Parkinson's disease and the CBD molecule: is it really effective in managing symptoms?
Parkinson's disease and the CBD molecule: is it really effective in managing symptoms?
Enjoy the reading
The popularity that the cannabis plant has gained in recent years has not only to do with its recreational side but has a lot to do with hoping to improve one's health . In this, CBD is really depopulating for its beneficial properties for the body, an example is its application in the management of Parkinson's symptoms , a pathology from which it is really difficult to find relief.
More and more scientific studies are highlighting the therapeutic potential of Cannabis and its cannabinoids . CBD in particular has conquered a truly vast and varied audience, in fact cannabidiol is a compound (non-psychoactive) with infinite applications in the medical field and has a series of characteristics very suitable for the treatment of symptoms related to Parkinson's disease.
Why can Cannabidiol be of interest in the management of neurodegenerative diseases?
In recent years we have noticed a steady increase in research related to the benefits of CBD for neuro degenerative diseases . Surely at the moment among the cannabinoids it is the one that best suits the management of this type of pathology, for the ability to give balance to the body, limit anxiety and inflammation and give relief from many manifestations of Parkinson's or similar diseases.
CBD is one of the most abundant cannabinoids in hemp and its non-psychotropic nature allows you to experience much more than you can with THC. (the main culprit behind the so-called cannabis "high"). Cannabidiol has now been tested and validated in much of the Western world as safe and non-intoxicating and has far fewer scientific restrictions than other cannabinoids due to a very low risk of adverse side effects. Furthermore, like many well-known food supplements, if taken consistently it is able to support the body on several fronts: various studies have shown that it can generally alleviate inflammation, anxiety, nausea, pain and improve quality of sleep, all very precious characteristics for those facing a neurodegenerative disease, at any stage.
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease that involves the central nervous system, is characterized by a progressive development over time and starts with tremors and instability up to leading to the inability to motor activity . Motor symptoms are the first to appear and mainly concern the appearance of tremors, stiffness and a particular slowing of movements. As the disease progresses, other cognitive problems often arise and can lead to memory loss, aggression and dementia.
Parkinson's disease is idiopathic in most people, meaning it has no known external cause . There is an important genetic component since in about 15% of affected people there is a pathological finding in a first degree relative. Parkinson's disease is not a rare disease, it ranks second after Alzheimer's disease among neurodegenerative diseases, and in the United States alone there are up to 60,000 new diagnoses every year.
The development of the disease affects neurons, this occurs in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra, where dopamine, a neurotransmitter of impulses between nerve cells, is mainly produced. The more Parkinson's disease is affirmed and the less is the amount of dopamine produced so the body is no longer able to control motor functions and other activities are inhibited. Meanwhile, Lewy bodies proliferate, abnormal protein aggregates that develop in nerve cells and cause them to deteriorate.
Considering that there are currently over 10 million people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, that the average life expectancy is between 7 and 14 years, and that there is currently no known cure for the disease, it is not surprising the interest in comparisons of CBD as a symptom management tool for this terrible disease.
Parkinson's Disease Symptoms
- Tremor
- Slowing of movements (progressive type) and muscle stiffness
- Impaired posture and balance
- Speech strange, difficult, slowed down or with non-congruent, improbable contents
- Difficulty in writing (often the handwriting becomes very small)
- Loss of some automatic movements (facial expressions for example)
- Confused reasoning up to dementia
- Lack of sleep, tantrums, anxiety, severe depression
CBD for Parkinson's Management
Recent studies show that CBD may actually be useful for treating many of the symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease . In particular, it can help reduce movement difficulties, depressive / anxiety disorders and lack of sleep, greatly improving the quality of life of those suffering from this pathology.
This study published in the PubMed scientific database conducted in Brazil shows that treatment with cannabidiol administered daily can improve the quality of life of patients. The researchers administered CBD in gelatin capsules for 6 weeks in three dosages to different patient groups : 300mg per day, 75mg per day and a placebo for the control. Patients who have reported a clear improvement in health are obviously those in the first category.
Several other studies ( such as this one ) deal with the potential of CBD in reducing motor difficulties in Parkinson's , those induced by the disease or by the heavy pharmaceutical treatments to which many patients are subjected.
However, these are studies which analyze a limited number of cases or which do not give definitive results but which suggest to continue and deepen the evaluations with more far-reaching investigations . Therefore, more research is currently needed to understand how much CBD can help in the management of Parkinson's discomfort, complications and disease progression. But what is certain is that this path must not be abandoned by researchers because cannabidiol is very promising, both for parkinson's and for many other neurodegenerative diseases.
--Bongae
Comments
Post a Comment