Cannabidiol (CBD) seems to be everywhere at the moment. It enjoys robust media coverage both online and in print, health food and holistic medicine shops are all fully stocked with it, and now fitness buffs and wellness gurus are getting on board, touting its benefits.
But what is it, and what can it do for you?
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is an extract derived from hemp and cannabis plants. It is one of over a hundred different cannabinoids found within cannabis and is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients. It has been the most actively used and studied since its discovery in 1940.
Though it is derived from hemp and cannabis, CBD oil won’t get you stoned, however. The other prevalent active compound in hemp and cannabis is the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and it’s this that delivers the high. Absent of this, CBD oil has no psychoactive effect, allowing you to garner all the health benefits on offer (see below) without suffering any changes to your state of mind.
There is no evidence of any public health concerns surrounding CBD oil. Scientific studies looking into the potential benefits of including CBD oil in your supplement regime look promising, but are a little mixed. So far, it seems very likely that common ailments such as chronic pain, anxiety and fatigue may be alleviated by CBD oil use.
There is a wealth of testimonial evidence to back this up, though more hard data is needed in the coming months and years.
Types of CBD oil
There are many different strains of CBD oil, including the popular Harlequin, Ringo’s Gift, Stephen Hawking Kush, Cannatonic and ACDC varieties.
You can also buy CBD in a variety of formats. These include:
- Tinctures
- Capsules
- Sprays
- Vapes
- Topicals
- Sprays
- Concentrates
All will help you to enjoy the health benefits of CBD oil, but always be sure to read the instructions on the packaging to make the most out of every dose.
Is CBD oil legal in the UK?
The short answer is yes, CBD oil is completely legal in the UK.
There are some rules and regulations that need to be covered, though. CBD oil is legal if it comes from an EU approved industrial hemp variety (though with Brexit looming, this might be set to change in the next few years). In addition, CBD oil can contain no more than 1mg of THC per product, so that no commercially available oil will be in any way psychoactive.
There are only a couple of exceptions to this. The first is the specialised drug Sativex. It is made up of half and half CBD and THC and is licensed only for medicinal use in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The drug Nabilone, used to relieve common chemotherapy side effects, is also freed from such stringent limits.
All commercially available CBD will follow these guidelines, however. If you want to give it a go and see what it can do for you, CBD oil is very readily available from multiple outlets.
Most high street health stores and natural remedy/alternative medicine shops stock CBD oil. Alternatively, try CBD Shopy where you can purchase CBD oil & CBD capsules from the world’s leading CBD brands.
CBD health and fitness benefits
There are three main proven health and fitness benefits of CBD oil:
- It has antioxidant properties
- It provides an anti-inflammatory effect
- It has neuroprotective properties
Antioxidant properties are important. They protect our cells against free radical damage and can relieve muscle soreness after hard exercise.
Exercise has been proven to provide long-term anti-inflammatory properties. Combining this with the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD oil will compound this, meaning that you get a lot more benefit from both than you would from each individually. In addition, short-term inflammation caused by exercise trauma will be greatly mitigated by using anti-inflammatory foods and supplements, like CBD oil.
Neuroprotection refers to the preservation of neuronal structure and function. Essentially, anything that confers neuroprotective properties will protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia. It will also help to protect against age-related neural decline.
In addition, it’s believed that CBD oil can relieve the symptoms of stress and stress related issues like insomnia. It is believed to help improve mood, diminishing incidents and severity of depression. CBD is also thought to be able to help relieve chronic conditions such as epilepsy and Crohn’s disease, as well as relieving muscular and joint pain caused by conditions such as arthritis. Though more research is needed into these claims, this is all very encouraging and many people already swear by CBD oil.
