CBD oil is the latest health craze, with products available in shops and online. It’s said to offer everything from pain relief to anxiety relief. But what exactly is it, and does it work?
CBD stands for cannabidiol, and is one of 104 chemical compounds found in the cannabis or hemp plant. It doesn’t contain the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) so it can’t get you high. CBD is now legal in the UK, and there’s even a CBD-based medicine called Sativex, which is prescribed by doctors to reduce spasms and muscle stiffness in people with multiple sclerosis.
There’s also a growing number of studies into the potential health benefits of CBD. However, it’s not been fully tested yet, so more research is needed before we know if it’s safe and effective. At the moment, it seems to be well tolerated by most people and is a good alternative to other medicines for a wide range of conditions including pain, nausea, depression and anxiety.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency recommends that healthy adults take no more than 70mg of CBD a day. This is because some trials have shown that higher daily servings can cause side effects like low blood pressure, dizziness and liver toxicity. Choosing a brand with high quality oils, a clear labelling system and safe production processes is the best way to avoid this.
At For the Ageless, we only stock CBD oil produced by brands we trust. Our favourites include Blessed CBD and Vibes CBD. Both are careful about where their hemp is sourced and how it’s grown. They also use a supercritical CO2 extraction process to produce their oils. Their oils are carefully labelled, and they have an easy-to-read dropper that makes it simple to measure your exact dosage.
We recommend starting with a small bottle of 5% CBD oil and increasing the amount gradually until you reach your desired effect. CBD is fat soluble, so it’s best taken alongside meals. We also suggest trying different delivery methods – for example, placing the drops under your tongue will improve absorption.
Before you start taking any supplements, we advise you to speak to your GP or other healthcare professional to ensure that it’s safe and appropriate for you. This is especially important if you’re already taking any medications, particularly those that are metabolised by P450 enzymes and interact with CBD. This includes antidepressants, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants and some blood pressure lowering drugs. CBD Oil UK
