People are talking about the benefits CBD gummies have to offer those who experience pain, but what do they actually do that might impact pain?
The gummies' main active ingredients is CBD. CBD is a compound found in cannabis plants. Its interaction with specific body system has shown positive impacts and potential health benefits.
Endocannabinoid System
When we talk about CBD’s interaction with the body, we are mainly talking about the interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a network of receptors and neurotransmitters throughout the body. Let’s break down what happens during CBD’s interaction with the ECS:
The ECS has two main receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are mostly in the central nervous system. CB2 receptors are mainly in the peripheral nervous system, immune cells, and other tissues.
CBD does not directly bind to CB1 or CB2 receptors like THC does. Instead, it influences these receptors indirectly. CBD can improve the binding of some endocannabinoids (like anandamide) to CB1 and CB2 receptors. This change modulates their activity.
CBD inhibits the breakdown of endocannabinoids by the enzyme FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase). This inhibition allows endocannabinoids to stay in the body longer. It makes their effects on the receptors last longer.
CBD also interacts with other receptors in the body. These include serotonin receptors (5-HT1A), which affect mood and pain perception.
Pain Relief + Other Benefits
Now that we understand how CBD interacts with the ECS, we can see how modulating the ECS may offer potential health benefits. CBD can have many effects. It may reduce inflammation and pain. It may also modulate immune responses and affect mood and stress.
And believe it or not, but all of those effects may have an indirect impact on pain levels. Pain can be complex. It is worsened by stress, mood, and inflammation. This is true for both chronic and injury-based pain. So, while CBD gummies may offer support for pain, as you can see, there are other benefits that support wellness from these gummies as well.
We do want to point out that you need to ingest gummies and wait for them to be metabolized before experiencing the effects of CBD.
Current Research
CBD is not FDA-approved to treat any health condition, which includes pain. However, there is current research demonstrating positive impacts of CBD on various pain-related conditions.
Such as this study that focused on CBD’s effect on peripheral neuropathic pain [1]. In this study, 303 patients had peripheral neuropathic pain. They were placed into separate treatment groups. The group who received a THC/ CBD spray as treatment, showed significant favorable treatment differences than the group who did not receive this treatment.
Research published in 2020 examined CBD’s role in chronic pain management. It found several studies that support CBD treatment [2]. When examining several studies involving CBD-based treatment, there are promising results, but it is still evident that more research is needed.
Currently, CBD gummies should not be seen as a sole treatment plan. Instead, we recommend adding CBD gummies to a multi-faceted plan. You should discuss the plan with your main healthcare professional.
References
- Serpell, M., Ratcliffe, S., Hovorka, J., Schofield, M., Taylor, L., Lauder, H., & Ehler, E. (2014). A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel group study of THC/CBD spray in peripheral neuropathic pain treatment. European journal of pain, 18(7), 999-1012.
- Urits, I., Gress, K., Charipova, K., Habib, K., Lee, D., Lee, C., ... & Viswanath, O. (2020). Use of cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of chronic pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, 34(3), 463-477.
