DO CBD TINCTURES HELP RELIEVE ANXIETY?

Although we are still a long way off from having CBD prescribed by medical professionals around the world, we are getting closer every day. There are clinical trials beginning by researchers to solidify the list of potential effects CBD has on the human body. These clinical trials are taking volunteers and who are diagnosed with anxiety and providing them with regular doses of CBD tinctures or soft gel capsules. The point of the trials is to measure the efficacy of CBD for managing multiple types of anxiety within the volunteer test subjects. This will hopefully help lead us to more solidified answers when it comes to CBD and anxiety.

While clinical studies move at a slow pace, it’s important to understand exactly what we are working with when it comes to CBD tinctures since they are the most popular method of dosing CBD. It’s also important to read up on the current knowledge established about CBD, based on a combination of scientific research and anecdotal testimonies. Read on and do your research on how a CBD tincture might help manage symptoms of anxiety.

How Does CBD Work?
There are more than 100 naturally occurring compounds identified in hemp plants, with CBD being one of the most popular ones after tetrahydrocannabinol. However, CBD is known to not leave users with a feeling of being stoned or high. Instead, it interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system, which manages the communication of cells in your body among other processes. When it comes to the conversation of CBD and anxiety, it is thought that CBD helps the body process serotonin. This hormone and neurotransmitter is known to regulate emotions within your body, including emotions that coincide with anxiety. So, it’s safe to assume that if CBD is helping your body process more lighthearted serotonin then it helps relieve multiple forms of anxiety.

How CBD Tinctures Work
CBD tinctures are a great way to deliver fairly pure forms of CBD to your endocannabinoid system. The biggest benefits of tinctures are that they have fairly limited ingredients and a fairly high concentration of CBD. That means that you can use less tincture to achieve the same results you might get from eating three CBD-infused chocolate bars, without the additional ingredients. CBD tinctures also have a double-onset. You will experience a kick of CBD when you first take the tincture sublingually and then an additional wave when the CBD reaches your digestive system.

You can either drop a CBD tincture into your favorite drink or simply drop the tincture straight under your tongue so that it can be absorbed into your bloodstream even faster. CBD tinctures are normally packaged in bottles equipped with a measuring dropper so that you can measure out your ideal dose easily. However, they are also starting to come packaged in mini spray bottles, so that you can discreetly spray the CBD tincture under your tongue whenever you need it.

How CBD Tinctures Compare to Traditional Anti-Anxiety Medication
It is important to note again that the FDA has not approved CBD as an anti-anxiety medication. However, anecdotally it appears to provide a lot of benefits to a lot of people with anxiety. The number one anxiety disorder being studied in relation to CBD at the moment is social anxiety, in part because it is easier to measure results. Participants in studies are given a dose of CBD before participating in a public speaking activity, to see how CBD will affect their normal interactions and feelings of anxiety. Although these studies are few and far between at the moment, they are gaining popularity due to the popularity of people using CBD already. Many users testify that CBD does not eliminate the feelings of anxiety, but instead it works to help you feel like you can manage them better. Those who take CBD for anxiety have reported feeling a sense of calm about having to resolve the present issue that is causing anxiety, without having debilitating physical side effects.

What scientists believe is happening is that CBD works in a similar fashion as serotonin inhibitors or SSRI. SSRIs are a type of traditional depression and anxiety medication that works to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain. By increasing serotonin, these types of medications can therefore help boost your mood. Researchers are looking further into a similar connection between CBD and serotonin receptors in the brain to clarify why it seems to alleviate anxiety and how specifically it does so.

While we cannot give you a scientifically proven answer to the question posed, there are plenty of user testimonies about CBD tinctures being used to manage anxiety. And although there is still a lot to learn, there are those who already have personal proof that CBD helps them manage their anxiety so that it does not become all-encompassing or debilitating. It’s ultimately up to you and your doctor though, to determine if CBD will help manage your specific form of anxiety. If it does help though, a CBD tincture is a great method for regular, exact dosing.