What is the CBD hype all about?
Back to the Nature with CBD
There is no doubt that many people nowadays trust synthetic and chemical pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, a clear counter-movement has been noticeable for some time, whose supporters swear by natural medicines and food supplements. CBD oils, which are currently celebrating a real triumph, also belong to this category. Reason enough for us to take a closer look at these “miracle drugs” and get to the bottom of this hype.
Release the hemp! And do it immediately.
Who would have thought 20 years ago that the wish of a well-known German politician – at least with regard to CBD products – would come true and even turn into a true health trend.
Whether it is medicinal cannabis or cannabidiols, hemp is currently celebrating a true triumph in the health sector. The areas of application and the forms of administration are manifold and what was once a small market niche has become a large and often unmanageable market.
This is reason enough to take a brief look at the terminology:
Medical cannabis: Since 2017, this has been legal for medical purposes in Germany, but only on prescription and under medical supervision. It is dispensed by pharmacies and may not exceed the maximum quantity of 100 g of cannabis flowers in 30 days for a:n patient:in. Besides the flowers, which can be prepared in the form of a tea, medicinal cannabis can also be inhaled with a vaporizer or taken orally in ground powdered form. Since medicinal cannabis contains the active ingredient dronabinol (also known as THC), the government strictly adheres to the maximum amounts in order to avoid psychoactive and intoxicating effects in patients. Prescription medical cannabis is mainly used for seriously ill people, such as cancer or pain patients.
Cannabidiols (CBD): Not so the legal CBD products, which are characterised by the fact that the THC content is either vanishingly small to almost non-measurable. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a maximum of 0.2 % is allowed to obtain and use CBD in the form of oils, capsules or cosmetics. Nevertheless, a certain amount of caution is advised with these products, because many products that were not produced in the EU often contain higher THC levels and are automatically subject to narcotics law. However, this danger can be averted by paying close attention to where the respective CBD product was produced and which plants are involved. Consistent organic cultivation and an organically certified cultivation process with strict controls provide security in this regard! But what about the areas of application? Because unlike prescription medical cannabis, the areas of application are of course not to be found in seriously ill people, but are intended to increase well-being and relaxation. You can read about the possible applications here: https://medcan.ch/de/patienten/6-informationsmaterial
Warum und wie funktioniert CBD?
Given the wide range of possible applications and effects, it is hardly surprising that CBD – especially in the form of oils that can be dissolved in the mouth drop by drop – is being hyped. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) states: “Cannabidiol is generally well tolerated and has a good safety profile”. With so much adulation, it is no wonder that research continues to focus on the potential effects for humans and animals.
But why and how does the human and animal organism respond so well to cannabidiol? Well, this is mainly due to the so-called endocannabionoid system, which in turn is part of the human or animal nervous system. You can imagine this as a kind of transmitter-receiver system between the body and the brain. Like the CB1 and CB2 receptors, it regulates the communication of various mental and physical bodily processes and ensures, for example, that our cognitive functions such as memory formation or our immune defences function. Due to stress, little sleep or other causes, this system can become unbalanced and the body’s own CBD production can be disturbed. The external supply of CBD can thus support the endocannabionoid system in an external way.
THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, THCV… Huh?
Can’t understand what you’re saying? Don’t worry, it’s the same for everyone who is learning about CBD for the first time. What you need to know is that there are about 500 natural components in the hemp plant, of which about 100 are cannabinoids. Well-known representatives of these 100 active ingredients are the psychoactive THC or the already described CBD (cannabidiol). In addition, there are several other exciting active ingredients that you can often find in the so-called CBD oils. You can either find them as the sole active ingredient or in the form of oil complexes that combine different active ingredients, whereby they all have one thing in common: The carrier substance is usually a special oil extract, such as 100% organic hemp seed oil from the manufacturer Optima.
If you read that a CBD oil is CBG, CBC, CBN, CBDV or THCV, the focus is on the respective cannabinoid. You can find more information on this on the website of the “Medical Cannabis Verein Schweiz” https://medcan.ch/de/patienten/6-informationsmaterial.
„Nature is the best pharmacy“ Sebastian Kneipp
Just try it?
In principle, you can try CBD oils with a maximum of 0.2% THC – as long as you strictly adhere to the consumption recommendation. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should refrain from doing so. Unfortunately, there is still insufficient data available that neither supports nor rejects the use of CBD! Therefore: Better safe than sorry.
Children and adolescents can also use CBD oils if the product explicitly states so. As with all dietary supplements, a non-medical practitioner, doctor or therapist should always be available to advise all groups of people. Even though we are not allowed to offer you medical and therapeutic advice, we will be happy to answer any further questions you may have about CBD oils and to tell you more about the Optima products, which you can also find in our web shop.
