Is CBD Oil Just Hype, Or Does It Really Help With Stress, Fertility and Hormones?

Posted 5 years, 9 months ago
Health Hormones

As usual, I research any tool I add in your toolbox when it comes to balancing our hormones and helping you to have a life free of annoying symptoms. Like all of you, I've been hearing about CBD oils for what feels like years, but is it all just hype? I always want to dig deep and get to the bottom of whether or not something can really help ladies like you and me. What I learned about how CBD products effect our hormones surprised me.

What is CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) occurs naturally in industrial hemp and marijuana plants. CBD oil is a cannabis oil that’s rich in CBD but very low in THC. THC is the main psychoactive constituent in marijuana and CBD oil contains only trace amounts of THC. To make it simple, using CBD oil won’t get you high. :)

CBD improves health and wellness by interacting with receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS.) The ECS is a collective group of enzymes, receptors, and molecules in the body which directly influence different biological systems, including the endocrine system which is responsible for hormone production. Sounds good to me.

Our hormones health always connected to processes like our sleep cycle, stress levels, and metabolism.

Here are some benefits of CBD:

Inflammation and Pain Relief
Some studies, such as this investigation published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, found that CBD significantly reduces inflammation in mice and rats – but it’s not only rodents that experience these effects.

This is so important for inflammation driven conditions like PCOS.

The study by Alison J. Dawson has shown that endocannabinoid receptor blockage brought about by CBD lowers alanine amino transfer in women with PCOS that has no relationship with weight loss. This finding shows that CBD can eliminate disturbing PCOS symptoms and reinstate homeostasis in the body. The study was composed of two each of 50 obese women suffering from PCOS. The group put on CBD recorded impressive results that confirm CBD is effective in the treatment of PCOS.

Another important benefit for ladies with PCOS is that CBD hasbeneficial effects on acne due to its anti-inflammatory qualities and its ability to control the overproduction of sebum from the sebaceous glands.
Anxiety and Depression
One of the reasons CBD is so effective in treating stress and anxiety is because it can help regulate cortisol levels. CBD oil has shown promise as a treatment for both depression and anxiety, leading many who live with these disorders to become interested in this natural approach. People even use it for public speaking anxiety.

Most people associate serotonin with happiness. However, the role of this neurotransmitter is very complex. Serotonin has at least 14 different receptors, but CBD binds to 5-HT1A which is thought to have the strongest role in anxiety disorders. The anti-anxiety drug buspirone also binds to this particular receptor, which explains the anti-anxiety effects of CBD on rats exposed to stressful situations.

Endocannabinoids: Your body naturally produces cannabinoids, which are used throughout your body and brain in the endocannabinoid system. This system can become dysregulated under chronic stress. However, CBD could help restore balance to the endocannabinoid system and reduce stress.
Fertility
According to nuroscientist Dr. Michele Ross, Ph.D - the actions of one endocannabinoid in particular, anandamide, may help women achieve a healthy pregnancy. Anandamide is a part of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), and plays an important role in the body to create homeostasis, to keep the body balanced. Often called the “bliss molecule” anandamide binds to the body’s own cannabinoid receptors.

Endocannabinoid defficiency is a theory suggesting that when the ECS is out of balance, conditions, especially related to inflammation (PCOS, fibromyalgia, IBS, or migraines) can take hold in the body and disrupt other systems.

"In women, rapidly changing levels of anandamide are necessary for a successful pregnancy," Ross says. "High levels of anandamide occur at ovulation and are clinically associated with a successful pregnancy. Low levels of anandamide, or endocannabinoid deficiency, may interfere with ovulation or the ability to get pregnant."

Ross believes that CBD can help boost anandamide levels to support successful ovulation, and help with other factors related to infertility, like stress and anxiety. “Stress has a negative impact on fertility in both men and women, due to lower levels necessary for egg and sperm production and other steps in the fertility cycle," she said. "By relieving stress, CBD may have a positive impact on fertility.”
Mood Changes and Sleep Problems In Menopause
One of the most common symptoms of menopause is mood changes. A 2010 study found that CBD operates in a similar way to antidepressant medications in the brain, and reduces symptoms of depression.

While there's still more scientific research to be done, preliminary studies have been in favour of CBD oil as an effective natural remedy for insomnia sufferers, thanks to the way it interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system.

"Cannabidiol (CBD) is a popular treatment for insomnia, and promotes refreshing REM sleep to reduced excessive daytime sleepiness," says Healthspan Medical Director Dr Sarah Brewer. "CBD is proven to be particularly helpful for sleep disorders in people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease."

A recent study found that cannabidiol (CBD) may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia and may hold promise for REM sleep behaviour disorder.

Those are just some of the many benefits of CBD oil. It is an amazingly valuable medicine that can be used to treat a range of hormone imbalances symptoms. It is so important to choose high quality products. The number of fake companies or those which opt for cheapest and toxic manufacturing procedures. Here I wanted to share the company I choose to buy my products from and I trust:

https://www.hellomd.com

And here is my favorite CBD oil:

https://www.hellolift.com/products/5b57a95202f1740001522f9f/cbd-hemp-oil-drops

References:

BMC endocrine disorders
https://bmcendocrdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12902-017-0194-2

The Endocannabinoid System and Estrogen
http://www.felicelgershmd.com/the-endocannabinoid-system-and-estrogen/

Anandamide - bliss molecule
http://reset.me/story/anandamide-putting-the-bliss-molecule-to-work-for-your-brain/

Agonistic Properties of Cannabidiol at 5-HT1a Receptors
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11064-005-6978-1

Antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol in mice: possible involvement of 5-HT1A receptors
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2823358/