Does CBD Really Work?

According to Dr. Perry Solomon, the Chief Medical Officer of HelloMD -- as reported in Forbes, August 2, 2017:

"42% of CBD users in their study said they had stopped using traditional medications. 80% said that they found the products to be very or extremely effective."
Read Studies

How Can CBD Help So Many Different Conditions?  It Seems Too Good To Be True. 

The short answer is: Because it interacts with and supplements the body’s own Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which regulates numerous biological functions.

The ECS is located in the brain and central (and peripheral) nervous systems and consists of neuro-modulatory lipids and their receptors.  The ECS produces its own cannabinoids which help regulate various systems in the brain and body, including:

• Metabolism / appetite
• Pain
• Mood
• Immune function
• Sleep
• Stress response
• Energy
• Memory
• The autonomic nervous system (heartbeat, breathing, etc)

The primary function of the ECS is to promote balance, or homeostasis, in these systems. Regular use of CBD supplements the ECS and helps keeps the body’s ECS receptors and endocannabinoids working at optimal capacity.

CBD Research

CBD is classified as a supplement.  Thus, it is not regulated by the FDA and we are not permitted to make medical claims about it or our products.  However, the animal and human studies establishing CBD’s efficacy for a variety of illnesses and diseases are extensive. We encourage you to do your own research.  To make that a little easier, we have provided links to some important CBD studies.

CBD Research, Studies and Articles

Ailments: | ADHD | Alzheimer’s | Anxiety | Arthritis / Joint Pain | Autism | Bone Growth / Healing | Cancer | Cardiovascular Health | Depression | Diabetes | Epilepsy | Fibromyalgia | Inflammation | Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Lupus | Migraines | Multiple Sclerosis | Nausea | Neurological Disorders | Opioid Addiction | Pain | Parkinson’s | Psoriasis | PTSD | Sleep / Insomnia | Stroke | General Well-Being: | Anti-Bacterial | Antioxidant | Immune Boosting | Smoking Cessation | Weight Management

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ADHD:  

• "...CBD oil is one of the best natural substances for temporarily soothing some of the issues that come with ADHD and anxiety."
• "CBD oil essentially puts your brain 'at ease' and makes it easier for you to concentrate on the things that matter to you."
• "CBD oil seems to work by temporarily lowering your inhibitions, calming your nerves, and cutting through your brain fog."

Read More 

Alzheimer’s: 

"The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) exerts neuroprotective, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and promotes neurogenesis [growth and development of neurons]. CBD also reverses [certain] spatial memory deficits in rodents."  Read the Article

Anxiety:

A 2015 analysis of previous studies concluded that CBD oil is a promising treatment for numerous forms of anxiety, including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.  Read the Article

"Studies using animal models of anxiety and involving healthy volunteers clearly suggest an anxiolytic-like effect of CBD. Moreover, CBD was shown to reduce anxiety in patients with social anxiety disorder."  Read the Study

"CBD could reduce symptoms of social anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder. Brain scans of participants revealed changes in blood flow to the regions of the brain linked to feelings of anxiety. In this study, cannabidiol not only made participants feel better but also changed the way their brains responded to anxiety."  Read the Article 

Arthritis / Joint Pain:

"These data indicate that topical CBD application has therapeutic potential for relief of arthritis pain-related behaviours and inflammation without evident side-effects."  Read the Article

"The analgesic ability of cannabinoids may provide a much-needed alternative to opioids."  Read the Article

Autism:

With CBD, 80% of Children With Autism Saw Improvement:

Researchers have found more compelling evidence that medical cannabis is an effective therapy for children on the autism spectrum. In this soon-to-be-published study in the journal Neurology, researchers treated autistic children with high concentrations of CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant.  Conditions in 80% of the children improved. Alternatively, the children had not shown improvement with conventional drug therapies.  Read about the Study

"The Endocannabinoid system is where the CBD and autism connection really starts to make sense. A lot of autism’s symptoms are directly related to the functions of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS)."  Read the Guide

"When a 2013 study found dysfunctions in cannabinoid receptors on immune cells in autistic children, it was an 'aha' moment for CBD and autism researchers."  Read the Study

Our data indicate CB2 receptor as potential therapeutic target for the pharmacological management of the autism care.  Read the Study

"These improvements in social behaviors were associated with CBD’s ability to enhance inhibitory brain function… By restoring this excitatory / inhibitory balance in the brain, CBD can reduce seizures and normalize social behavior… at least in mice."  Read the Article

"These results reveal CBD’s potential to reduce autism-like impairments in social interaction and social anxiety…"  Read the Article

Bone Growth / Healing:

"CBD stimulates bone-building cells to express the genes involved in producing the primary enzyme involved in bone healing. Genetics don’t lie! … It was also determined… that CBD significantly enhanced the mechanical properties and strength of the bone after 8 weeks."  Read the Article

Cancer:

According to the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute: 

"Cannabinoids may be useful in treating the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment.  Other possible effects of cannabinoids include:

• Anti-inflammatory activity
• Blocking cell growth
• Preventing the growth of blood vessels that supply tumors"

Read More

"Cannabinoids... exert palliative effects in cancer patients by preventing nausea, vomiting and pain and by stimulating appetite. In addition, these compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumour cells in culture and animal models by modulating key cell-signaling pathways. Cannabinoids are usually well tolerated, and do not produce the generalized toxic effects of conventional chemotherapies."  Read More

"Studies in mice and rats have shown that cannabinoids may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow."  Read More

"A laboratory study of CBD in estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells showed that it caused cancer cell death while having little effect on normal breast cells.  Studies in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer showed that cannabinoids may lessen the growth, number, and spread of tumors."  Read More

"A laboratory study of CBD in human glioma cells showed that when given along with chemotherapy, CBD may make chemotherapy more effective and increase cancer cell death without harming normal cells."  Read More

"Laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells."  Read More

Cancer - Colon:

"The present study shows that either CB1 or CB2 receptor activation induces apoptosis [cell death] through ceramide de novo synthesis [you’re on your own on this one!] in colon cancer cells."  Read the Study

 "A study in mice showed that cannabinoids may protect against inflammation of the colon and may have potential in reducing the risk of colon cancer, and possibly in its treatment."  Cancer Institute

Cancer - Pancreatic:

"Cannabinoids also reduced the growth of tumor cells in two animal models of pancreatic cancer.  In addition, cannabinoid treatment inhibited the spreading of pancreatic tumor cells.  Moreover, cannabinoid administration selectively increased apoptosis [cell death] and TRB3 expression in pancreatic tumor cells but not in normal tissue."  Read the Study

Cancer - Prostate:

"Our results suggest that WIN-55,212-2 [synthetic cannabinoid agonist] or other non–habit-forming cannabinoid receptor agonists [chemicals that bind to receptors to produce a biological result] could be developed as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of prostate cancer."  Read the Study

Cancer - Skin:

"Cannabinoid-treated tumors showed an increased number of apoptotic cells [dying cells—a positive sign as tumors are created by a proliferation of cells].  This was accompanied by impairment of tumor vascularization... These results support a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of skin tumors."  Read the Study

Cancer - Stomach:

"The cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 [a synthetic cannabinoid] … inhibited the proliferation of human gastric cancer cells… We also found that [the cannabinoid agonist] induced apoptosis [cell death]… Furthermore, [this] treatment inhibited the invasion of gastric cancer cells."  Read the Study

Cancer – Chemotherapy:

"CBD may make chemotherapy more effective."  Cancer Institute

"…Cannabinoids may have benefits in treating the symptoms of cancer or the side effects of cancer therapies."  Read the Article

Cardiovascular Health:

"This study demonstrates that CBD is cardio-protective in the acute phase of myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion [restricted blood flow to the heart and re-oxygenation of blood] by both reducing ventricular arythmias and attenuating infarct [dead tissue] size."  Read the Article

"In blood, CBD influences the survival and death of white blood cells, white blood cell migration and platelet aggregation.  Taken together, these preclinical data appear to support a positive role for CBD treatment in the heart, and in peripheral and cerebral vasculature."  Read the Article

Depression:

"Cannabidiol (CBD) [has] great psychiatric potential, including uses as an antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like [anti-anxiety] compound."  Read More

"A growing body of evidence unequivocally demonstrates that deficits in endocannabinoid signalling may result in depressive and anxiogenic [anxiety inducing] behavioral responses."  Read the Study

Diabetes:

"CBD can alleviate the condition so that diabetic individuals can suffer from less blood glucose fluctuation and manage their blood glucose level with less medication."  Read the Article

"Another factor that CBD is a suitable treatment option for type 2 diabetes is that insulin resistance is a great contribution to the disease. The anti-inflammatory ability can improve the body’s sugar metabolism, suppress the short inflammation reaction to sugar ingestion, and provide many other health benefits to prevent complications that result from type 2 diabetes." Read the Article

"Chronic inflammation has long been known to play a key role in the development of insulin resistance and therefore type 2 diabetes. The researchers believe that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD could treat this inflammation and therefore improve the body's metabolism."  Read the Article

Epilepsy:

"A number of scientific reviews analyzing previously-published research on cannabis’ effect on epilepsy conclude that a major cannabinoid found in cannabis, CBD, is a well-tolerated and promising therapeutic treatment that has demonstrated the ability to reduce or even eliminate seizures."

"Another survey found that CBD-enriched cannabis brought about a reduction in seizure frequency in 85% of children with epilepsy, while 14% experienced complete seizure freedom.  The children also reported an improvement in sleep (53%), alertness (71%), and mood (63%) while being treated with CBD."

"These results… when combined with a reported absence of psychoactive effects, strongly supports CBD as a therapeutic candidate for a diverse range of human epilepsies."  Read the Study

Fibromyalgia: 

"A 2016 study suggested that a lack of endocannabinoids — neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors — may be at the root of chronic pain syndromes, including migraines and fibromyalgia.  Taking CBD may correct this deficiency, explaining the compound's success in alleviating chronic pain."  Read the Article

Inflammation:

"Cannabidiol (CBD)… may relieve pain and lower inflammation without causing the 'high' of delta-9-THC."  Read the Article

In a review of studies regarding the involvement of cannabinoids in the process of inflammation the authors conclude that:  "A possible mechanism for these actions is suggested involving increased production of eicosanoids that promote the resolution of inflammation."  Read More

"CBD is thought to activate serotonin receptors, and plays a role in pain perception, maintaining body temperature and reducing inflammation."  Read the Article

Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

"CBD is a very promising compound since it shares the typical cannabinoid beneficial effects on [the] gut, lacking any psychotropic effects... it is evident that this compound may interact at extra-cannabinoid system receptor sites... This strategic interaction makes CBD a potential candidate for the development of a new class of anti-IBD drugs."  Read the Article

Lupus:

"Lupus is considered a chronic inflammatory disease.  The immune system dysfunctions and attacks healthy cells and tissues by creating inflammation that can damage many parts of the body..."

"Research indicates that cannabinoids stimulate the receptors of the endocannabinoid system, allowing the system better regulate all of our processes, including the immune system, so that inflammation is reduced and healthy tissues are not attacked."  Read More

Migraines:

A 2016 study suggested that "a lack of endocannabinoids -- neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors -- may be at the root of chronic pain syndromes, including migraines and fibromyalgia.  Taking CBD may correct this deficiency, explaining the compound's success in alleviating chronic pain."  Read the Article

Multiple Sclerosis:

"Together, our findings highlight the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD in this viral model of MS and demonstrate the significant therapeutic potential of this compound for the treatment of pathologies with an inflammatory component."  Read More

"Cannabinoids have shown they can modulate the inflammatory reaction and assist in neuroregeneration. In one study, cannabinoids demonstrated neuroprotective effects during an animal model of multiple sclerosis, reducing the damage to myelin caused from inflammation.  Another study found that cannabinoids administered to animals with a model of multiple sclerosis reduced neurological disability, improved motor coordination and limited the progression of the disease."

Nausea:

"Preclinical research indicates that cannabinioids, including CBD, may be effective clinically for treating both nausea and vomiting produced by chemotherapy or other therapeutic treatments.”  Read the Study

Neurological Disorders:  (see also individual neurological conditions)

"Pre-clinical evidence largely shows that CBD can produce beneficial effects in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis patients, but its employment for these disorders needs further confirmation from well designed clinical studies."  Read the Study

Opioid Addiction:

"Hurd and her team discovered that CBD actually helped 'restructure and normalize' the brain at the 'cellular level, at the molecular level.'  It was CBD that healed the glutamatergic system and improved the workings of the brain's frontal lobes."  Read the Article

 "A limited number of preclinical studies suggest that CBD may have therapeutic properties on opioid, cocaine, and psychostimulant addiction, and some preliminary data suggest that it may be beneficial in cannabis and tobacco addiction in humans."  Read the Study

"New research from the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego provides promising evidence that CBD could serve as an effective treatment for substance addiction. In the study, researchers gave alcohol and cocaine to rats, then administered CBD gel to some of the rats.  They found that rats who had been given CBD were less likely to relapse or exhibit stress-induced, drug-seeking behavior than the rats who had not been given CBD — even five months after the CBD had left their systems."  Read the Article

Pain:

"CBD significantly suppresses chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain without causing apparent analgesic tolerance."  Read the Study

"Cannabidiol (CBD)... may relieve pain and lower inflammation... without causing the 'high' of delta-9-THC."  Read More

Pain - Chronic:

"These cannabinoids [CBD] may represent a novel class of therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic pain and other diseases involving glycine receptor dysfunction."  Read the Study

"The pain-relieving effects of CBD may be explained by the ways that this substance affects the brain.  It may interrupt the nerve pathways that send signals of pain between the brain and the body."  Read the Article

Pain - Neuropathic:

"A 2009 study found that CBD can be used for relieving neuropathic pain. And in two studies, CBD was used to treat inflammatory and neuropathic pain from nerve injury.  Researchers found CBD to be an effective alternative treatment because it significantly reduced pain symptoms."  Read the Article

"Cannabinoids have been demonstrated to be effective in a range of experimental neuropathic pain models, and there is mounting evidence for therapeutic use in human neuropathic pain conditions."  Read More

Parkinson’s:

"A 2005 study published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease... the researchers found that CBD had neuroprotective effects in animal models of Parkinson’s.  Since then, more research on CBD and Parkinson’s has emerged.  Overall, studies indicate that CBD may be able to improve many aspects of Parkinson’s disease, including movement impairments, psychosis, sleep disturbances, and quality of life."  Read the Study

Psoriasis:

"Our results show that cannabinoids inhibit keratinocyte proliferation, and therefore support a potential role for cannabinoids in the treatment of psoriasis."  Read the Study

PTSD:

"PTSD leads to lower levels of anandamide, which is a type of cannabinoid receptor.  In short, it’s a form of internal cannabis that we naturally produce.  By supplementing this lack of anandamide with marijuana, or CBD from hemp, it essentially helps fill the gap created by PTSD, alleviating symptoms in the process."  Read More

"CBD may help improve REM sleep abnormalities in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."  Read the Article

Sleep / Insomnia: 

"CBD has the ability to reduce anxiety, which can be helpful in reducing sleep difficulties and improving sleep quality.  CBD may increase overall sleep amounts, and improve insomnia, according to research.  CBD has been shown to reduce insomnia in people who suffer from chronic pain.  In smaller doses, CBD stimulates alertness and reduces daytime sleepiness, which is important for daytime performance and for the strength and consistency of the sleep-wake cycle."  Read the Article

Stroke:

"In the lab setting, with rats, CBD was enormously successful in clearing plaques in arteries... Something else CBD excels with is neurogenesis [growth and development of nerve tissue].  This means that CBD could become a key component of stroke recovery."  Read the Article

General Well-Being 

Anti-Bacterial: 

"Scientists are confident that CBD exhibits a level of anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties that enables people to consume it, achieve relief for their condition and not have to worry about deadly infections."  -MJBreak

"[Anti-bacterial] activity was exceptional against some of these strains, in particular the multidrug-resistant (MDR) SA-1199B... Also noteworthy is the potent activity demonstrated against [antibiotic resistant bacteria]... These activities compare highly favorably with the standard antibiotics for these strains."  Read the Study

"...Cannabinoids, appear to be unaffected by the mechanism that superbugs like MRSA use to evade existing antibiotics... when [researchers] applied extracts from five major cannabinoids to bacterial cultures of six strains of MRSA, they discovered that the cannabinoids were as effective at killing the bugs as vancomycin [a powerful antibiotic that is normally used only as a last resort when other drugs fail] and other antibiotics."  Read the Article

Amazingly, not only did CBD and other cannabinoids effectively kill MRSA, but they don’t seem to respond to the traditional ways that bacteria evade death by an antibiotic.  According to Gibbons, the cannabinoids... appear to be unaffected by the mechanism that superbugs like MRSA use to evade existing antibiotics.

Antioxidant:

"THC and CBD are powerful antioxidants — more powerful than vitamin C and E.  In fact, the U.S. Government Patent 1999/008769 is specifically for the neuroprotectant and antioxidant properties of cannabinoids.  The government has known about this for some time."  Read More

Immune Boosting:

"...Research from the targeted use of cannabinoids for the purpose of boosting the immune system is overwhelmingly positive."

"According to new research, cannabinoids may have an important balancing role that allows the immune system to function at maximum efficiency."

"Cannabinoids have been shown to interact with the ECS in a way that helps promote maximum immune function and optimal health through various stages of life."

Read More

Smoking Cessation: 

 "…Placebo treated smokers showed no differences in number of cigarettes smoked.  In contrast, those treated with CBD significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked by ~40% during treatment.  Results also indicated some maintenance of this effect at follow-up... The reduction in smoking observed in this study was striking and occurred in the absence of other specific effects, notably on craving.  Given the pivotal role of craving in relapse, this is a potentially very encouraging finding, in that participants using the CBD inhaler reduced the number of cigarettes they smoked without increased craving for nicotine."  Read the Study

Weight Management:

"Unlike THC that creates the munchies effect, CBD can help to suppress appetite and help individuals to re-balance the endocannabinoid system by increasing the fat breakdown, increase the mitochondria activities and promote metabolism, and decrease fat storage.  In a way, CBD changes the white-colored fat storage cells to beige-colored fat cells for energy making.  So not only is the fat much easier to be burned off, the beige-colored fat cells also improve glucose tolerance by decreasing insulin resistance in the muscle and liver cells."  Read the Article

"In the lab setting, with rats, CBD was enormously successful in clearing plaques in arteries and preventing overeating... CBD helps the body to regulate its hunger.  In studies, rats that tended to overeat showed a remarkable decrease in appetite after being treated with CBD;  the rats that stopped eating when satiated had no change in consumption.  Translated to humans, this could mean that overeaters may be able to curb their desire for food simply by taking CBD.  If the results can be replicated in humans, people would eat 28 percent fewer calories at every meal.  That’s an enormous drop off!"  Read the Article