CBD and Cancer: All You Need To Know

CBD (cannabidiol) is widely known for its wide range of medical benefits. It provides a safe, powerful natural treatment for many health issues.

Over the past few years, the benefits of CBD as an antitumorigenic has made it the most talked-about drug in the medical world.

Although CBD by itself cannot cure cancer, it has been shown to restrain some symptoms of the disease as well as help with side effects of the treatment.

CBD is usually used as a complementary therapy alongside medicines to help with cancer-related ailments. Some of the ways CBD can help cancer patients are:



1.) Pain Relief

Most cancer patients live with chronic pain mainly due to damage in the nerves, pressure in the internal organs, or tissue damage.

A high dosage of over the counter drugs or opioids makes them unresponsive to it. One of the essential benefits of CBD in cancer patients is its ability to reduce pain and inflammation by directly affecting the CB2 receptors.

According to a study, CBD was 30% more effective in providing pain relief as compared to traditional medication.

2.) Stimulates Appetite

Most cancer patients deal with a loss of appetite resulting in weight loss. CBD has been known to give you the “munchies.” Munchies refers to a sense of hunger.

One of the most common side effects of CBD treatment is a change in food habits and appetite. A study on 2,409 people who were CBD users revealed that 6.35% of them experienced increased hunger as a side effect.

However, more research is needed to understand the full effects of CBD on appetite, as many factors can influence it, including genetics and the method of consumption of CBD. So the results generally seem to vary.

3.) Treats Nausea

The anti-emetic properties of CBD help relieve nausea and can calm and heal your nervous system and digestive tract.

CBD may also help reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, by direct influence on the CB1 cannabinoid receptors.

This may be due to the increased production of anandamide, which relieves the feelings of nausea and reduces the urge to vomit.

Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects related to chemotherapy and other treatments in cancer patients.



4.) Helps With Anxiety and Sleep Problems

A study found that CBD can help with both anxieties and short-term sleep problems. CBD is popularly used to help with anxiety.

It can also help with insomnia and can help with both falling asleep and staying asleep. CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in our body, including in the brain.

These receptors affect the body’s sleep/wake cycle, enabling CBD to affect sleep directly. It also interacts with other receptors in the brain that help reduce fear and anxiety.

5.) Suppresses or Slows Tumour Growth

Tumours are lumps caused by groups of abnormal cell growth. In recent years, CBD has been extensively studied for their potential antitumor activity.

CBD helps kill cancer cells and slow tumor growth. A study revealed that CBD could treat melanoma tumors. It is shown to reduce the size of tumors and increase the chances of recovery.

It can also stop bad cell growth in tumors and prevent a future increase in the tumor.

Why CBD Products?

• Only Hemp-derived CBD is legal. Such CBD products have extremely low THC and are legal in most countries. It gives you multiple health benefits without the psychoactive side effects of marijuana.
• Pure CBD is extracted using carbon dioxide. This ensures a clean and potent product without excessive plant matter. It contains beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins, and minerals.
• You can consume CBD in several ways. It can be consumed orally, applied topically, or injected. This ensures that it is easily absorbed and reacts quickly. CBD, when taken sublingually, enters the bloodstream via a special membrane under the tongue and starts to show effect just 15 minutes after ingestion.
• These days CBD products are easily available online as well. Moreover, if your state laws permit, you can even harvest your cannabis plants. Just make sure that you use high-quality cannabis seeds for optimum yield.

Side Effects Of CBD

While CBD comes with a wide range of benefits, it has its share of side effects. Some of these side effects include:

• Dry mouth
• Low blood pressure
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
• Changes in mood

CBD is also known to increase the enzymes in the liver, but this is less common. However, people suffering from liver diseases should consume CBD only in consultation with their doctor.



Legal Status

CBD oil is the most popular method of consuming CBD. However, no CBD-oil derived products been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat cancer.

The use of CBD has a very complicated legal status at the moment.  The use of marijuana and any derived products, including CBD, still have some federal limitations. However, CBD derived from hemp is legal.

Epidiolex, derived from CBD oil, is the only prescription drug that has been legalized to treat seizures caused by two forms of epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

On the other hand, two synthetic CBD drugs- Dronabinol (Marinol) and Nabilone (Cesamet) helps to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

Another cannabinoid drug, Nabiximols, available as a spray in parts of Europe, has shown a significant effect in treating cancer pain. It is pending approval in the United States, but research is ongoing on this drug.

CBD is naturally found in the human body and many plants like black pepper, Chinese rhododendron, and the cacao plant. However, it is most abundant in the hemp plant.

If you’re looking to purchase CBD for cancer-related ailments, your safest bet would be to go for high-quality CBD oil from a reputed vendor.

However, CBD should be an alternative treatment for cancer. It’s also a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any CBD products.

If you do not understand or recognize an ingredient, seek information from a credible source about it.