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CBD and diabetes
Reading time ⌛ 4 min
What is diabetes?
Diabetes, or chronic hyperglycemia, is characterized by an excess of sugar in the blood, resulting in excessively high glucose or blood sugar levels. It stems from a discheckout in the body's ability to process, use, and store sugars from food.
Two essential hormones, insulin and glucagon, enable the body to properly absorb glucose and then release it from the liver. When these hormones are balanced, blood sugar levels are stable. However, in diabetes, and for various reasons, these hormones do not function properly.
Types of diabetes
Science distinguishes several types of diabetes, but in this article we will mainly focus on type 1 and type 2 diabetes[1].
The first is of genetic origin, it affects young children and is classified among autoimmune diseases in that the individual's immune system destroys the "beta" cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.
The second, which represents about 90% of diabetes cases, generally appears around the age of 40, its causes are not clearly defined (they may be genetic, related to the environment or to the lifestyle and diet of the patient), and it is characterized by insufficient or inefficient insulin production.
Symptoms of diabetes
The symptoms of the two types of diabetes differ : type 1 diabetes is often characterized by weight loss, mood changes and/or blurred vision, while type 2 diabetes is characterized by shaky hands and/or numbness in the limbs.[2]
In both cases, diabetes requires treatment and monitoring, generally in the form of insulin injections. Indeed, if left untreated, diabetes can lead to, among other things, blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, lower limb amputation, or nerve damage.
Cases of diabetes worldwide are constantly evolving and are currently estimated at over 400 million cases.[3]
The benefits of CBD for diabetes
The effects of CBD
According to several laboratory studies, mainly conducted in 2015 and 2016, CBD may have the following potential effects [4]:
- An anti-inflammatory role : CBD acts on the endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate several types of inflammation, such as arterial inflammation from diabetes, or joint inflammation caused by Lyme disease or osteoarthritis.
- A neuroprotective and analgesic effect : CBD consumption has repercussions at the neuronal level. Its action allows neurons to block out some of the electrical signals associated with pain. This provides a comprehensive analgesic effect that works for both acute pain (injuries, surgery, etc.) and chronic pain (osteoarthritis, sciatica, menstrual pain, etc.).
- A vasodilatory effect on blood circulation (hyperglycemia in diabetes weakens the walls of blood vessels and promotes blood cbatchting, leading to stroke)
- An antispasmodic action on muscle cramps and gastrointestinal discheckouts (cramps are common in diabetics)
- A regulatory action in general : by acting on the endocannabinoid system, CBD can allow the regulation of several biological functions: sleep, the day-night cycle, appetite, weight gain, sebum production…
- A calming effect on the diabetic agitation syndrome responsible for insomnia in many patients.
A closer look at the potential benefits of CBD for diabetes
CBD may also delay the onset and progression of type 1 diabetes by preventing the body's destruction of beta cells, as CBD has autoimmune properties and thus reduces pancreatic inflammation. CBD oil may also regulate oxidative oil production in the kidneys and play a role in kidney failure.
Regarding type 2 diabetes, since CBD has an impact on CB1 (one of the two neurotransmitters in the brain linked to insulin production), it can be used to treat metabolic discheckouts caused by diabetes such as obesity.[5]
Scientific evidence of CBD's effectiveness on diabetes
Finally, one of the first studies carried out on the subject [6] highlighted the decrease and delay in the production of inflammatory cytokine, thus reducing the incidence of diabetes.
In conclusion, one in four people worldwide has diabetes, and some only discover it at an advanced stage. Although research on CBD is still ongoing, current progress demonstrates more therapeutic effects than other treatments [7], which also have more side effects. [8]
How to take CBD oil
CBD oil is taken in the form of drops placed directly under the tongue using a dropper, allowing for faster absorption into the bloodstream and a more immediate effect. CBD generally does not cause side effects. We recommend choosing the lowest concentration CBD oil if you have never used it before.
Sources
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- [6]
