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A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has now discovered that CBD oil, a compound found in cannabis besides the famous THC, can help lower blood pressure. This is some interesting news, considering that studies dating back to the 1970s had already portrayed the blood-pressure lowering capabilities of this wonderful plant.
In the United States alone, it is estimated that about a third of all adults are suffering from high-blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This is a serious condition that also increases the chances of getting a stroke and heart disease. Even worse, the Journal of American Medical Association reports that the illness is highly under-diagnosed.
With no more said, this is a major public health issue. Although it comes with no symptoms, this disease attacks the blood vessels, subtly destroying one’s health. High-blood pressure is generally considered a lifestyle condition, and its occurrence can be increased due to some factors. These include: stress, alcohol, tobacco and physical inactivity. Interestingly, a study now shows that cannabidiol (CBD) oil, can be used to treat the condition. Read along to find out how.
Setting out the ground rules – other studies
Currently, researchers have a pretty accurate understanding of the acute effects of marijuana on blood pressure in humans. Nonetheless, due to various limitations, including stringent government control of the substance over the years as well as animal tests results that do not act similarly in humans, there has not been much investigation with regards to its other effects. Additionally, both the negative and positive effects of using the drug have not been well-documented, especially in the long-term.
To add to these concerns, most studies investigating the effect of marijuana on blood pressure have been one-sided. Most have focused on the psychoactive compound called THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), while disregarding other compounds that include terpenes and over 85 compounds called cannabinoids, CBD included. In real sense, according to the strain, one that is high in THC concentration will have totally different effects from one that is high in CBD and terpenes. Most examinations have also not considered the different modes of how cannabis can be ingested, for example, smoking and vaporizing compared to ingesting via edibles or in oil forms. Now that we know where we stand, let us look at the results of this particular study.
How CBD Oil helps in treating hypertension
As mentioned earlier, cannabis has been known to help with regulating blood pressure by reducing hypertension and maintaining these levels, especially after continued use. However, until recently, studies had never focused on the effects of CBD in this process. This research has come with a bit of twist in it, showing that you do not need the herb’s psychotropic or “high” effect to benefit from its relaxant qualities.
Our bodies have a whole network, known as the endocannabinoid system, which scientists have only begun to understand how it works. However, we can already tell that it plays a crucial role controlling blood pressure as well as a host of other body functions, including emotions.
The small, randomized, double-blind, crossover study was carried out in June 2017, at the University of Nottingham in England on 10 subjects. After one dropped out, the rest were tested to compare the effects of CBD against a placebo control. The investigation included a wide range of cardiovascular functions after administering a high, single dose of 600mg CBD. These included, blood pressure, heart rate, stroke rate and forearm skin blood flow. Stroke rate is the volume of blood pumped from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body every second. The left ventricle is responsible for supplying the rest of the body with blood high in oxygen and nutrients.
The subjects were put through various stress tests as researchers monitored how their cardiovascular systems reacted using a laser Doppler and a finometer. These included physical tests and tests at cold temperatures. When the results came out, it was discovered that CBD was able to lower resting systolic blood pressure by about 6 mmHg. Systolic blood pressure is basically the pressure in the vessels when your heart beats which should be less than 120mmHg and not more than 140mmHg. CBD was also able to lower blood pressure before and after stress as well as when the subjects were exposed to cold conditions. The same study showed that CBD increased heart beat by an average of 7 beats per minute as well as reduce the stroke volume. However, there was no much change in cardiac output.
CBD was already known to allow for better blood flow which normalizes body pressure since it is a vasodilator and it also reduces the damage caused by hypertension to the arterial walls. CBD has also been found beneficial due to its neuroprotective properties as well as protection to the cardiovascular system.
In conclusion, the researchers established that “CBD reduces resting blood pressure as well as the body’s response to stress, more specifically cold stress especially post-test periods. This may reflect the pain-relieving and anxiolytic effects of CBD, as well as any potential direct effects to the cardiovascular system.”
