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Mental health problems are dispiritingly common in the UK. As many as 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health issue every year. Moreover, 1 in 6 will experience a common mental health issue, like depression or anxiety, in any given week in England. For those living with the symptoms of anxiety or depression, it’s essential to consult a doctor for advice. However, several medical studies have revealed the efficacy of using CBD for anxiety.

Prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs have a range of physical and mental side effects. These may include nausea, insomnia and a reduced sex drive. As a result, many people turn to natural remedies, like CBD, to help treat mental health issues. If you’ve been struggling with your mental health and you’re looking for a natural remedy, using CBD for anxiety may help. Here, we take a look at how.

Can I Use CBD For Anxiety? 

Studies into CBD and its efficacy as a physical and mental health treatment, are still in their infancy. However, several recent studies are beginning to paint a very positive picture. The results of these studies suggest that the proposed benefits of CBD are more than just a fad.

A 2015 review into CBD looked at the mechanics of CBD. It studied how cannabidiol interacts with our endocannabinoid system. This system is an internal network of retrograde neurotransmitters that help regulate caloric energy balance, immune function, emotional behaviour and other functions of the body. As well as investigating how CBD can regulate mental health, which we will discuss later, this study also found evidence that CBD is an effective treatment for a range of anxiety disorders. The study surmised that “Preclinical evidence conclusively demonstrates CBD’s efficacy in reducing anxiety behaviours relevant to multiple disorders”. These disorders include:

• generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• panic disorder (PD)
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• social anxiety disorder (SAD)

A 2020 Study On CBD Efficacy For Mental and Physical Issues

As well as this, research from 2020 evaluated the impact of CBD on 400 patients living in New Zealand. The results of this trial are even more positive than the last! The patients chosen for the trial were living with a mixture of conditions. These included cancer-related chronic pain, non-cancer pain symptoms as well as anxiety-related mental health conditions. In particular, those with mental health issues and non-cancer-related pain symptoms experienced the greatest improvements to their quality of life. 

In total, 70% of the patients reported “satisfaction” with CBD use for their ailments in a spectrum from excellent to good. Less than 10% of patients reported any adverse side effects and less than 1% reported a worsening of any symptoms. For those living with non-cancer-related pain, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions, the three-week prescription of CBD saw a self-described improvement in their “ability to complete their usual activities”.

It should be reiterated that there is still research to be done in regards to the best way to administer CBD for anxiety. As well as this, extra testing is required for the role of certain cannabinoid receptors. However, further studies are being completed all of the time. What is generally understood by all of the research completed into the efficacy of CBD for anxiety, is that, for many, CBD can reduce anxiety-related symptoms and there is substantial potential for CBD oil as an effective treatment for mental health conditions.

How CBD Works For Anxiety Management

As already mentioned, CBD interacts with what is known as the endocannabinoid system in the body. When ingested through drops, a pill or edibles, CBD transacts with several receptors which regulate fear and anxiety-related behaviours. In particular, CBD interacts with the cannabinoid type 1 receptor, the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, and the transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor.

The combination of CBD’s interaction with these receptors has an impact on how we experience pain. It also impacts how we experience our emotions. Physically, these interactions may reduce symptoms of pain, reduce inflammation, ease arthritis, reduce vomiting and more. Mentally, CBD’s interaction with serotonin receptors can help improve mood. As a result, this positive impact on mood can reduce the symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.

Which CBD Oil Is Right For Me?

Choosing which CBD oil product is right for you depends largely on your symptoms and the severity of your anxiety. We delve into this subject in more detail in our CBD oil buyers’ guide. However, as a general rule of thumb, it’s always best to start with a lower strength oil, taking a few drops a couple of times a day, and then work up from there. Our Only Green CBD Oil comes in either 10% or 20% strength. When buying oil from us, we suggest starting with a consistent course of 10% oil and assessing any changes in your mood. If this feels unsatisfactory, move up to our 20% oil and increase your dosage.

When diagnosed with a mental health disorder and on medication, it’s important to speak to your doctor about CBD before taking it. As suggested in the research cited throughout this blog, there is plenty of evidence on the efficacy of CBD. However, for diagnosed illnesses, the views of your doctor should always take precedence. If you generally struggle to manage your anxiety and stress, taking CBD and embarking on a journey of wellness could be the solution you’ve been looking for!

CBD As Part of General Wellness Practices

If you struggle with stress and anxiety-management, integrating general wellness practices into your life may help you find the tranquillity you are looking for. Committing to regular exercise, staying connected to the people you love, being kind to others and practising mindfulness can all aid your general sense of wellbeing. Taking CBD oil for anxiety can supplement these practices to take the edge off and help you manage any negativity without actually getting high.

At Only Green, We Can Help You Tackle Your Anxiety With Our Range of CBD Products

If you’re struggling with your stress and anxiety, you can buy CBD from our Only Green online shop. Our CBD oil has Novel Food status and is legal to buy in the UK. If you’d like to find out more about our services, please feel free to contact us. Alternatively, you could pop into our physical CBD shop in Bristol. We’d love to meet you!

CBD oil is fast becoming one of the most popular natural wellness remedies on the market. But with a constantly growing range of oils and oil-infused products, it can be difficult knowing where to start. If you still don’t know your full-spectrum from your isolate, we demystify the different strengths and types of CBD oil in our buyers’ guide.

What Is CBD Oil Commonly Used For?

Studies into the health benefits of CBD oil are still in relatively early stages, but many have yielded positive results. This research suggests that the regular use of CBD oil may help manage the symptoms of various conditions and ailments. These include:

• Anxiety and Depression
• Insomnia
• Natural Pain-Relief
• Cancer-Related Symptoms
• Skin Conditions 
• Neurological Disorders
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Substance Abuse
• Psychotic Symptoms

What Strength CBD Oil Should I Start With?

If you have decided to start your journey into CBD with oil rather than a CBD-infused product, like CBD coffee or balm, you’ll have the option to choose from a scale of strengths. The strength of CBD oil is calculated based on the percentage of CBD extract which is mixed with the carrier oil. For example, a 10ml bottle of oil with 1000mg of CBD has a strength of 10%. 

If you are trying to treat a serious mental or physical condition with CBD, we always recommend that you speak to your doctor first. This is especially true if you are already taking medication for an existing condition. 

A Broad Look At CBD Dosage Best Practice

A 2017 study into CBD found that there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to dosage. Instead, it’s always best to abide by the rule of starting low and going from there. If you have never used CBD before, start with 10% strength or less and take a couple of drops twice per day. From there, you can assess how your body reacts to the remedy and increase or decrease your dosage as you see fit. Some people may be more sensitive to CBD than others, which would require different dosages to get the same effect. 

The dosage you take will also depend on the kinds of symptoms you are looking to treat. If you are just trying to get a better night’s sleep or reduce some stress, you may be able to administer low doses of CBD just a couple of times a day. However, if you are treating cancer-related symptoms or a diagnosed mental health condition, then it is likely that you will require larger doses of stronger CBD more frequently.

Dosages For Specific Conditions

As mentioned above, the evidence into universal CBD dosages is inconclusive. However, some human tests have provided an initial dosage framework for several conditions.

For anxiety disorders, The Journal of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics has found evidence that ‘strongly supports’ the efficacy of daily doses between 300 and 600mg. The same study even found that CBD may be effective for those suffering from PTSD and improves the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy.

Dosage trials for other conditions have also been carried out, with the below results:

• Bowel diseases – a dose of 5mg twice per day.
• Cancer-related symptoms – daily doses of between 50mg and 300mg
• Parkinson’s Disease – daily doses between 75 and 300mg
• Insomnia and General Poor Sleep – 25 mg per day 

Whatever condition or ailment you are trying to treat with daily doses of CBD, you should always start small. Work your way up, keeping in mind the above-recommended doses, but always going with what feels right for you. Each drop of our 10% Only Green CBD Oil contains around 5mg of CBD and each drop of our 20% oil contains 10mg. So, as a starting point to help you get a better night’s sleep, we could recommend taking a couple of drops of our 10% oil twice per day.

Dosages for Pets

If you have bought CBD oil for pets, you should base the dosage on the weight of your dog or cat. As a basic rule of thumb, give your pet around 0.2mg of oil per pound that they weigh. However, the same rule of starting small applies.

Full-Spectrum vs Isolate: What’s The Difference?

Full-spectrum oil is the raw form of oil extracted from the cannabis plant. It contains trace levels of THC, terpenes, flavonoids as well as a range of cannabinoids including CBD. Isolate oil has had the additional traces of THC and terpenes extracted, leaving just cannabidiol. 

The additional compounds found in full-spectrum oil can help the body to absorb CBD more naturally. CBD isolate, on the other hand, contains only 99.9% pure CBD. The scientific-accuracy of isolate and the extraction of trace THC removes any risk of the chemical flagging on a drugs test for athletes or in the workplace.

Here at Only Green, we believe that there are use cases for both full-spectrum oils and pure CBD isolate oils. It all depends on the user and the circumstances. No matter which extracted CBD oil you choose, the source of the CBD and quality of the extraction process is also crucial for the end product. We ensure all of our Only Green products have the highest-quality process from seed to shelf. 

CBD For Localised Pain 

If you are using CBD as a treatment for localised pain, we would recommend choosing one of our CBD balm products. Applying our balm to sore joints or areas of muscle pain may ease the symptoms. 

Find Out More About CBD Oil From Only Green

If you would like to find out more about CBD, feel free to contact us today! All of our CBD oil has Novel Food status and is compliant with the relevant UK regulations. Alternatively, pop into our Stoke’s Croft CBD shop and cafe for a chat. We’d love to meet you!

UK mental health charity Mind recently warned of a ‘second pandemic’ hitting the UK in the wake of COVID-19. More people have experienced a mental health crisis than ever before recorded, according to their data analysis. In some cases, calls to Mind’s helpline doubled in comparison to the typical daily call rate pre-pandemic. Although many individual mental health crises require medical intervention, studies show that improving general health and practising wellness may help tame some cases of anxiety and depression. CBD has become an increasingly popular natural remedy to manage both mental and physical health. Here, we explain the benefits of CBD oil, as well as how and when to use it.

What Is CBD Oil?

Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a chemical compound that is present in the Cannabis Sativa plant. CBD is just one of the hundreds of chemical entities present in the plant. The most infamous of these compounds is THC – the psychoactive compound which gets you stoned. CBD is a non-mind-altering compound of cannabis, which retains several benefits for both physical and mental health. We derive our CBD from hemp which is naturally low in THC compared to marijuana – the other plant in the cannabis family. Although it comes from the cannabis plant, CBD is legal in the UK and governed by legislation from the EU and FSA.

CBD producers extract CBD oil from the hemp plant using a variety of methods. Here at Only Green, we use the environmentally-friendly CO2 extraction method. During the process, CO2 gas pumps into a chamber containing a harvested hemp plant. The gas in the chamber then turns to liquid through the application of pressure. As a result, cannabidiol extracts from the plant with the liquid CO2. The lab then separates the CO2 which leaves a full-spectrum CBD. Other extraction methods include using a solvent, such as ethanol, butane or propane, or olive oil.

The Benefits of CBD Oil

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the body; a system which helps regulate functions including immune system response, sleep and pain. The scientific research into CBD oil, and its interaction with the endocannabinoid system, is still in its relative infancy. However, the studies so far suggest that using CBD oil may have a range of physical and mental health benefits. The health benefits of CBD oil manifest via reactions with cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system.

Anxiety and Stress Management

CBD oil interacts with the brain’s serotonin receptors; the part of our brain which regulates mood. As such, using CBD oil is linked with the treatment of some mental illnesses including depression and anxiety. In some animal testing of CBD, the natural compound was found to have had anti-depressant-like qualities. As a result, many people suffering from anxiety, excessive stress and depression have turned to CBD oil as a natural remedy. The benefits of CBD oil for mental health even extends to calming down anxious pets!

Natural Pain Relief

Studies of CBD suggest that the chemical compound can be used for natural pain relief through interactions with endocannabinoid receptor activity. In particular, some studies show that soreness and muscle inflammation due to arthritis can be reduced through a course of CBD. One of the benefits of CBD oil for pain relief is that the remedy is completely natural. 

Insomnia Relief

Insomnia is often caused by more deep-rooted mental health issues like anxiety or depression. People who are experiencing excessive levels of stress or anxiety often report finding it difficult to sleep. By interacting with your endocannabinoid system, CBD can create an internal equilibrium; otherwise known as homeostasis. This balance can reduce levels of anxiety and depression and, therefore, improve sleep!

General Wellness

Homeostasis is a process in which a biological system finds equilibrium or stability. Through interaction with the endocannabinoid system, CBD products can help your body achieve a better balance, which can improve your general mental and physical wellness.

Different Types of CBD Oil and CBD Strength 

When CBD extracts from the hemp plant, it then goes through further processes to produce a certain type of CBD. If CBD oil is full-spectrum, then all of the natural elements of the hemp plant remain intact, including trace levels of THC (but nowhere near enough to get you high). Broad-spectrum CBD contains CBD and Terpenes, and CBD isolates only contain CBD.

After CBD extraction, we mix CBD with a ‘carrier oil’, like refined hemp seed oil. Depending on the quantity of CBD extract in the carrier oil, the end product will be a different strength.

CBD oil usually comes in bottles containing between 5% and 25% CBD content. No matter the concentrated strength of CBD in a bottle of oil, it is never enough to get you high. Even full-spectrum CBD only ever contains a trace amount of THC. If you take more than the recommended dose of high-strength CBD, you may feel drowsy or fatigued, but little else.

How To Take CBD

There are many ways you can enjoy the health benefits of CBD oil. The first, and most common way, of administering CBD is through taking CBD oil in drops. Using your bottle of Only Green CBD Oil, drop a few drops under your tongue to get the desired effect. 

Finding the right dosage for you is mostly a case of trial and error. We always recommend starting small, with just a couple of drops, and steadily increasing your dosage over several days until you find the best dose for you. Each drop of our CBD contains either 5mg or 10mg of CBD, depending on whether you have chosen 10% or 20% strength, and the generally-accepted maximum dose of CBD is 70mg per day. So, if you’ve chosen our 10% product, limit yourself to around 14 drops per day and if you choose our 20% product, it’s 7 drops per day. If you’re struggling to know where to start, we’ve created a useful CBD oil buyers’ guide. You can take drops as required throughout the day, but taking them with meals works well for many of our customers.

You can also take CBD with infused products, like CBD coconut oil or CBD coffee as well as through balms for localised pain.

Try CBD From The Only Green CBD Shop in Bristol

Only Green is a CBD shop and cafe based in Bristol’s famous Stoke’s Croft. Buy CBD from our online shop to start your CBD wellness journey. Our CBD oil has Novel Food status and is compliant with the relevant regulation. Contact us if you have any questions about our products and the benefits of CBD or visit us in-store. We’d love to meet you!