CBD and Menopause

There has been some buzz around how CBD has been used recently to help women deal with some of the unfortunate side effects of their menopausal symptoms. We thought that this would be an opportune time to check the science to see if we can help explain why. Though menopause is a natural biological process, it can leave women with some significant side effects which include: hot flashes, reduced sleep, lower energy, increased stress, and can affect emotional health and stability. Traditionally women can find relief in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Prozac, Effexor, and Gabapentin. Though these traditional medications have been incredibly beneficial, it’s not without their downsides. Some women can’t take traditional HRT medications due to their increased risk of heart attacks, heart disease, blood clots, and even breast cancer. This doesn’t even include the other potential side effects of Prozac or Effexor, which alone aren’t exactly without their own risks.

CBD for Relief

As you may or may not know, Cannabinoids like Cannabidiol are able to provide real health benefits by interacting with our brain’s endocannabinoid system, which is the vital molecular system for helping maintain healthy homeostasis. This communication between cannabinoids and our endocannabinoid system helps our body remedy any deficiencies. This balancing at is where we will see Cannabidiol assist in relieving some of the symptoms relating to menopause even elevating and in some cases eliminating those dreaded Hot Flashes. Hot flashes occur when the blood vessels near the skin’s surface dilate to cool the body. The unfortunate consequence creates night sweats which can make it incredibly difficult to sleep through the night. The endocannabinoid system helps regulate:

• Body temperature
• Immune function
• Mood
• Sleep
• Pain
• Appetite and energy metabolism
• Reproductive cycles

CBD has been seen to be incredibly beneficial when it comes to treating anxiety, which can be one of many unfortunate symptoms when going through menopause. How does it do this? Through medical research, CBD has been seen to activate your 5-HT1A (hydroxytryptamine) serotonin receptors, creating an anti-depressant effect. These serotonin receptors are responsible for a range of neurological processes including anxiety, addiction, appetite, sleep, pain perception, nausea, and vomiting. Which is absolutely fantastic for women suffering from menopausal symptoms.

Studies have been conducted which showcase CBD ability to moderate pain levels in patients. In 2008, a review study was conducted which assessed how CBD works to relieve chronic pain. As the researchers uncovered the data they concluded that CBD was statistically effective in decreasing pain levels in patients suffering from chronic pain disorders. The research also showcased participants increased sleep patterns, participants were able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer than the control group, which helped in their pain management and unfortunate insomnia due to their chronic pain disorders. For those suffering from the menopausal symptoms, getting a good night’s rest alone can be hugely beneficial.

Bone Loss

Bone loss is another unfortunate effect women can suffer from due to menopause. The bone loss for some women is the predominant reason they have prescribed Hormone Replacement or Estrogen Replacement Therapy. Bones loss can cause some significant medical issues down the road and can lead to osteoporosis. When the body is functioning properly it is constantly absorbing and replacing bone tissue. During periods of bone loss or more severe cases osteoporosis, the new bone the body creates is at a slower pace than the pace at which the body is removing old tissue. During this time women can be susceptible to breaks, especially in the hips, spine or wrist areas. Fractures or even breaks in these areas can cause chronic pain and further health complications.

Research suggests that CBD shows potential in mitigating the onset, progression, and damage caused by bone loss and osteoporosis. In a research study on mice, indicated that the cannabinoid receptors for “play important roles in bone remodeling and in the pathogenesis of a joint disease.” Another research study which tested bone bass in rats, concluded “CBD leads to improvement in fracture healing and demonstrates the critical mechanical role of collagen crosslinking enzymes. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.” A preclinical study which studied the effects of synthetic CBD on mice concluded, “Preclinical studies have shown that a synthetic CB2-specific agonist rescues ovariectomy-induced bone loss. Taken together, the reports on cannabinoid receptors in mice and humans pave the way for the development of 1) diagnostic measures to identify osteoporosis-susceptible polymorphisms in CNR2 and 2) cannabinoid drugs to combat osteoporosis.”

It is important to understand that most, not all, of the lab research which has been conducted on the health benefits of CBD are preclinical and utilize animals in their studies to attain data. But what it does show us that there is significant promise with this amazing plant and as its popularity grows so too will the research. We have seen our own subjective benefits and customer testimonials of supplementing CBD to combat some of the ailments attributed with menopause and believe that it works.

Whole Plant Therapy (Entourage Effect)

Whole plant therapy isn’t just a buzzword used for marketing purposes, this practice has been widely researching since the late 1990s. Known as the entourage effect, outlines the enhancing benefits of supplementing with CBD based products which contain the majority of the original plant’s natural compounds. Though CBD alone has its benefits, the research indicates the potential enhancing effects of consuming the plant’s other essential compounds to maximize the desired effects. Known in the Industry as full spectrum, these CBD based products contain other essential cannabinoids and compounds which include:

• Essential vitamins
• Minerals
• Omega fatty acids
• Flavonoids
• Chlorophyll
• Terpenes
• Fiber
• Protein

The entourage effect proposes that utilizing as many of the essential compounds as the Hemp plant has to offer such as cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds are more beneficial together than the sum of their parts. For menopause sufferers, it’s best to look for Full Spectrum CBD products when making your purchase decision in order to maximize your desired benefits. It is important to understand that Full Spectrum CBD doesn’t mean the product contains or needs to contain THC, the psychotropic compound found in cannabis products, most CBD based products contain no THC unless specifically advertised.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that most of the traditional methods of treating different ailments like pain, inflammation, and anxiety are considered detrimental to the human body. From the early research which has been conducted In Vitro, animal, and in small human studies have reaffirmed the fact that CBD is a nontoxic compound which acts with your body to help with a variety of different ailments. We hope this has been helpful if you have any further questions, which out our blog HERE or send us an email.

Medical Disclaimer

Information listed, referenced or linked to on this website is for general educational purposes only and does not provide professional medical or legal advice.

Japa Organics does not condone, advocate or promote licit or illicit drug use. Japa Organics cannot be held responsible for material from references on our pages or on pages to which we provide links, which condone, advocate or promote licit or illicit drug use or illegal activities. Please consult your Doctor/Healthcare Practitioner before using any products/methods listed, referenced or linked to on this website.

Reference:

http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=173&&search_pattern=EPILEPSY

https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-9966-27-69

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22625422

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20532878

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbmr.2513/abstract;jsessionid=DBEF56DB42BCE5AEDD3BB6A9D3D0B03B.f03t02

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19634029