Top Reasons Why CBD is Beneficial for the Elderly

Cannabidiol, best known as CBD, is a chemical compound that comes from the cannabis plant, and is rapidly becoming a popular nutritional supplement for the elderly that have certain diseases and disorders such as anxiety, insomnia, pain, and many more age - related ailments that have been arising over the years. Undoubtedly, cannabis is one of the best-studied plants in the world and the benefits of CBD are supported by science. The unique features that CBD has make it a very popular choice for seniors. Now, we are going to talk about some of the reasons why this trend is growing.

1. CBD has no psychoactive effects

While CBD originates from the cannabis plant that is included in the same family of plants that people use for its well-known psychoactive effects, CBD does not have this effect, unlike THC. The thing with CBD is that this chemical compound will not get you in any kind of altered states of consciousness that come with its use, so there is no risk of having any uncontrollable or unwanted psychoactive sensations.

2. CBD has a neuroprotective effect in neurodegenerative diseases

The neuroprotective effects of CBD, which are consequence of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, are being intensively investigated. In recent years, the great potential of cannabinoid substances has been demonstrated in therapeutic applications beyond their analgesic or antiemetic use, this is, in neurodegenerative diseases in which they can not only reduce their symptoms, but also slow down the disease process.

3. CBD is a natural supplement

More and more people, including the elderly, are looking for completely natural supplements. Products that use CBD as an active ingredient are an open door to those who do not want to take traditional medicines for conditions such as chronic pain or insomnia. In fact, the uses of CBD for seniors in the form of supplements vary widely, depending on the condition we need they need to treat.

4. CBD helps reduce wrinkles and rejuvanate the skin

Skin aging is conditioned by factors such as reduced levels of collagen, elastin and certain oils, which are responsible for providing it the firmness, elasticity and glow it would normally have. CBD helps these factors not to be reduced so quickly, slowing down the skin aging process. This compound is proving very effective in people with acne, as it balances sebum production while calming inflammation. Its huge amount of antioxidants (capable of preventing oxidative damage to the skin much more effectively than vitamin C) promises a great future in preventing skin aging.

5. No side effects

We are all familiar with drug advertisements that accidentally mention a long list of possible side effects, some of which are extreme. In some cases, the side effects of the drug seem worse than the ones it treats. An allergic reaction to CBD is possible, although CBD side effects are rare. CBD might even improve the symptoms of other allergies.

But how does CBD work?

We currently know that CBD has very little affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptors, both of them related to the Endocannabinoid System. CBD acts through serotonergic 1A receptors, which can be found in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for regulating sleep cycles, appetite, libido, mood, stress, aggressiveness, body temperature, vomiting, among other physiological functions. When an imbalance occurs due to a lack of this neurotransmitter, these functions can be altered. By acting on these serotonergic receptors, CBD can give you an anxiolytic, relaxing, mood-normalizing, antidepressant and sleep-regulating effect.

On the other hand, its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect can be explained by another molecular pathway. CBD, in addition to other cannabinoids such as THC, can activate TRPV receptors, which can be found in the central and peripheral nervous system, bladder, prostate, adipocytes, hair follicles, and are responsible for the transmission, regulation and perception of pain or nociception and thermal sensitivity. In other words, they are responsible for the perception of pain: by acting on them we manage to modulate pain, obtaining an analgesic effect. Diseases that present with neuropathic and inflammatory pain present an alteration in the function of these TRPV receptors. There are certain cannabinoids, including CBD, that interact with these receptors, which could explain the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect CBD has on the body.

At last but not least, CBD has a antineoplastic or antiproliferative effect. The GPR55 receptors (G protein-coupled or GPR receptors), belong to the same family as the classic CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are also GPR receptors. When these receptors are expressed in cancer cells, their activation determines an increase in the rate of cell proliferation, favoring tumor progression. We know that CBD acts as an antagonist of GPR55 receptors as it "blocks" them, thereby producing the anti-proliferative effect. It is also possible that THC acts as an antiproliferative factor too by the same pathway, as it is considered an antagonist of GPR55 receptors; but it seems that it acts in this way only at high doses. At low doses it only acts on CB2 receptors, and this anti-proliferative effect does not occur.

CBD as an alternative medicine

The basic premise on which most research is based is to determine whether CBD is a viable alternative to the use of harmful traditional medicines or not. Many elderly people take considerable amounts of prescription drugs every day, enduring their negative side effects simply because there is no other option to treat their conditions. Perhaps the monetary power of Big Pharma can explain why natural remedies like CBD remain taboo today. Sadly, this prejudice is precisely the reason why many older people are unaware of the benefits of CBD. They are generally unaware of the potential of this plant extract, and do not know how or where to obtain it, which prevents them from improving their quality of life in a more natural way. Luckily, today it is very common to see CBD for sale online. Now, if you decide to buy this way, it is important that you do your own research and choose high quality products to get the greatest possible advantages from CBD.