The wide-ranging and relatively safe, non-intoxicating effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a newly popular hemp and cannabis derivative, means that all age groups can potentially benefit from it. This includes younger people – teenagers and even children. While few could have expected that the cannabis plant could be of therapeutic value to these demographics, the non-psychoactive nature of CBD products – a frilly way of saying you can’t get stoned from them – has changed the game entirely.
In this post, we’ll consider some ailments and life issues which particularly affect youth that CBD may help with, and highlight what kind of products could be of most assistance.
Acne
Most of us place a high priority on our appearance, but this is even more so the case in young people – especially in the intense social media cauldron that today’s kids have grown up in. Therefore, when a skin condition like acne strikes – as it’s prone to in teenagers – the damaging effects are often not just physical, but mental too. Acne sufferers are known to go to extreme lengths to manage the skin disorder, as shown by proliferation of acne remedies on the natural health market, some of which seem to do more harm than good.
CBD is a much different treatment for acne than we’ve seen before, as it appears to promote regulation in the sebaceous glands, which create sebum – the oil that is overproduced in acne patients, leading to dirty and oily skin. Regulating sebum production is better than just reducing levels of it, as this prevents the skin becoming too dry – the opposite issue to acne, but an equally problematic one.
CBD creams and potentially tincture oils can be used to relieve acne symptoms. These wholesale CBD products are made with natural ingredients that are safe for application on the skin. As well as managing acne, CBD topicals are also nourishing, moisturizing and promote a vibrant appearance.
CBD for studying
One of the most stressful periods that any young person goes through are exam seasons. These are built up as “make or break” for students, and the pressure to succeed can make it difficult to perform at the best of one’s ability. However, CBD could help with the revision phase beforehand, and also to reduce stress and anxiety for the exams themselves.
Good concentration is essential when revising, and this isn’t always easy in a world teeming with distractions. Students are turning to all sorts of options to boost cognitive function and focus, with nootropics like Adderall and Modafinil soaring in popularity. CBD, in small doses, may work similarly to increase alertness, and make study sessions more productive, increasing the amount of information that is absorbed.
When it comes to the big moment, a dose of CBD may settle the nerves, with no threat of intoxication. CBD reduces stress by stopping the body from creating cortisol, according to studies. Investigations into CBD’s anti-anxiety effect in real-life situations has also delivered positive results.
CBD for depression
Depression is one of the most concerning illnesses to affect young people, as not only does it impact wellbeing, but it can also heavily interfere with personal progression. Major depressive disorder causes a drop-off in motivation, as patients rapidly lose interest in activities that would have once excited them.
The typical move has been to prescribe antidepressant drugs called SSRIs. These have a therapeutic effect for some but not others, which makes sense considering there are many different types of depression. But even if SSRIs do provide an antidepressant effect, the benefits are delayed and ultimately very slow. It’s also common for patients to become mentally dependent on these drugs, ending up on treatment plans that last months or even years.
Initial CBD research suggests the cannabinoid offers more rapid antidepressant effects, and that it functions much differently to SSRIs. While there may be some chemical adjustments via CBD’s influence on the serotonin and endocannabinoid systems (ECS), the compound perhaps helps more by reducing neuroinflammation, which damages brain structure. CBD treatment in rats has found that structural and neuronal circuitry damage can be alleviated, seemingly by sparking a rise in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a necessary ingredient for neurogenesis, or brain growth.
The bonus of this kind of antidepressant is that the effects are more potent – just one dose facilitates almost a week of increased BDNF levels. However, more studies are crucial before CBD oil can be clinically approved as an antidepressant medicine, and either replace or complement SSRI drugs.
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