CBD interacts with endocannabinoid receptors that are found throughout the entire body, and that allows it to have wide-ranging effects on the human body.
If you’re learning about CBD from media coverage and word-of-mouth, you’ve probably heard that CBD can help with seizures, anxiety, pain, and insomnia. And while these are some of the conditions that have received the most attention from researchers, studies have indicated that CBD could have even more health benefits.
Are you wondering what else CBD can do? Here are five CBD benefits that we think everyone should be talking about.
1. It’s an Antioxidant
The body naturally produces substances called free radicals. These unstable molecules are a necessary part of the immune system and metabolic processes. But the little scamps can cause a lot of damage to your cells if they build up too much.
That buildup is called oxidative stress, and it can contribute to giving you wrinkles…or giving you cancer.
Fortunately, antioxidants—like Vitamins C and E—can stop oxidative stress in its tracks. Did you know that CBD is an antioxidant, too? Whether you ingest it or use a topical product, CBD gets to work stabilizing those free radicals.
2. CBD Benefits Your Brain
CBD’s antioxidant properties could benefit the entire body, including the brain. CBD’s neuroprotective effects are the result of its ability to stabilize free radicals and prevent neuronal damage. And that’s not all CBD does for the brain.
In animal models, CBD actually stimulates the growth of new neurons. That’s good news for people with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. And there’s an upcoming clinical trial that will evaluate CBD’s efficacy for treating Parkinson’s disease.
3. It Protects Your Cardiovascular System
If it wasn’t enough that CBD could help your brain, research indicates that it could also be good for your heart.
A 2013 review published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology reported that CBD has a wide range of positive effects for the heart and vascular system. While most of the benefits listed were from animal or in vitro studies, the researchers called for clinical trials, concluding that CBD likely has a range of therapeutic benefits for the cardiovascular system.
4. It Knocks Out MRSA
In 2007, scientists from Italy and the U.K. tested different cannabinoids against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. This bacterium is becoming a major public health threat because it doesn’t respond to many existing antibiotics.
The researchers found that CBD is a potent antibacterial agent, and it’s effective when used topically to treat stubborn infections. CBD can even kill strains of MRSA that don’t respond to conventional antibiotics.
5. And it Helps Clear Your Skin, Too
Your skin is chock full of tiny sebaceous glands. These produce a substance called sebum, which works to protect your skin and keep it from drying out.
But if those glands produce too much sebum, though, the hair follicles in your skin can get clogged and become inflamed. The result? Acne.
But CBD fights acne, too! A recent study found that, under experimental conditions, CBD helps to regulate sebum production and helps to prevent inflammation. That means that CBD skincare products could help to keep your skin clear and blemish-free.
