CBD and Migraines – Just hype?

Migraines are a health concern affecting 39 million men, women and children in the U.S. and 1 billion worldwide according to the Migraine Research Foundation.

Eables CBD began as a search for a healthy alternative to easing intense migraines.

Ibuprofin, Excedrin, Advil, and even some prescription pain medicine were all too commonplace in our home during our search for relief. Until we tried CBD.

What is CBD?
CBD (fully known as cannabidiol) is just one of the over 100 chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. Cannabidiol is fundamentally different from THC (fully known as tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the chemical compound in cannabis that produces a “high” feeling of euphoria.

Depending on how it is extracted, CBD oil contains very little amounts of THC (typically less than 0.03 percent), making it safe for consumption since it has no psychoactive effects. Eables CBD Broad Spectrum and Pure CBD products are THC free. In other words, these products are perfect for younger people, as well as teachers/LEO’s or anyone concerned with THC in the bloodstream.

How does CBD relieve chronic pain and migraines?
CBD’s ability to treat a wide range of symptoms can be traced to the presence of the endocannabinoid system in the human body. The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is the biological system responsible for a number of functions and processes including sleep, mood, appetite, reproduction and fertility, immune system response and many more.

The endocannabinoid system itself produces chemical compounds called cannabinoids (which is similar to the ones found in the cannabis plant) and uses them to trigger effects in the body. So when CBD is absorbed into the body, it functions just like cannabinoids that the body produces by supporting their normal operations and promoting a sense of calm and well-being. The only difference is that the impact of CBD in the system is significantly longer than that of the cannabinoids produced by the body.

When you consume CBD for chronic pain and migraine, it inhibits the glutamate levels in the brain and spinal cord, which is associated with the increased sensation of pain. It also boosts the amounts of anandamide in the body, a compound that has been linked with pain regulation.

What does the research say?
A 2009 study found out that cannabis compounds like CBD may treat chronic pain in people who have been taking opioids for long periods and want to reduce use.
A study published in the September 2015 edition of the journal Neurotoxicology revealed that CBD inhibits glutamate levels in the brain and spinal cord, which is associated with increased sensations of pain. Another study in 2017 showed that CBD can help reduce and prevent migraines when taken daily. Participants in the study reported a significant decrease in the severity and frequency of their headaches.

REFERENCES
1. Living well with chronic pain. Retrieved 8 July, 2020.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/piiS1526590004008247

2. Raising Money for Migraine Research. Retrieved 8 July, 2020.

https://migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/migraine-facts/

3. Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, inhibits cocaine-induced seizures in mice: possible role of the mTOR pathway and reduction in glutamate release. Retrieved July 8, 2020.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X15001229

4. The analgesic Potential of Cannabinoids. Retrieved July 8, 2020.

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3728280/

5. Cannabinoids and Migraine Prevention. Retrieved July 8,2020.

https://www.ean.org\amsterdam2017\fileadmin\user_upload\E-EAN_-_Cannabinoids_in_migraine_-_FINAL.pdf