By now, nearly every ailment you can think of has some treatment tie-in to CBD or THC. From cancer patient pain management to prevention of degenerative disorders, CBD is starting to be a go-to prescriptive solution for physicians. But how effective is it when managing something as complex as diabetes?
You may have heard about using CBD to treat diabetes. CBD, short from cannabidiol, is derived from the cannabis plant. Although it won’t provide a “high” for the user, researchers are putting CBD to the test to determine if it can significantly help regulate blood sugar, calm inflammation, and soothe nerve pain from diabetes.
Most findings have shown CBD’s positive effects on diabetes have been on vermin. This poses an issue because laboratory condition and differentiating characteristics between human and animals can skew study results. Summarily, the fact that CBD works for them doesn’t mean it will work well in people.
In one study conducted by the National Institute of Science and Technology for Translational Medicine, researchers tested CBD on mice with low blood flow to the brain, a symptom of diabetes for some patients. According to the findings, CBD:
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- Decrease hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Lowered cholesterol and “bad fat” levels
- Increased insulin production
The study also showed that CBD in vermin has pain and significant swelling caused by nerve damage. Further reports have outlined that chronic inflammation and neuropathic pain can be kept at bay by CBD, which causes tingling, swelling and eventual amputation of the hands and feet of diabetes patients.
The study also pointed to the lowering of “bad fats” and cholesterol in diabetes patients, which subsequently promotes “good fat.” It has been found that small doses of CBD oil can help the body turn white fat into slimming brown fat. This can lead to increased glucose levels in the body.
Alternatively, CBD and THC (the chemical in cannabis that causes a high) produces very different reactions in the body. In the study, CBD didn’t improve blood sugar and lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but it showed that THC was more successful.
Since CBD can be used in many different forms, it’s much easier to administer to patients and experience benefits. From liquid drops to capsules to vapes, CBD is very easy to consume. But most of these products are not FDA approved. According to WebMD, the only FDA-approved form of CBD oil is Epidiolex, a prescription drug that treats two types of epilepsy.
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So, it’s hard to be sure that other CBD products are what they say they are, even if the label looks official. For instance, THC has been found in some CBD products. There’s also no guarantee the product has as much CBD as the label says.
As great as CBD sounds, the method can also have side effects. It may cause drowsiness, diarrhea, nausea and dry mouth.
The researchers stated they will continue trials in both vermin and humans and hope for more insight into treatment methods.
