As you age, you get more susceptible to certain conditions. Thus, it becomes even more important to take care of your health and wellness.
Senior citizens are often forced to take medications due to their health conditions.
The Harvard Neurodiscovery Center reports that 5 million seniors in America have Alzheimer’s disease, while one million people suffer from Parkinson’s. Similarly, 300 thousand American seniors have multiple sclerosis.
Physical diseases aren’t the only problems affecting seniors. Mental Health America has found 27% of seniors to have anxiety disorders. Additionally, 49.6% of the senior population has arthritis.
Keeping these figures in mind, it’s clear that old age takes a toll on your health. Fortunately, CBD is emerging as a novel solution for most problems faced by people of all ages, especially seniors.
The CBD benefits list is much longer today than it was a few years ago, thanks to the research that keeps adding to it. CBD research has come a long way from finding CBD oil benefits for cancer to deeming it effective against sleep disorders.
In this article, we’ll look at a few CBD benefits for seniors.
CBD Benefits for Seniors
CBD is equally beneficial in the younger population. But, its effectiveness is considered especially favorable in the elderly since they have more health problems.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these CBD benefits.
CBD Alleviates Pain
Almost half of the seniors in America have arthritis. Meanwhile, a higher percentage faces back pain and other forms of chronic pain.
According to research, CBD can help reduce pain and inflammation in the body. It does so by activating certain receptors in the endocannabinoid system to alleviate pain.
Moreover, CBD aids the production and release of anti-inflammatory markers to bring down inflammation. Even today, a lot is not known about how cannabidiol oil works.
However, one thing is clear: CBD is a powerful tool against pain.
To reap CBD oil benefits for pain, caregivers can give a doctor-advised CBD dosage to the patients.
CBD Improves Sleep
Another common problem faced by seniors is lack of sleep or insomnia. Often, their pains keep them awake, while in other cases, anxiety might be the culprit.
Regardless of the reason, CBD can play a role in inducing sleep.
Not getting enough sleep has a negative impact on health. On the one hand, it makes you groggy during the day, on the other, it reduces focus and concentration.
CBD is known to relax the brain, allowing the users to sleep better and on time. Moreover, it helps in improving the REM sleep cycle, preventing sleep apnea and nightmares that are often symptoms of PTSD.
CBD Improves Bone Health
As the body ages, the bones start to lose their mineral content.
The condition referred to as osteoporosis is inevitable and a major issue amongst the elderly. Due to this disease, the bones get brittle and fragile, becoming more susceptible to breakage.
So, individuals are more likely to break their bones or face a fracture if they fall.
Quite alarmingly, falling is the top cause of death in men aged above 60 in the US. Thus, it’s evident that bone weakening is a concerning condition in the older generation.
Research indicates that CBD may be favorable in this situation. Along with quickening the healing process of bones, it may also make them stronger.
Currently, more research is needed to confirm this claim, but the previous results are promising enough to give scientists, and caregivers hope for the future.
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CBD May Improve Heart Health
The American College of Cardiology has found heart diseases to be the leading cause of death in senior citizens. As concerning as that is, the more alarming fact is that these diseases go undiagnosed in many cases.
A 2017 study showed that daily administration of 600mg of CBD helps lower blood pressure.
Furthermore, the experiment also showed that the study subjects had a lower rise in blood pressure due to stress than the standard group.
Since other studies have already proved that CBD reduces inflammation, the combinatorial effect can be great for the elderly.
Besides reducing cardiac inflammation, CBD may also lower the rate of cell death due to oxidative stress.
CBD Makes Seniors More Active
Although it’s not one of the top uses on the CBD benefits chart, anecdotal evidence has shown that CBD helps improve overall wellness. Along with making the user more focused, it also enhances stress response.
The most probable cause behind this is the reduction in inflammation.
A study showed that CBD has a higher antioxidant potential than Vitamin E and Vitamin C. Thus, it seems like CBD might be more beneficial to seniors than other vitamin supplements.
CBD for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Multiple sclerosis (MS), are a considerable concern in the elderly.
Although the research is still in the early stages, experts suggest that CBD might be a potential treatment for cognitive decline.
A 2007 research studied the cannabidiol effects on inflammation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The results showed that CBD helps lower inflammation in the brain. In 2012, a study reported that CBD slows down the degenerative process in the brain while easing the pain caused by multiple sclerosis.
How to Take CBD for Seniors?
There are many ways through which you can take CBD. The method of consumption can vary depending on why you’re taking CBD. Moreover, the effectiveness also depends on how you take the CBD.
One way of taking CBD is through tinctures. You can take the CBD tincture orally by dropping it under your tongue for a minute, then swallowing. Alternatively, you can also take CBD in the form of capsules.
It won’t take too long for the CBD to kick in, and you won’t lose any of the product either. This method is great if you’re taking CBD for anxiety or insomnia.
If you’re taking CBD for pain, it might help apply a balm or salve to the affected area.
If you enjoy vaping, you can also vape CBD. However, keep in mind that you might lose some of the product this way.
Be sure to consult an expert and refer to the instructions on your CBD product before deciding on your dosage.
Is CBD Oil Effective?
In short, yes, CBD oil is quite effective. But you must be wondering, how exactly?
Well, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in your body is responsible for various processes and ensures that your body’s internal environment remains stable.
For instance, when you exercise, your heart rate goes up, and your body temperature will also change. The ECS regulates these processes and ensures your heart and body temperature returns to normal.
Here are some of the processes that are linked to your ECS:
- Metabolism
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Motor control
- Memory and learning
- Muscle formation
- Stress
- Sleep
However, if something happens to your ECS, you can easily use CBD to ensure the balance inside your body is maintained. This is possible because endocannabinoid is a naturally occurring cannabinoid, and its structure is quite similar to that of THC, a compound present in CBD products.
Is CBD Oil Safe?
CBD and THC are both extracted from cannabis plants. THC is the compound that’s responsible for the high you feel when using marijuana.
If you don’t want to experience the high, you can always opt for a higher concentration of CBD and a lower concentration of THC.
Some seniors may get medical marijuana prescribed by their doctors; however, keep in mind that it’s not legal in all states.
Be sure to read up on the legalities of CBD products before you decide to consume them. Generally speaking, CBD is safe and beneficial. However, more research is still needed to understand the full effects of the compound.
Does CBD Have Any Side Effects?
CBD does not have significant risks, although you may experience some minor side effects. These side effects may vary from person to person, but here are some general effects that you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Appetite change
- Weight change
As mentioned earlier, be sure to consult your doctor before you take CBD to know whether it’s okay for you to take it or not. For instance, people who are advised against eating grapefruit should not be taking CBD products.
How to Use CBD Oil for Seniors?
Today, there are many CBD products available that seniors can use to improve their health and combat diseases. As a caregiver or a senior, you can reap the cannabidiol effects in the following ways:
- Apply the oil to the skin a few times a day.
- Administer a few drops of the CBD oil sublingually.
- Add the oil to your food or drinks.
Conclusion
As clear from this article, there are quite a lot of CBD benefits for seniors. Possibly the best thing about these CBD benefits is that the compound doesn’t come with many risks.
While prescription drugs can often have a life-altering impact on senior users, CBD oil side effects are little to none, as seen in research.
Thus, if you’re looking for an alternative or supplementary treatment method, you should consult your doctor about using CBD products.
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