Wherever you look in the health supplement segment, CBD is among the most sold-out products. Initially, CBD was only available at some vitamins and novelty shops. Nowadays, forget about pharmacies; it is available everywhere, from grocery stores to yoga studios. In the United Kingdom, the CBD market is growing normally; after the pandemic, the market has seen a surge in CBD users. Among different CBD products, CBD capsules UK are very famous as they are pretty easy to consume and store.
Much of the properties of the cannabis plant are attributed to CBD and THC, the prevalent cannabinoids of the cannabis plant. It is derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant, and the therapeutic effects of medical cannabis are well known. People use CBD products for various reasons, including relief from pain and seizures. Epidiolex is the only pure CBD drug approved by the FDA to treat seizures. Incidentally, some people also use CBD capsules to reduce cancer symptoms. Let’s see if CBD can reduce cancer symptoms effectively or is just a fad. Before that, let’s have a short introduction to CBD capsules.
What is a CBD capsule?
As already mentioned, CBD is one of the prevalent compounds of the cannabis plant, in fact second-most by quantity. CBD is extracted from the hemp plant for industrial purposes instead of cannabis; CBD is more concentrated in the hemp plant. Moreover, it doesn’t produce a psychoactive effect, making it an ideal choice for anyone. CBD products come in various forms, and capsules are among them. CBD capsules are packed with cannabidiol gels and are perfect for working people or people who have more outside activities.
How CBD capsules can help in alleviating Cancer symptoms?
The initial research on cancer patients is promising, and researchers believe CBD may help manage cancer symptoms and some side effects of cancer treatment. Let’s see how
CBD capsules are rich in antioxidants that help in protecting the body cells against free radicals. If the number of free radicals in the body increases significantly, it can damage the DNA. The damage of DNA and another molecule increases the risk of cancer.
According to some research, cannabinoids such as CBD can cause:
- Death of cancerous cell
- Block cell growth
- Restricts the development of blood vessels – it is needed for tumors to grow.
- Reduce inflammation and ability to alleviate chronic pain
Moreover, CBD may also help people suffering from cancer by:
Stimulating appetite:
People undergoing cancer treatment often complain of loss of appetite and nausea. Due to this, cancer patients struggle to maintain a healthy weight. However, CBD products coupled with a bit of THC may help stimulate the appetite.
Providing analgesic effects:
Cancer and its treatment, such as chemotherapy, are painful, and in most cases, the pain is due to the swelling of internal organs or nerve injury. Over time, cancer pain becomes resistant to opioids forcing medics to search for other pain medication options. CBD capsules may provide significant relief from pain as it has a great affinity to CB2 receptors. These receptors are part of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) that regulates pain, appetite, cognitive ability, and sleep cycle.
Relief from nausea:
In later stages of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, patients experience regular nausea and vomiting. While the anti-nausea effects come from THC, full-spectrum CBD capsules may also help. In full-spectrum CBD, all cannabinoids are present. However, the THC content is limited. Many patients get relief from low doses of THC, and for them, full-spectrum CBD capsules are the ideal option.
Research supporting the effects of CBD on cancer symptoms:
While there is no FDA-approved cancer drug, anecdotal evidence and research support the effects of CBD on cancer. Let’s see some of the promising studies:
- A 2019 study published on the NCBI website has found that cannabinoids can help slow tumor growth in pancreatic cancer patients. Moreover, cannabinoids can also reduce tumor invasion and cause tumor cell death.
- According to a long-term study with a large sample size, the California Men’s Health Study cohort concluded that cannabis use might inversely affect the risk of bladder cancer in males. In comparison, the users who used only tobacco have a higher risk of getting bladder cancer. However, the study’s author was unable to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
- An in vivo study on an experimental model of colon cancer patients suggests that CBD may help arrest the growth and spread of colorectal cancer cells.
- A 2010 research on preclinical models of breast cancer found that CBD can significantly reduce the multiplication and invasion of cancer cells.
- Recently, in 2021, scientists released the clinical data of the phase 1 trial of recurrent glioblastoma. The patients were treated with Sativex, a cannabis-based medicine combined with temozolomide, the chemotherapy drug. The researchers found that these medications may help prolong the life of patients. However, the sample size of this research was limited to 27 patients only, and scientists are planning to run a more extensive phase 2 trial.
Is CBD safe for cancer patients?
According to the WHO, CBD is entirely safe and doesn’t have significant side effects. Moreover, the adverse side effects may be attributed to the interaction of CBD with other medications. For instance, cannabidiol interferes with the action of certain medications that come with a grapefruit warning.
Conclusion:
The available resources suggest, may reduce the symptoms of cancer and can provide some relief to cancer patients. However, remember that, at present, there isn’t any CBD-based approved drug available for the treatment of cancer. For more information, one can visit cbd news. Furthermore, the action spectrum of CBD interferes with some other medications, also leading to side effects. So, if you are a cancer patient, it’s better to consult with a doctor first before starting the CBD Capsules. Even the American Cancer Society calls for more research on cannabinoids for cancer patients.