These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please always consult your doctor
before making any changes in supplements or medications.
before making any changes in supplements or medications.
CBD and Depression
Depression can be crippling. From a feeling of being down to thoughts of suicide, it can be an ongoing devastating condition to live with and a lot of Americans are afflicted.
Major Depressive Disorder
The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3
Affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5
More prevalent in women than in men.
The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3
Affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5
More prevalent in women than in men.
Persistent depressive disorder, or PDD, (formerly called dysthymia) is a form of depression that usually continues for at least two years.
Affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. (about 3.3 million American adults).
The median age of onset is 31.1 Facts and Statistics Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. (about 3.3 million American adults).
The median age of onset is 31.1 Facts and Statistics Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Most suffer in silence and those who do reach out are often prescribed anti depressants that can take 6-8 weeks to start working. However, if a person does find relief from prescriptions, it is often accompanied by a gambit of side effects including...
- Decreased sex drive or no sex drive at all
- Dry mouth — your mouth feels very dry and cannot produce the same amount of saliva as usual
- Mild to moderate nausea
- Insomnia — inability to get to sleep, or difficulty staying asleep
- Increased anxiousness or restlessness
- Sleepiness
- Weight gain
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Headaches
- Increased sweating
- Tremors or dizziness
Not a lot of clinical human studies have been done yet on the efficacy of CBD and depression.
BUT...
There is good reason to believe that it will help!
Animal research not only shows that it can help but that it helps quickly!
Researchers conducted behavioral and neurochemical studies on surgically modified OBX mice following CBD treatment, and found CBD reversed the OBX-induced hyperactivity and anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure).
“Our findings indicate that CBD could represent a novel fast antidepressant drug, via enhancing both serotonergic and glutamate cortical signalling through a 5-HT1A receptor-dependent mechanism,” researchers wrote.
Neuropharmacology Volume 103, April 2016, Pages 16–26
“Our findings indicate that CBD could represent a novel fast antidepressant drug, via enhancing both serotonergic and glutamate cortical signalling through a 5-HT1A receptor-dependent mechanism,” researchers wrote.
Neuropharmacology Volume 103, April 2016, Pages 16–26
“In the animal models we studied, we saw that chronic stress reduced the production of endocannabinoids, leading to depression-like behavior,” says RIA senior research scientist Samir Haj-Dahmane, PhD.
Scientists at the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions
Scientists at the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions
CBD and seratonin effects
At high concentrations, CBD directly activates the 5-HT1A (hydroxytryptamine) serotonin receptor, thereby conferring an anti-depressant effect. This receptor is implicated in a range of biological and neurological processes, including (but not limited to) anxiety, addiction, appetite, sleep, pain perception, nausea and vomiting.
5-HT1A is a member of the family of 5-HT receptors, which are activated by the neurotransmitter serotonin. Found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, 5-HT receptors trigger various intracellular cascades of chemical messages to produce either an excitatory or inhibitory response, depending on the chemical context of the message.
CBD triggers an inhibitory response that slows down 5-HT1A signaling. In comparison, LSD, mescaline, magic mushrooms, and several other hallucinogenic drugs activate a different type of 5-HT receptor that produces an excitatory response.
Jose Alexandre Crippa and his colleagues at the University of San Paulo in Brazil and at the King’s College in London
Depression and Inflammation
When we think of inflammation we often think of arthritis but every single disease has an inflammation component to it: including depression.
There is now an extensive body of data showing that depression is associated with a chronic low-grade inflammatory response and new evidence is showing that clinical depression is accompanied by oxidative stress and autoimmune responses.
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-11-200
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-11-200
What things would cause our bodies to react in an inflammatory manner. Unfortunately, most things that we consider normal every day elements of modern life....
Things like....
The standard American diet (sugars, refined grains),
Pollution (including air, pesticide on our food and contaminants in our water supply),
Our modern sleep schedules,
Electromagnetic pollution (including WiFi),
Lack of physical activity,
Insufficient gut flora,
Obesity,
Stress
The standard American diet (sugars, refined grains),
Pollution (including air, pesticide on our food and contaminants in our water supply),
Our modern sleep schedules,
Electromagnetic pollution (including WiFi),
Lack of physical activity,
Insufficient gut flora,
Obesity,
Stress
When our bodies are subjected to these on going stresses it reacts in an inflammatory way. CBD is showing promise by helping in an anti inflammatory way.
Closing Thoughts
As you have read, research is pointing toward depression being an inflammatory response to ongoing stressors. Some of these stressors can be lowered and/or eliminated from our daily lives but not all can. Modern life is all around us. Everywhere we go is electrified and connected to WiFi. Even if we can afford to go completely organic with our food, the air we breathe is still polluted. Our bodies are under attack everyday!
By strengthening our master switch (the endocannabinoid system), our bodies may be able to react more efficiently and remain in a closer state of homeostasis in spite of the daily assaults.
In other words; it looks like a strong endocannabinoid system creates a more balanced mind and body!
While there are several excellent strains of marijuana out there that may help with depression, only half the nation has access to reliable dispensaries! CBD may be an excellent choice for those of us in non medical marijuana states and also for those who want to bypass any psychoactive components while on our journey to a more focused and joyful life.
