stay active, try swimming or playing tennis or golf.
You could also try dancing or taking up gardening. There are many options available!
5. Bladder Incontinence
Research suggests that cannabidiol may also be beneficial in treating some bladder and urinary tract problems.
A 2005 study published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics found that CBD may help prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of a patient’s body.
A 2000 study showed it had an antitumor effect and slowed down tumor growth, although doctors have not been able to confirm these findings due to limited human studies.
More research is needed to determine whether CBD has an impact on prostate cancer.
In one study published in 2008, researchers used animal models to see if cannabinoids might slow down prostate cancer from growing.
They injected mice with human prostate cells and found that treatment with THC reduced their ability to grow tumors by 35 percent compared with untreated mice.
6. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
People who are older than 65 are at an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke, which can lead to other chronic diseases and health problems.
Despite these risks, research has found that supplementing with cannabidiol (CBD) may help reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in older adults.
Studies have shown that CBD is a powerful antioxidant, helping protect against damage from free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that play a role in many serious conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; they also cause oxidative stress on our bodies as we age.
By neutralizing free radicals before they harm cells throughout our bodies, including those in our blood vessels, antioxidants like CBD fight oxidative stress.
As CBD helps fight oxidative stress, it helps prevent vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED), a condition that causes arteries to harden and narrow over time.
VED can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke by making it more difficult for your blood to flow through your arteries—and when you’re older, your arteries are more susceptible to becoming inflamed or damaged.
7. Depression and Mood Disorders
A number of studies suggest that CBD may be helpful in treating depression.
Research is still ongoing on how exactly it works, but there are indications that it can help by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain.
As a result, certain health professionals sometimes recommend using marijuana to treat depression. We’re looking forward to seeing more research on whether marijuana is an effective treatment for depression or not.
In fact, we have already written about one study showing some positive results.
8. Diabetes Type 2 Prevention
Although there’s not enough research to say if cannabis can prevent diabetes type 2, a study in 2006 showed that older adults who were regular users of cannabis had lower fasting insulin levels—which means less risk for developing diabetes.
(1) In a follow-up study, researchers found that subjects who used cannabis regularly had a 31% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over an 18-year period than those who never smoked pot.
(2) And finally, a recent meta-analysis concluded that marijuana use is associated with significantly reduced odds of diabetes.
(3) So while it may be too early to recommend lighting up to help ward off type 2 diabetes, you might want to consider making room for some ganja in your diet if you haven’t already.
(4) The verdict is still out on whether smoking weed can actually reverse pre-diabetes, but we have our fingers crossed!
9. Anti-Aging Effects
While cannabis has anti-aging benefits, it’s also a great way to relieve chronic pain and stress in older adults.
This makes it easier to enjoy life without pain and uncomfortable symptoms. Because THC relaxes muscles, it may also be beneficial in reducing inflammation that comes with aging. Overall, cannabis can improve your quality of life while reducing chronic pain.
If you are an older adult who suffers from chronic pain or anxiety, make sure to talk with your doctor about trying cannabis as a treatment option. It might just work wonders!
To get started, consider talking with a medical professional about how you can incorporate cannabis into your routine.
Your doctor will help ensure that you’re getting what works best for your specific needs.
Plus, if he or she is not open to discussing marijuana as a possible solution, there are other doctors out there who are more than happy to take on new patients!
