What effect does CBD have? The most important information about cannabidiol

If you believe influencers or advertising promises, CBD products such as drops or oils can be true miracle cures: they should help with sleep problems, menstrual pain, restlessness or stress. But is the fabric that is also freely available in various forms, really that can be used so universally? What effect has cannabidiol, i.e. cbd?

First of all: Cannabidiol is a non -psychoactive cannabinoid from the female hemp and not anesthetic – in contrast to THC, tetrahydrocannabinol. The “German Pharmacist Zeitung” writes: “Cannabidiol-containing oils or tinctures that are sold as food, nutritional supplements or cosmetics outside of pharmacies, have a THC content of less than 0.2 percent and must not be advertised with health-related statements. (‘Hashish oil’). ” Free-selling CBD products So don’t make “high”but must not make a promise that affect health. But what is the effect of CBD?

Dr. med. Franjo Grotenhermen is a general practitioner and from May 1st head of the Center for Cannabis Medicine in Steinheim, NRW. His focus is therapy with cannabis and cannabinoids. He also has one and cannabis written. Grotenhermen explains this starwhat effect cannabidiol really has and what you above all When buying products as oils or drops should consider.

On the effect of CBD, Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen: Cannabidiol is No panacea. But: “The number of pharmacological effects is astonishingly extensive. CBD has anxious, antidepressant, anti -inflammatory, antibacterial, antipsychotic and anti -epileptic properties to name the most important ones.” According to the expert, the withdrawal symptoms can also weaken with dependencies on drugs, such as THC, alcohol and sleeping pills. “For some people, CBD promotes sleep, but it has a good effect on others. As with other medication, the effectiveness is not the same for every patient.”

It is generally important: a distinction must be made between freely sales and medically prescribed or prescription-subject cannabidiol products. The latter have significantly higher doses. So far, the trade is moving with freely sales CBD products in one Gray area. However, this has now refrained from classification as an anesthetic because CBD has no psychotropic effect. The EU therefore announced in 2020 that CBD could be regarded as food. CBD-containing products are not approved as food. Therefore, CBD products have recently been sold as aroma oils. These are not suitable for consumption, according to the consumer center.

And many of them look critical because there are often no clear statements about what the products really contain. Some contain less CBD than promised, others more Tch than specified – which in turn can be questionable. After the test, the Stiftung Warentest found that there is none of the products sufficient scientific evidence – neither for the properties awarded nor for effects on well -being that many providers indicate on their websites. In the end it was mainly one Certificate of a recognized laboratory Important about the composition and as a consumer, you should find out exactly what you buy and take it orally.

However, this is not the only criticism of the products: Because of their low dose of CBD, some experts accuse the freely sales products one Placebo. Groten Hermen says: “The crucial point is the dose. This also applies to other substances. Vitamin preparations that may be sold as dietary supplements in the supermarket contain lower quantities than those that are sold as medicinal products in the pharmacy.” The transitions of normal healthy foods, nutritional supplements and medication are fluid.

And further: “The dose decides on the effect, also about medically desired and undesirable effects. Low CBD doses are not dangerous.” With high doses, on the other hand, Side effects occur, such as headaches. The “German Pharmacist Zeitung” explains: “As a positive aspect of previous studies on cannabidiol, mostly good tolerance is emphasized. In fact, mild side effects such as fatigue and gastrointestinal complaints are observed.” The latter mean, for example, an irritable bowel, irritable stomach and overall stomach and intestinal complaints.

So the doctor and author says that it is not dangerous to take freely sales cannabidiol products with a low dose and draw the conclusion: “CBD can be a medication in high doses and in low one Dietary supplements. “But what does low means? Groten Hermen refers to this the Ministry of Health in Australia: “CBD in a dose of up to one milligram per kilogram of body weight is a low dose.” With a body weight of 70 kilograms, all doses below 70 milligrams of a low dose correspond. This can be taken without hesitation, says the expert.

But he also says: “Anyone who is healthy, feels good, moved sufficiently and fed healthy does not need any dietary supplements.” Nevertheless, freely selling show positive effects in some consumers. “But that’s Hardly researched so far And is based almost exclusively on surveys on experiences of people who take CBD in low quantities, “says the expert. Especially with products that contain CBD in combination with soothing herbs or even vitamins and nutrients, it is not excluded that you can really feel more relaxed or more concentrated or overall.

Studies and scientific evidence of the effect of CBD have so far only been a few, as Dr. med. Franjo Grotenhermen explained. However, he says: “Studies have shown that CBD could work well with certain forms of epilepsy or also with anxiety disorders and schizophrenic psychoses.” The active ingredient could help relieve symptoms. “The CBD extract Epidiolex is for the treatment of two rare forms of childish epilepsy In several European countries, including in Germany, drug law, “continues the expert. Since it is serious diseases, therapy should not be started on its own and only after consulting the treating doctor.

Higher doses are required for such effects anyway: “In the event of a serious illness that is to be relieved by CBD, high doses of several hundred milligrams are required.” Of course, such effects cannot be achieved with free-selling CBD products.

However, if you decide to try out products to create inner peace, for example, you now have the choice between different forms: “The preferred dosage forms are flowers that can be inhaled, as well as drops, capsules and tinctures that are taken over the mouth or that are applied to the skin, for example Reduce skin inflammation Or to influence skin aging, “says Groten Hermen.” The preferred revenue form of CBD products is certainly the oral intake of drops, tinctures and pastes. “

When buying, the following things should be observed, according to the expert: “One would be desirable Certificate of a recognized laboratory About the composition of the products. In the United States, exams had shown that the real CBD concentrations often deviated significantly from the declared. In Germany, the Stiftung Warentest recently made a comparable examination. In some cases, CBD extracts are declared with concentrations of ten percent or more than ‘naturally’. However, such high concentrations can only be achieved with isolated cannabidiol, which was then solved in an oil. It is generally not possible to assess whether this CBD was synthetically produced or extracted from the hemp plant. Natural CBD extracts do not contain more than five percent CBD, “explains the doctor.