CBD (cannabidiol) Will It Work For You?

I myself don't use, nor have I ever used, CBD or cannabis, before or after my diagnosis. 

Having said that, it does not mean I won't endorse people using it if it works for them.

I may use CBD in the future, who knows, but there is too much evidence to support the use for those of us with chronic illnesses.

Can CBD Offer Hope To Those Living With Crohn's And Colitis?

Let's take a brief look at how CBD could help improve the lives of those living with colitis and Crohn's Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term that covers a group of conditions and disorders involving chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn's disease is a form of IBD that can impact any part of the GI tract, which may affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall. Colitis is a series of chronic digestive inflammatory diseases that specifically impact the innermost lining of the colon.

IBD and related conditions currently affect an estimated 3 million Americans and millions more throughout the world. With so many people living with these chronic conditions, many often wonder if there are safe and effective companions to traditional treatment to help manage their symptoms.

From gummies to bath bombs, CBD-infused products have swept the nation and emerged as the latest health and wellness trend. Over the past year, CBD has garnered a massive amount of buzz for a host of potential benefits to treat a myriad of symptoms and conditions, but is there any truth to all of the hype?

DidCBDWork.com aims to help answer this question once and for all in an intuitive patient-focused portal. Combining currently available scientific data with anecdotal experiences from people just like you, DidCBDWork.com seeks to be a primary informational database about CBD and its impact on a wide variety of symptoms and conditions.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid, the second most common and one of 113 identified cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are closely related chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors throughout the body, also known as the endocannabinoid system. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most common of these cannabinoids and is most often associated with cannabis for its potent psychoactive effect.

An important distinction between CBD and THC is that each binds with different cannabinoid receptors in varied ways, producing unique physiological effects. Another key difference is that CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning users don't risk intoxication or failing a drug screening.

A wealth of peer-reviewed scientific evidence repeatedly demonstrates that CBD and CBD-based therapies provide patients relief from a wide variety of symptoms and conditions. Several preclinical and clinical trials have shown the efficacy of CBD therapy in treating conditions ranging from ADHD to PTSD, including a variety of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Can CBD Help Those Living With Colitis Or Crohn's?

DidCBDWork.com has a wealth of anecdotal experiences from people all over the world about the impact CBD has had on their inflammatory bowel symptoms. However, they've also compiled an extensive database of peer-reviewed clinical trials and academic research, establishing specifically how CBD can impact these conditions.

For example, researchers from the University of Naples Federico II testing the impact of CBD on a variety of factors, including oxidative stress, to help understand if CBD may be beneficial in treating inflammatory bowel diseases. They found ample evidence that CBD is protective against gastrointestinal inflammation in rat models, warranting additional research and offering promising hope for similar results in preclinical and clinical trials.

Another example is a clinical study from the Medical University of Graz, which found that CBD and other phytocannabinoids help play a direct role in regulating the digestive system, affecting conditions such as colitis and Crohn's. Researchers have found this physiological mechanism to be driven by the CB1 and CB2 endocannabinoid receptors.

Research out of the University of Hertfordshire found that CBD reduces inflammation in the intestines along with lower occurrences of other functional disturbances associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as colitis and Crohn's. The team concluded that CBD should be utilized as a supplement alongside standard treatment, or additional research should be focused on the development of novel CBD-based drugs.

An analysis from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz notes the fairly extensive medical history and research behind the use of cannabinoids for treating a variety of gastrointestinal issues, including pain, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis. After assessing currently available research on the matter, the authors conclude that the endocannabinoid system is a viable therapeutic target for treating gastrointestinal issues, particularly inflammatory conditions.

In addition, a study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that CBD directly impacts the gastrointestinal system in several key ways, including regulating motility and intestinal secretions, as well as reducing overall inflammation and pain in patients. An impressive point to note from the study was that over half of the participants were able to stop taking at least one daily medication for their IBD, thanks to CBD.

Does CBD Work?

As mentioned, there is extensive peer-reviewed academic research highlighting the promise of CBD for those living with inflammatory bowel diseases such as colitis and Crohn's. Gastroenterologists and healthcare professionals across all disciplines have been advocating the use of a properly supervised CBD regimen to help treat and manage a wide variety of symptoms and conditions.

As with health and lifestyle change, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider to avoid conflict with any other current treatments or medications. Additionally, your healthcare provider may be able to answer any additional questions you may have, as well as help you create the most effective treatment plan to manage your specific set of symptoms.

Written by: John Alois

Have you or someone you know used CBD to help manage their colitis or Crohn's disease? DidCBDWork.com is currently gathering experiences from millions of people, just like you, who have used CBD to help treat and manage symptoms of colitis and Crohn's disease. No matter if CBD worked for you or not, they would love to hear from you about your experience; these stories help those suffering see that there may be a solution out there for them.