CBD is one of the most versatile products you will ever come across. Albeit anecdotally, it is known to help people with different conditions manage or completely recover from their ailments. Some of the best effects of CBD include helping with pain relief and management, soothing and eliminating inflammation discomforts, and managing anxiety and depression, among other numerous positive gains.
Continued research helps identify more functions and positive effects of the product. CBD has also been used to effectively help patients with Alzheimer’s recover or better deal with the condition. This happens in different ways, as mentioned below. Keep reading to see how CBD can be effective or helpful to such patients.
CBD and Dementia/ Alzeihmers
Before rushing to get your favorite Best CBD UK markets have to offer, you want to know how this product can be helpful in the conditions you intend to manage or deal with.
However, it helps first to understand what Alzheimer’s is. Many have confused Alzheimer’s with dementia, using the two terms interchangeably. Well, in reality, the two are different. Dementia is the umbrella term referring to all conditions leading to memory loss and deterioration.
Dementia generally exhibits symptoms that affect memory, communication capabilities, and daily functioning. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s is a specific type of dementia that worsens over time. It is characterized by particular symptoms, including language and memory loss and lost thought abilities.
How Does CBD Help?
CBD refers to the active compound found in the cannabis plant. While CBD affects the brain, it does not get users high. Instead, it is known to interact with one’s receptor systems and also impact the endocannabinoid system directly. A 2019 research shows that CBD can effectively treat Alzheimer’s by suppressing cerian symptoms, including memory loss and behavior disorder. Some of the signs that Alzheimer’s patients exhibit that can be easily treated or eliminated by CBD include:
- Aggressive behavior
- Lost inhibitions
- Social withdrawal
- Sleep disturbance
Further research has shown that CBD is one of the most effective products for dementia. It has been discovered that it helps different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons’, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Vascular dementia, Huntington’s disease, and Frontotemporal dementia.
Based on the findings of this research, it has been discovered that cannabinoids, CBD included, have the potential to eliminate dementia from the brain cells and increase brain cell connections. CBD is, therefore, very effective for the treatment of dementia in many ways. These include:
Reducing inflammation
There is continued research on the impact of CBD on Alzheimer’s even today. Generally, most research shows that using CBD to help deal with Alzheimer’s has been instrumental, especially when it comes to reducing inflammation and eliminating its impacts. Whenever there is inflammation in the brain, oxygen is released.
Unfortunately, the more inflammation one suffers, the higher the adverse effect experienced. Consequently, vital brain functions such as memory will be interfered with as more oxygen is released. Due to this, the patients will suffer from brain function loss effects and memory loss which indirectly leads to oxygen increment in the brain.
Minimizing oxygen build-up
CBD is an antioxidant. This means that it will be instrumental in helping reverse the issues that the oxygen stress may have triggered in the brain cells. Therefore, regular and proper use of CBD can help deal with the negative effects of oxygen stress.
Stimulating the brain and neuroprotectants
One other positive impact of CBD, as recently discovered, is its ability to stimulate brain tissue. Typically, Alzheimer’s affects the brain cells and shows rapid destruction and decline of brain cells. Some clinical trials have since shown that CBD can effectively reverse the impact of this deterioration and, in some cases, even prevent the disease’s adverse effects. A 2011 research showed that CBD potentially boosts brain cells’ growth and development. As a result, this helps protect the patient’s memory and increases their brain functions.
Reducing the decline of memory and brain functionality
Recent research results have uncovered that CBD can help increase the amount of brain protein known as IL-33 and TREM2, which helps maintain cognitive function.
Eliminating dead brain cells and protein tangles
These are said to be triggers of brain diseases such as dementia. The ability of CBD to increase brain cell proteins is instrumental in eliminating the dead cells. It also helps clean/eliminate beta-amyloid plaque tangles, often linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Regularly injecting CBD into mice with Alzheimer’s showed improved ability to think. The mice could tell the difference between new and old items. Additionally, the movement in the mice also improved significantly. However, while these are impressive results, further research must be carried out, especially on humans, since most of the available information is based on what was done on animals.
Improving movement and reducing stress and anxiety
Generally, people with Alzheimer’s tend to experience stiffness, which influences their ability to walk and move around. The mice used in the experiments also had similar issues to the studies mentioned above. However, with the injection of CBD, the mice could improve and move around. The same could happen to humans, but this is yet to be verified. It is believed that CBD can significantly boost movement, which is a significant challenge for Alzheimer’s patients.
Caution from the FDA
Even with the numerous suggested benefits of CBD, the FDA warns against abuse of the product. It is essential to exercise caution since CBD may cause liver issues, as depicted in different animal experiments where high doses of the product were used.
Additionally, it could impact the metabolism of other medications since it could cause negative interactions, not forgetting the fact that the products’ long-term effects remain unknown to date.
While CBD is generally recognized as safe, paying attention to the potential side effects is essential. These include diarrhea, fatigue, and weight changes. Before using CBD for Alzheimer’s, consider consulting your physician or doctor to know if it is safe. Besides that, this will ensure that the use of CBD is also regulated and that you can also access the right quality and doses to increase efficiency.
Final Thoughts
CBD is an effective product for the treatment and management of various conditions. Alzheimer’s can be a frustrating condition, and the fact that CBD seems to offer a ray of hope is worth trying. However, make sure to do it with the full knowledge of what could happen. There is still a need for more research on this subject to ensure that it is compelling enough for safe and regular use.