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Fight depression with CBD
Reading time
⌛
4 min
Depression in a nutshell
It's a widespread disease, affecting twice as many women.
Depression is a mental illness characterized by, among other things, morbid thoughts, sadness, eating and sleeping disorders, loss of pleasure and interest, low self-esteem and marked anxiety. In the most severe cases, it can lead to suicide.
It can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Depression therefore differs from temporary low mood in that it has a deeper, longer-lasting effect on mood, but also on the body, causing back, head or stomach aches and weakening the immune system. Depression is chronic in 50% of cases (a period of depression lasting several years, according to the French Ministry of Health).
This disease therefore corresponds to precise diagnostic criteria, and is considered by the WHO to be the world's second leading cause of disability after cardiovascular disorders[1]. It generally affects women twice as often as men.
The origins of depression
They can be :
- Genetics ;
- Biological: a deficit or imbalance of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, responsible for our well-being, is observed in patients, disrupting communication between neurons;
- Environmental: unhealthy lifestyle habits (alcohol, tobacco, lack of physical activity) and excessive work or mental workload in general (stress);
- Life events (bereavement, separation, etc.).
Treatment of depression
In the case of mild depression, psychotherapeutic support will suffice. In more severe cases (numerous, intense and long-lasting symptoms), the depression will need to be treated with medication and therapy. However, antidepressants are not without their side-effects*, to varying degrees, which is why alternatives are being sought[2].
* Headache, dizziness, dry mouth, weakness, constipation, dizziness, loss or gain of weight and appetite, sexual dysfunction.
The effects of CBD on depression
CBD is one of the many cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. It is a molecule with no psychotropic effects. Cannabidiol acts on the endocannabinoid system, which is made up of neurotransmitters found throughout the body. This system is fundamental to the proper functioning of several vital functions, including mood and sleep.
CBD will interact directly with cannabinoid neurotransmitters and, in the case of depression in particular, increase the activity of serotonin[3](5-HT1A) receptors. The increase in serotonin will produce a calming and soothing effect.
The effect of CBD can also be accompanied by relaxing practices that promote mental and physical well-being, such as yoga and meditation.
Clinical studies on CBD and depression
In a 2016 study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado[4], it was reported that cannabidiol, in relatively large doses (25mg per day, in this case), has an antidepressant effect. In this clinical trial, CBD in oil form was substituted for a well-known antidepressant: imipramine (LAROXYL), and no side effects were observed with CBD.
Another more recent study (2018)[5], goes in the same direction, reaffirming CBD's antidepressant effects, and even suggests that CBD activates mechanisms that repair neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (a brain region known to act on mood).
The study includes no fewer than 6 pre-clinical experiments on rats and mice, but fully demonstrates the therapeutic potential of CBD in humans.
In these experiments, CBD was found to increase the density of the prefrontal cortex after just 30 min. These tests established the efficacy of Cannabidiol as early as 7 days.
This should be seen in the context of the time it takes for symptoms to improve with antidepressant medication, which lasts between 3 and 4 weeks. *
The study also points out that "currently available antidepressants have a long time to induce a therapeutic response and a relatively low efficacy".
Finally, the study concludes that " the results indicate that CBD induces a rapid and also long-lasting antidepressant-like effect ".
* According to INSERM
! WARNING!
Although CBD appears to offer certain advantages over antidepressants, it cannot replace them. Never stop taking any prescribed medication, especially antidepressants, without talking to your doctor first (stopping them abruptly can have serious side effects).
The effects of CBD on depression-related disorders
According to some studies, CBD also has beneficial effects on disorders accompanying depression:
- Anxiety: CBD is said to reduce anxiety, also thanks to serotonin[6].
- Sleep disorders: thanks to its relaxing effects and positive impact on the circadian cycle, CBD can help combat insomnia.
- Appetite disorders: the regulating effect of CBD can help to increase or reduce appetite and achieve a balanced diet.
We're talking here about the only effects that interest the article, but these aren't the only facts about CBD, and some of them are quite astonishing!
How to take CBD oil
One of the most effective ways of taking CBD is in oil form. Assimilation of cannabidiol is rapid, taking around 20 minutes, and very effective: a large proportion of CBD will interact with your endocannabinoid system. Simply place a few drops directly under the tongue for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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Even if CBD is free of side effects, it's important to start with the lowest dose, as each person, depending on their build, age and many other criteria, will react differently to this molecule.
