CBD is quickly beginning to be recognized as a proper medicine due to recent discoveries about the many health benefits it delivers (and it’s about time too!) CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system to treat a whole range of ailments, some of these being associated to the digestive system – which is exactly what this article is about. If you’re dying to know just exactly how CBD can aid in the treatment of all things gut-related, do read on.
How important is the gut when it comes to health?
Maintaining a healthy gut is really pretty significant and this knowledge has been around for thousands of years. The importance of the digestive system isn’t anything new but applying CBD to aid in its health certainly is.
The gut is actually the home countless microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, archaea etc.) that live within the body and are necessary for our general health. Research released by Harvard University even claims that these organisms play a part in many physiological processes, like synthesizing vitamins and disintegrating deadly food compounds.
The gut isn’t just responsible for our physical health though, in fact, it plays a vital role in mental health as well. Some experts are even going so far as to call the gut our second brain!
So how does CBD help with digestion?
There is lots of evidence to suggest CBD works to help maintain a healthy gut via the endocannabinoid network – a system of receptors in the body (including the gut) which are responsible for a significant amount of physiological processes. CBD has been proven to directly influence several of these receptors, though it doesn’t bind to them, and so there is clearly a correlation between the two.
CBD and IBS
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is an ailment characterized by stomach cramps and bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The disease is caused by issues with the intestine, such as inflammation, and can be triggered by things like stress and hormone changes. Obviously, this condition can be incredibly uncomfortable and so effective treatment is paramount – luckily there is already treatment available, though CBD could be a useful addition to it.
One piece of research published in the Phytotherapy Research journal stated that CBD could be incredibly useful for combatting IBS, as well as other conditions related to digestion. This paper also makes mention of CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties, again something that could be very helpful for IBS sufferers.
In Conclusion…
CBD is clearly a multifaceted substance capable of doing wonderful things for the human body. That being said, is important not to substitute CBD for any medication that may be prescribed to you by a medical professional, and you should always consult your doctor before adding it into your treatment regimen. Hopefully more research will be done on the compound so that, in time, CBD will be widely accessible to all as a viable medicine.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever used CBD! We’d love to hear from you.
By Brodie Mckenzie