Recently there has been much interest in cannabidiol (CBD) oil due to its potential health benefits, which range from relieving pain to treating depression and anxiety.
Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabinoid, CBD is not psychoactive. This means that it does not cause the high that people typically associate with marijuana. For this reason, it is legal to sell and consume CBD in most countries. Its legality in the United States, however, varies between states.
Does CBD oil work for menopause?
CBD may work on the body in a range of ways to help menopause symptoms. Of particular interest is the way that it interacts with cannabinoid receptors.
How do cannabinoid receptors work?
The endocannabinoid system refers to a collection of cell receptors, called cannabinoid receptors, which are present in the brain, organs, and other tissues throughout the body.
The endocannabinoid system works by interacting with chemical messengers, including CBD.
Researchers believe that this system plays an essential role in many bodily functions and other aspects of health, including:
- mood regulation
- immune functions
- pain
- sleep
- memory
- fertility and reproduction
- temperature regulation
One theory is that a poorly functioning endocannabinoid system can lead to several different health conditions. Manipulating the chemicals involved in the system, such as CBD, could potentially help to treat such conditions.
Menopause seems to disrupt the endocannabinoid system, and there are cannabinoid receptors throughout the female reproductive system, so it is possible that CBD oil could reduce some of the symptoms relating to menopause.
Being unable to sleep properly is a common complaint of people going through menopause, and it can have a significant impact on daily life.
A 2016 case study on a person with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) showed that CBD oil was able to reduce sleep disturbances and anxiety.
It is possible that CBD oil may also be useful in treating the sleep disturbances relating to menopause.
Bone density loss
A low bone density can increase the chance of fractures or bruises, so it is an important symptom to treat.
Some research has found that CBD interacts with a cannabinoid receptor that may play a role in bone density loss. CBD may, therefore, be able to reduce the rate of bone density loss that can occur during menopause.
Takeaway
At present, there is very little reliable evidence to suggest that CBD oil can treat the symptoms of menopause. Researchers have only just started to understand how the endocannabinoid system works and the role it may play in different health conditions.
Future research in this area will be necessary to directly test theories relating to the role of CBD in menopause. It will then be possible to determine whether or not CBD oil could help to reduce menopause symptoms.
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