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7 min read
Lucy MacKinnon
From Morrisons to medical cannabis clinics, CBD seems to be everywhere – but, what actually is it? For National CBD Day, we explain the A-B-Cs of CBD, from its plant-based origin to its clinical applications – here’s everything you need to know about CBD.
From beauty products and cosmetics to nutritional supplements and diet additives, CBD can be found in balms, lotions, teas, tinctures, and healthcare treatment plans across the country.
With evidence supporting its beneficial effects on anxiety, stress, and sleep concerns, and potentials in alleviating pain and muscle stiffness, its wide range of uses and low risk profile have made CBD a very popular modern lifestyle addition.
So much so, that in 2020, 1.3 million adults in the UK said they were using CBD on a regular basis, and now the CBD market is believed to be booming at a value of around £700 million in just the UK alone.
These products are typically sold over the counter in health and wellbeing stores, but did you know that CBD also plays a vital role in medical cannabis treatment plans?
As well as its positive influence on stress, sleep, muscle stiffness and pain, CBD can have powerful effects for patients who suffer from seizures, muscle spasms and inflammatory conditions too.
And that’s why for National CBD Day, we’ve decided to put together the A-B-Cs of CBD.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a phytocannabinoid (or cannabinoid) that is naturally produced by cannabis and hemp plants.
Unlike its chemical counterpart THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t induce a ‘high’ and has no intoxicating effects associated with its use.
In fact, it’s actually thought CBD counteracts some of the intoxicating effects THC can have when the two are taken together.
Outside of its applications as a lifestyle additive for general wellbeing, cannabidiol is a useful tool in medical cannabis treatment plans, which are designed to alleviate symptoms associated with a number of different chronic health conditions.
For example, research shows that cannabidiol can be a useful component in managing stress and anxiety. This can be useful for overall wellbeing, but also, for those diagnosed with mental health conditions like depression, generalised anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
One study in 2017 analysed how participants performed in a public speaking test. These results showed both 300 mg, and 600 mg, of CBD made a significant difference to the anxiety participants felt, alleviating their anxiety during public speaking.
Evidence also demonstrates CBD is a safe, anticonvulsant, that can reduce the frequency of seizures, due to the way it targets the trigger, or seizure source. CBD is believed to be of benefit to those who encounter seizures, because of its ability to reduce neural overactivity or excitability, which often triggers seizures.
Due to the amount of reputable evidence that demonstrates CBD’s anticonvulsant properties, there is now a licensed CBD based medicine available for patients with epilepsy available in the UK called Epidiolex.
CBD has also shown promise in alleviating pain and inflammatory responses because of the way it interacts with oxidative stress, and our endocannabinoid systems.
It’s believed CBD increases endocannabinoid signalling, to boost cytokine activity. Cytokines are the proteins responsible for controlling inflammation in the body, and often when inflammation is treated, its accompanying pain is alleviated too.
After CBD enters the bloodstream, it can gain access to the endocannabinoid system, or ECS.
The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and so it spreads across the entire body to ensure it can regulate biological responses related to mood and memory, inflammatory and immune responses, pain perception, and so much more.
Our bodies produce chemicals that are very similar in structure to phytocannabinoids called endocannabinoids, to operate within this system and regulate these functions.
But, because they are so similar in structure, when phytocannabinoids like CBD enter the endocannabinoid system, they can mimic endocannabinoids and influence their usual activities, or bind to their receptors and alter the typical responses they issue.
This is how CBD can evoke anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antianxiety or antioxidative responses.
Well, to put it simply, CBD is one component, or one cannabinoid.
Medical cannabis on the other hand can contain not only CBD, but a plethora of other cannabinoids including THC, CBN and CBG, and a host of complimentary terpenes and flavonoids, which boost its therapeutic potentials.
But, CBD products are not the same as CBD in its raw or pure form.
The two main differences between CBD products and medical cannabis centre around their composition, and their regulation.
In the UK, CBD products can contain a wide range of cannabis-based chemicals, such as other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, but they are not legally permitted to contain more than 0.2%, or 1 mg of, THC per product container.
Depending on their range of other cannabis-based components, CBD products are classified as either full spectrum (if they contain every chemical found in the cannabis plant), broad spectrum (if they contain a range of cannabis-based chemicals) or isolate products (if CBD is the only cannabis-based ingredient).
CBD products can be purchased over the counter in high-street stores and pharmacies across the country without a prescription or doctor's recommendation because of their low THC content, and they are classified as Novel Foods.
Medical cannabis, on the other hand, is a controlled medicine.
It can be prescribed by specialist doctors like those who work for Releaf, to patients who have conditions known to respond to cannabis-based options, when other traditional options have failed to meet their needs.
Unlike CBD products, medical cannabis can contain much higher concentrations of THC depending on the patient’s needs, with some cultivars containing as much as 28% THC.
Cannabis-based medicines can come in CBD-dominant, THC-dominant, or in balanced CBD: THC variations, and they are prescribed in a responsible, regulated and supervised manner.
We believe knowledge is power, and so, we’ve also put together a list of some of the most frequently asked questions we get about CBD.
The effects of CBD can typically be felt for a few hours, although this does depend on individual factors, such as dosage, formulation and administration method, as well as personal factors like the user’s age, metabolism, and diet.
The half life of CBD is 18 to 32 hours.
While CBD does evoke a sense of calmness and relaxation, it does not induce a ‘high’, and there are no psychoactive or intoxicating effects associated with cannabidiol.
Generally speaking, CBD is low risk and has a good safety profile. There are some side effects associated with cannabidiol, although most are classed as mild. This includes drowsiness or increased fatigue, a dry mouth, and changes to appetite.
There are no risks of overdose associated with CBD.
Check out the Releaf blog and education section for more CBD centric content!
It is important to seek medical advice before starting any new treatments. The patient advisors at Releaf are available to provide expert advice and support. Alternatively, click here to book a consultation with one of our specialist doctors.
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Am I eligible?With five years of journalism and healthcare content creation under her belt, Lucy strives to improve medical cannabis awareness and access in the UK by producing high quality, credible content.
All of our articles are written by medical cannabis experts, guided by strict sourcing guidelines, and reference peer-reviewed studies and credible academic research. Our expert clinical team and compliance specialists provide valuable insights to ensure accuracy when required. Learn more in our editorial policy.
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