âCBD is the chemicals found in plants that have cannabis in them,â says Dr. Streem. CBD comes mostly from hemp, and it is important to note that it has very small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that makes you feel âhigh.â The U.S. government says that hemp-based products canât have more than 0.3% THC in them.
What does CBD do?
As far as proven health benefits Best CBD Oil for Anxiety, there is some evidence that CBD could help treat chronic pain, but the data is still mixed. More importantly, Dr. Streem says, âCBD has specific health benefits that scientific studies have shown, and it is the active ingredient in a drug approved by the FDA to treat certain types of childhood seizure disorders.â
In particular, he says that CBD has helped children with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, both of which are rare. âThe most common medicines for seizures donât work very well in these situations.â CBD is part of a treatment plan that also includes other drugs and even surgery on the brain.
Does CBD help ease anxiety?
Short answer: no. CBD probably doesnât help ease anxiety like ads and personal stories say it does. âThe science isnât there yet,â says Dr. Streem. He adds that there are studies that support the use of CBD for the seizure conditions mentioned above, but there arenât any high-quality studies that support the use of CBD for anxiety yet.
And if youâre waiting for the results of those studies, make yourself at home. Dr. Streem points out that it is hard for researchers to do studies that give them the information they need for two reasons.
A lack of control
First, federal laws and government oversight make it hard to study cannabinoids like marijuana. Some kind of marijuana, either for medical or recreational use. However, THC-containing cannabis is still illegal on a federal level.
The dangers of taking CBD
Dr. Streem has a simple message for anyone who wants to try CBD without first talking to their doctor: Donât. Itâs about the unknowns, like most products arenât regulated and may have enough THC to show up on a drug test.
âItâs less risky to try a CBD product with your doctorâs help,â says Dr. Streem. If it makes you feel weird in any way, you should stop using it right away.â
He says, âIf you could prove that a product didnât have THC and had a CBD percentage close to what the label said, thereâs little worry that it would hurt you, even if it had benefits. But weâre not dealing with that right now.â
In conclusion
Dr. Streem says that the scientific evidence isnât there yet for using CBD to help with anxiety, even though data shows that it has some benefits when used in medically approved situations. Without stricter rules, trying over-the-counter products is riskier than it is worth.