CBD is a cannabinoid that has become widely popular for its impressive therapeutic properties. Many people use CBD for its properties in reducing anxiety and stress. In addition, it is useful as a treatment for insomnia. Moreover, there are many other health benefits of CBD. For example, CBD as an antioxidant or CBD and neuroprotective properties.
Administration of CBD may reduce short-term brain damage. This is especially interesting for contact sports athletes. Moreover, CBD administration was associated with cardiac, hemodynamic, and ventilatory beneficial effects.
Furthermore, CBD is a non-toxic substance with no psychoactive properties. In short, it is easier to use and it will not cause toxicity in high doses.
What is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is a cannabinoid that has been used for its therapeutic properties. For years, CBD was discarded as a cannabinoid with little use. It was classified as a cannabinoid that promote mild sleepiness or drowsiness.
Recent studies have proved otherwise, and CBD has been widely studied for its therapeutic properties. In addition, CBD may reduce adverse effects associated with THC.
In the United States, CBD has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of two forms of epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
CBD is highly tolerated in high doses and this is one of its advantages compared with other cannabinoids and substances.
CBD as an Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Properties
What is an Antioxidant?
An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation. In short, they are substances that protect your body against free radicals. Free radicals might play a role in the development of cancer, heart disease and they are even linked to ageing.
According to some theories, free radicals break cells down over time causing ageing, such as wrinkles and debilitating our bodies. Free radicals might be responsible for body ageing and other degenerative processes. According to LiveScience, “the body is under constant attack from oxidative stress. Oxygen in the body splits into single atoms with unpaired electrons. Electrons like to be in pairs, so these atoms, called free radicals, scavenge the body to seek out other electrons so they can become a pair. This causes damage to cells, proteins and DNA”.
Free radicals are associated with so many diseases that it is very important to find ways to “donate an electron” to neutralize them. Antioxidants can do it and CBD has been widely researched for its antioxidant properties.
How Does CBD Work as an Antioxidant?
Antioxidants have the potential to delay or inhibit cellular damage mainly through their free radical scavenging property. Free radicals can target any kind of molecules in our body.
Research have been focusing on researching CBD as an antioxidant as well as other cannabinoids such as THC. CBD reduces hydroperoxide toxicity in neurons. Consequently, CBD as an antioxidant has neuroprotective properties.
In addition, according to a study by the US government, Cannabinoids has antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of many forms of oxidation associated diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, ischemic or age-related.
Another important advantage of CBD as an antioxidant is that it is highly tolerable, and it does not produce psychoactive effects.
Nonetheless, most of research are still in preclinical stages. Studies show that cannabinoids such as CBD and THC might have properties against neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and/or Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and trauma.
How can I Use CBD and/or Cannabis?
There are many ways to use CBD or other cannabinoids for health reasons. CBD could be a great nutritional supplement, or you can also vape it for a fast effect. Vaping CBD is fast and convenient. Furthermore, dosing is easier with cannabis vapes than with edibles.
You can vape CBD as an antioxidant as it is very convenient, fast and it has a very high bioavailability.
There are mainly two types of CBD oil vapes: disposable and refillable ones. Disposable CBD cartridges are convenient and easy to use. It is a good option if you don’t want to tinker with coils, e-liquids or wicks. On the other hand, refillable pods are a good option if you want to have more control of the vaping settings. For example, you can choose different CBD e-liquids and the atomizers have a longer lifespan.
You can use CBD as an antioxidant with your cannabis cartridges. The most important advantage is its high bioavailability as it can be higher than 50%. Vaping ensures that up to 56% of the cannabinoid content will enter your bloodstream, while other studies mention even higher bioavailability.
CBD as an Antioxidant: Conclusion
Most of studies on CBD as an antioxidant are at preclinical stages. Nonetheless, there are many studies that have proved its potential antioxidant properties. In addition, CBD has been studied for its neuroprotective properties.
From all the intake methods, vaping has one of the highest bioavailabilities. In other words, the proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so can have an active effect.