The market in CBD oil in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland is booming. Hailed as one of the most important breakthroughs in the health and wellness supplement market in the last few years, CBD and the ever-expanding range of products made to contain the substance can now be found in supermarkets, high street chemists and health food stores around the country.
Today, you would be hard-pressed to find a major health product manufacturer in that land not looking to cash in on what many are claiming as a miracle treatment for an almost impossibly large range of common health conditions.
While consumer interest in CBD is currently in overdrive, leading manufacturers to churn out a range of products that gets more innovative by the day, the most popular CBD product remains the most basic form: CBD oil.
In this post, we will explain a little more about CBD and what it actually is. We will then take a look at some of the most common uses for CBD in Scotland and the rest of the UK. If you want to shop for CBD oil locally, this Glasgow buyer’s guide is a great start. If you’re not in a hurry and can wait a few days, shopping online makes the most sense for all your CBD products.
CBD: The Lowdown
The first place to start in any discussion about CBD oil is to take a look at what it is and where it comes from. CBD or cannabidiol is one of the most abundant chemical compounds in the cannabis and hemp plants known as cannabinoids.
In total, there are 113 of these cannabinoids that have been found to exist. Probably the best known of these is THC, the substance that is famous for producing the ‘high’ sensation experienced by recreational cannabis users. Unlike THC, CBD does not cause any psychoactive effects when ingested.
CBD, THC and the other cannabinoids interact with the body through something called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Discovered in the early 1990s by scientists investigating the effects of cannabis on the body, the ECS is made up with a network of receptors located in the central and peripheral nervous systems which communicate with each other via neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids. These scientists were shocked to find that the bodies of humans (and indeed all mammals!) naturally produce cannabinoids which are remarkably similar to those found in the cannabis plant.
CBD Oil: The Potential Health Benefits
There is increasing scientific evidence to indicate that taking CBD and other cannabinoids can strengthen the body’s ECS. But how might this help to boost overall health? The NHS wrote a great piece on medical cannabis.
The answer lies in the central role that the ECS is thought to play in maintaining its natural balance. Although experts are still trying to understand the complex functions of the ECS, there is a large amount of convincing evidence that it works to put out fires that emerge when the equilibrium in certain bodily functions is disturbed. Among the bodily functions that are thought to be controlled by the ECS are pain, memory, mood, appetite, stress, sleep, metabolism, immune function, and reproductive function.
Taking CBD oil regularly is known to stimulate the ECS, strengthening it over time and helping maintain control over bodily functions more effectively to boost health and prevent illness.
What Are People in the UK Using CBD Oil for?
People in the UK and beyond typically use CBD for a wide range of reasons. Some use it to treat the symptoms of chronic immune diseases, while others use it simply to boost overall health. Here are a few of the more common uses of CBD oil in the UK today.
- Anxiety
Probably the most common use of CBD oil among Brits is to treat the symptoms of anxiety-related disorders. Although more research needs to be done into how it works, there is some evidence that CBD is effective at reducing the incidence of worried and anxious thoughts. This may make it effective in reducing insomnia and panic attacks.
- Pain and Inflammation
CBD has proven anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. This makes it effective in the treatment of a wide range of autoimmune diseases that manifest in swelling and chronic pain. Again, more research needs to be done, but the early indications of research are promising with regards to the role that CBD might play in the treatment of diseases such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and Crohn’s disease.
- Neuroprotective
Recent research has linked deficiencies in the ECS to a number of degenerative neurological diseases. This has led sufferers of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s to add CBD to their treatment plans. Similarly, many people with a genetic predisposition to these diseases are now taking CBD as a preventive measure against early onset.
- Skincare
CBD is known to possess significant antioxidant properties. These properties have led to its increasing use in cosmetic and skincare products such as body and face creams, moisturisers, facemasks and many more.
Conclusion
Since it has very few known side-effects, is safe to take in high dosages, and is available over the counter, CBD oil is being experimented with by the sufferers of an increasing number of conditions and diseases. Although research into CBD is still in its infancy, early findings are offering hope to people who struggle with symptoms of pain and inflammation on a daily basis. Over time, it looks likely that we will see CBD usage increase, and we could soon see it being prescribed by GPs.