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6 min read
Lucy MacKinnon
Inflammation is part of the body’s normal reaction and defence against injury and infection, playing a crucial role in our overall health. But the beneficial effects are only short-term, and inflammation that occurs over extended periods can have severe health consequences, especially when it occurs in healthy tissue. In fact, inflammation is believed to be a contributing factor to almost half of all deaths worldwide each year.
It is closely associated with a wide range of diseases, including:
Inflammation that persists for weeks, months, or even years is called chronic inflammation and is a huge source of pain, discomfort, and additional medical complications for millions of people around the world. This explains why the potential benefits of CBD in alleviating inflammation have been causing such a stir in the medical community over the last few years.
Cannabidiol, or CBD as it is usually known, is one of 113 cannabinoids of the Cannabis sativa plant. Medical cannabis benefits have long been discussed, but it’s only really in the last few years that it has been taken seriously by the medical community. It’s potentially beneficial for a wide range of conditions, such as relieving anxiety and depression, treating epilepsy, and even diabetes. However, one of the most promising avenues of treatment is inflammation. Below we’ll look in more detail at exactly what inflammation is, what causes it, and why CBD may be able to help.
Inflammation, as we have seen, is the body’s immediate and natural response to injury and infection. If you twist an ankle or cut yourself, the area around the injury will immediately swell up and turn red as the body’s immune system leaps into action. It redirects millions of inflammatory cells and cytokines to the area to deal with any potential threat, and as such is a vital reaction that helps to prevent serious infection and other long-term health complications. Ideally, this inflammation should recede once the immediate threat is over, but some diseases and conditions can cause long-term inflammation to occur. This is when inflammation changes from acute to chronic, and when health complications can occur.
These can include:
If not treated correctly, chronic inflammation can lead to serious health incidents and even death.
Common treatments for inflammation include taking supplements such as vitamins A, C and D or natural ingredients such as turmeric and ginger. Medicinal intervention usually includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including over-the-counter pain relief like aspirin and ibuprofen. More serious anti-inflammatory treatments include steroid injections in the specific area of issue.
Although not yet extensive, there is some promising research that demonstrates CBD’s efficacy in reducing inflammation, as well as associated pain relief. One anecdotal study found that 36% of participants who had used CBD to treat pain and anxiety reported beneficial results.
CBD works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), regulating both the immune system and inflammation. It increases cannabinoid signalling, which helps to control the body’s cytokines, which are the cells primarily responsible for inflammation. This may help to reduce the effects of inflammation and also reduce pain, although more research is needed to understand exactly how this happens.
There have also been several clinical studies that demonstrate CBD’s effectiveness in combating inflammation. One 2016 animal study seemed to indicate that it reduced joint swelling in lab rats, with no notable side effects or alteration of brain function.
A further 2017 study also pointed to CBD having beneficial effects on conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, MS, Alzheimer's and a range of other conditions with inflammatory properties.
Although further studies and human trials are ongoing and needed to corroborate this early evidence, the signs look very positive that CBD could offer patients suffering from inflammation some relief. It is also important to point out that all studies so far have indicated a high level of safety regarding CBD. Another major finding was that different patients responded to different dosage levels and that the range of dosage was quite wide (more on this below).
Of course, as always, it is important that you discuss with your doctor if you are planning on taking CBD to help with inflammation in the same way you would any other supplement or potential treatment.
As pointed out above, one of the key lessons from existing CBD studies is that dosages can vary over quite a wide range. So, exactly what factors influence dosage levels, and how can you find out how much CBD you should take? The first thing is to consider the main factors that affect any dosage level, namely:
You also need to think about your body’s response to CBD (as this varies) and the concentration of CBD you are planning on taking. As always, the best idea is to start with a small dose and work your way up until you reach the level that works best for you.
Recommended doses start at between 20 or 40 mg per day, increasing by about 5 mg per week until you start to notice a positive response in your inflammation symptoms. It can help to keep notes or a written record of your dosage levels and the response to your symptoms, perhaps using a 1 to 10 rating system. This CBD dosage chart will help you to keep track of how you are responding to CBD treatment.
When you are calculating your dosages, bear in mind that different types of products have differing levels of CBD and other active ingredients, such as THC. There are also differing levels of bioavailability, which is the level of any substance which makes it to your bloodstream. For example, the following is a general outline of the bioavailability levels of some popular CBD products:
As you can see, far more CBD will be making its way into your bloodstream using a vape than capsules. Always read the product packaging and make calculations accordingly, but if youre looking to add CBD to a therapeutic plan, it is imperative that you speak to your doctor.
CBD is a natural and potentially powerful ally in the fight against inflammation, which is a very serious health risk all over the world. Early studies have shown that it may be effective in relieving the symptoms of inflammation and alleviating associated chronic pain, and research indicates that it is relatively safe to take.
How much CBD for inflammation and its symptoms? As always, it’s important to get the right CBD dose for inflammation according to your own personal situation. It is recommended to start with 20 mg per day or less and increase by increments of 5 mg for each week. When you start to notice positive results, then you can remain at that dosage level. However, it’s critical to remember that you should always consult your doctor before taking any supplementary treatments for any condition.
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Am I eligible?With five years of journalism and healthcare content creation under her belt, Lucy strives to improve medical cannabis awareness and access in the UK by producing high quality, credible content.
Our articles are written by experts and reviewed by medical professionals or compliance specialists. Adhering to stringent sourcing guidelines, we reference peer-reviewed studies and scholarly research. View our editorial policy.
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