Two of the main things we like to talk about at Urban Roots is the type of effect that CBD products have on our bodies and how to produce those desired effects. Given all the hype around CBD, we think it is especially important that newcomers to the industry understand how it works and set realistic expectations for how CBD fits into their overall health and wellness goals.

What to Expect from CBD Products

Like we’ve said many times before, the best way to judge whether CBD is working or not is by taking a careful mental note of what you aren’t feeling. In other words, do you get up in the morning without that ache in your knees or back? Do you feel less anxious in meetings or when you get lunch with coworkers? Is your skin less dry and itchy? The list goes on.

It’s important to remember that CBD is not an intoxicating substance like opioids that immediately numb you to pain. Nor is it a miracle drug that will instantly heal any ailment. Think of it as bringing your body back into balance or homeostasis. Whereas painkillers produce a new imbalance to mask the existing one, CBD attempts to correct the imbalance in the first place. This means that it may take longer than certain prescription or over the counter drugs, but it is often healthier for our bodies in the long run.

Understand CBD’s Timeline

Put simply, CBD requires time to enter your system and start working for your body. It can take days, weeks, or months to adequately build up in your system in order to stimulate the creation of more cannabinoid receptors throughout your endocannabinoid system (our bodies’ communication highway through which CBD acts). With a larger number of receptors, the endocannabinoid system will become more active and have greater sensitivity to cannabinoids (like CBD).

The other thing to remember is that we don’t even fully understand all the possible benefits that long term usage of CBD will bring. That makes it even more important to regularly consume CBD, even if you aren’t “feeling” like it’s doing a ton. It’s building up in your system and maintaining balance when necessary.

Consistency is the key.

Case Study from the UK

Although a lag in research for all of its potential applications means that hard data for many of CBD’s reported effects is hard to come by, there is ample anecdotal evidence of its far reaching potential benefits. We recently came across a story about a woman in the UK whose tumor shrank significantly after consuming CBD for daily for more than two years. This astounding account was published as a case study in the BMJ Journal.

This patient is a woman in her 80s who was diagnosed with “non-small cell” lung cancer in June 2018 after months of a suspicious cough. When first diagnosed, the woman declined surgery, radiotherapy, and other treatments, because she had witnessed her late husband’s pain and agony going through radiotherapy himself. So, she decided to start consuming CBD daily and her doctors performed regular CT scans to check up on the tumor growth every three to six months. Sure enough, the tumor shrank from 40mm to 10mm without any conventional treatments.

What the Report Says

According to the report, the shrinking of the tumor was noticed by her doctors, and the patient was brought in to discuss the results. During this meeting, the patient explained that she had been taking CBD oil as an alternative self-treatment for her lung cancer since August of 2018. The CBD product was sourced from outside of the UK. She was taking 0.5 ml of the CBD oil, two-three times per day.

The CBD supplier reported that the main active ingredients of the CBD oil product used by this patient were Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at 19.5%, CBD at 20.05%, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) at 23.8%.

The report went on to say:

“Although there appears to be a relationship between the intake of ‘CBD oil’ and the observed tumor regression, we are unable to conclusively confirm that the tumor regression is due to the patient taking ‘CBD oil’. More research is needed to identify the actual mechanism of action, administration pathways, safe dosages, its effects on different types of cancer, and any potential adverse side effects when using cannabinoids.”

Although one report does not prove that CBD is definitively an effective cancer treatment, the evidence from case study will hopefully spur on further research. It is evidence, however, that CBD can have immensely positive effects if consumed over a long period of time.

What this Means for Your CBD Journey

The question you might be asking is, if we don’t know the possible long term benefits of regularly consuming CBD, do we also not know the possible negative side effects either? That is an fair question. The honest answer is that, given everything we know about CBD products and their potential side effects, high quality CBD is completely non-toxic and safe to consume on a routine basis.

As we lay out in another article of ours, the WHO stated that CBD is “generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.” They also went on to say that, “in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.”

Other evidence of the non-toxicity of CBD includes:

• A review of clinical researchpublished in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research confirmed that CBD is generally “very safe”, particularly when compared with other drugs. The review concluded that the biggest risk you’re likely to run into with CBD products is strong feelings of sleepiness—and only if you take very large doses.
• According to WebMD, cannabidiol (CBD) is “safe when taken by mouth or placed under the tongue appropriately.” CBD has been consumed safely for long periods of time with no known or observed serious side effects. Any non-serious side effects like drowsiness or light headedness are likely a result of incorrect dosage and users can easily fix this by experimenting with lower amounts.

Conclusion

This remarkable story about CBD shrinking the woman’s tumor underscores how many possibilities CBD may offer for our health and wellness. It highlights the benefits of consistently consuming CBD over the long term, even if you’re not 100% sure it’s having the exact effect you wanted. Based on everything we know right now, there aren’t serious negative side effects, which means there is no downside to giving it a try and seeing what it may do for you. Just make sure you stick with it once you start!

Check out the high quality CBD products we offer at Urban Roots Hemp Co.