According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, with 17.9 million deaths each year. Heart disease is often referred to as “cardiovascular disease” and occurs when blood vessels are blocked or narrowed. Blocked or narrowed blood vessels could trigger heart attacks or strokes.
Therefore, a special importance should be given at heart health at any age. For a healthy heart, you should do more exercise, have a regular and good diet, as well as quit alcohol and cigarettes.
Recently, you may have heard about the popular cannabis ingredient called Cannabidiol (CBD). According to some studies made by Greenpassion, this ingredient is very promising to treat many health problems. CBD comes in many forms, including CBD oil, tinctures, capsules, creams, etc. Although research is still in its early stages, Cannabidiol is believed to be good medicine for treating heart problems as well.
CBD Health Benefits
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the hundred cannabinoids, part of the cannabis plant. Along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), they are both considered the main cannabis compounds. But, there is a main difference between these two. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive at all and will not get you “high”.
According to a World Health Organization report, there isn’t any evidence that CBD has caused any health problems so far. But, this report states that more research is needed in order to understand how effective CBD really is. However, in 2018, “Epidiolex” , the first drug containing cannabidiol, was approved. The latter is used to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
CBD can be used to alleviate different health conditions. Some of them include:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Acne
- Heart Problems
How Can CBD Help With Heart Disease?
Inflammation may trigger many other diseases too, among them high blood pressure and stroke. Because it is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties, CBD is believed to be able to help in reducing heart disease risks by treating conditions like high blood pressure, stroke and arrhythmia.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure could lead to many serious heart problems and CBD can help in lowering high blood pressure. A 2009 study conducted on rats showed CBD’s effects on high blood pressure. Rats were put in a stressful situation, which led to an increase in heart rate and high blood pressure. After giving them CBD, heart rate and blood pressure lowered.
Meanwhile, another study carried out in 2017 has also shown promising effects of CBD for heart health. Some volunteers were also put in a stressful situation, and after using CBD, their blood pressure lowered, compared to volunteers who took a placebo instead of CBD.
Stroke
According to some studies, CBD could also help with heart attacks or stroke. A 2010 review showed that CBD can help patients recover from a stroke and help brain damage. While another 2017 review, found that CBD could manage to increase cerebral blood flow during a stroke. However, these studies are focused on animals and more studies must be done to see whether there will be the same results in humans too.
Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia occurs when the heartbeats are very fast, slow or irregular. If the heartbeat is irregular due to any heart damage, then the issue may be more serious. How CBD can help treating arrhythmia has not been estimated by researchers yet, however, in some studies conducted on rodents, CBD has shown to be helpful.
Researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai have also carried out research on the effects of CBD on heart disease. This research which was published in Science Direct found that cannabis can be effective in managing cardiac arrest and stroke. This study focused on CBD effects on the condition known as cerebral ischemia. The latter is a blood flow deficiency and can lead to cardiac arrest, stroke, brain damage, etc. In this study, CBD was estimated to be helpful in alleviating conditions associated with a deficiency in blood flow.
Are There Any CBD Side Effects?
Yes, CBD can produce some side effects, including dry mouth, fatigue, diarrhea, reduced appetite, etc. Hence, before using any CBD products, talk to your doctor in advance, especially if you are taking other medications. Also, be careful with the dose you take and read carefully the content of the product you are buying. It is recommended that you start with a smaller dose.
