Let’s See! How Does CBD Affect Your Hormones?
We’ve all heard about CBD and how it’s being used to treat common ailments such as headaches, pain, and anxiety; but one area that perhaps hasn’t received as much attention as it should is the impact that cannabidiol has on hormone function.
CBD works through the endocannabinoid system to generate therapeutic responses in conditions that would otherwise cause disruption to normal physiological processes – so an example of this is when a person loses their appetite, which of course could mean that they don’t get enough energy from food to facilitate essential processes such as muscle growth or immune system function.
When we look at the effect of CBD more broadly, we see that it works both as treatment for ongoing problems, but more importantly, it also works to prevent the rise of conditions that would be detrimental to our health.
So does CBD modify our hormones?
It’s important to note that many of the perceived medical benefits of CBD revolve around it’s impact on the hormones. This should come as no surprise since cannabidiol is another type of cannabinoid, much like what the human body produced in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). What this particular hormone does is that it attaches to specific brain receptors that work within the ECS to manage (among other things) hormonal glands, the signals being sent to the immune system, and responses such as pain, inflammation, and so on.
Because the ECS and the endocrine system control so many physiological processes in the human body, ingesting a hormone that directly affects communication between the brain and the ECS makes it possible to alter these functions in a way that improves human health – and no just in one particular organ or system.
What impact does CBD oil have on hormones?
It’s safe to say that on the whole, CBD has the effect of normalizing hormone production and it’s impact on the body, and basically reducing the impact of overproduction (or the opposite) of certain hormones and the organs that are closely linked to them.
To better understand this, let’s consider the effect of hormone disruption to our health, and how important it is to maintain homeostasis, at least as far as the endocrine glands are concerned.
Think about a time when you experienced a low point and had a prolonged period where your mood was constantly negative. Now, consider how that affected your appetite, energy levels, sleep, sex, confidence, immune system, weight, and so on.
From a personal level, your change in mood may have been caused by anything from a breakup, the death of a loved one, an accident that left you mentally and physically scarred, or any number of things that people encounter in life. But the impact of such an event can extend way beyond having a bad mood. It can impact your ability to work and become productive; it can even cause a person to have fertility problems in the more extreme cases.
But this complexity of how the hormones are closely linked and how a breakdown in just one system can cause the whole individual to fall apart is an important point when using cannabidiol as medication.
With a proper understanding of our hormones (and also our mindset) and how that plays into our ability to maintain our health, you can probably do more to fix what’s wrong in your body with a single dose of CBD oilthan someone who takes a while bottle with the wrong idea about how the compound works.
What are some of the hormones and processes that are affected by CBD?
– Insulin
There has been some new insights into CBD and it’s effect on insulin function, and in particular, insulin resistance, which is a major cause of type 2 diabetes. Cannabidiol actually diminishes insulin resistance in a way that allows the pancreas to process glucose so that the body isn’t left with massive amounts of unprocessed sugar.
– Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone that causes you to fall asleep, and whenever there’s a disruption to melatonin production, it becomes much harder to fall asleep or to achieve those deep-sleep states.
CBD oil can be used to trigger a state of calm and relaxation to the body and mind, and this makes it easier to sleep. But aside from regulating melatonin, CBD also reduces anxiety, which is a major cause of sleeping disorders.
The result is better quality sleep, and everything that comes with that such as higher energy levels, a stronger immune system, and a general balancing of physiological processes.
– Cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone that when released in high amounts over a long period, may start to impact your body negatively. This is especially important for people engaged in high-intensity workouts. Cortisol can reduce muscle growth and keep the body in a constant state of panic, which is as for our health. CBD reduces cortisol levels and increases production of feel-good hormones, therefore reversing the negative effects.
How to use CBD oil for hormone-related issues
When taken everyday as a supplement, CBD can regulate the complex processes of the endocrine system an make it easier to maintain homeostasis.
But keep in mind that CBD isn’t considered medicine for any particular illness – though this might change over time as more research is conducted. Always speak to your doctor before attempting to self-medicate.