Hey Friends! As many of you have asked, we did a little digging into the potential benefits of CBD Oil. This is by no means a definite recommendation. Rather, it is simply what we have learned from experts in the field and the latest studies.
Drop your thoughts in the comments!
Up until a few years ago, when it came to helping menopausal women deal with symptoms of the condition, the medical system was horribly unprepared. Most of these symptoms occur in women between the ages of 45 and 55, usually lasting around 7 years.
Menopause symptoms are the result of estrogen levels dropping significantly, so there’s no way to avoid them altogether. Nonetheless, studies show that CBD oil for menopause, along with your body’s internal endocannabinoid system, can help counter menopause symptoms.
What Is CBD Anyway?
Let’s start over. What is CBD? It is a natural component of cannabis, which also releases THC. However, unlike its psychoactive cousin THC, CBD doesn’t induce a ‘high’ and it’s usually extracted from hemp. Based on extraction and filtration methods, you can purchase the extract in different strengths and forms.
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
Your body’s endocannabinoid system is a natural network of receptors that interact with CBD and similar compounds. The system is comprised of two kinds of receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are mainly present in the central nervous system, whilst CB2 receptors are mostly in the peripheral nervous system. When specific cannabinoids interact with each receptor, it creates a certain effect.
THC triggers CB1 receptors because of its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, while CBD only interacts with CB2 receptors. The endocannabinoid system is linked to your nervous system, so CBD can bind with neurotransmitter receptors, thereby triggering a therapeutic effect.
Can CBD Oil Help With Menopause Symptoms?
During perimenopause and menopause, your body’s hormones are fluctuating. When estrogen drops, it can lead to menopause symptoms like:
- Hot flashes
- Aches & Joint pain
- Memory Loss
- Heightened anxiety
- Insomnia
- Vaginal dryness
Reduces Intensity of Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
For starters, CBD lessens the intensity of night sweats and hot flashes that happen because of hormonal and neurochemical imbalance. During menopause, the fall in estrogen levels causes the temperature-regulating part of the brain, the hypothalamus, to act crazy. Think of it as a broken thermostat – it thinks that your body’s facing a rise in temperature when it isn’t.
As a result, it releases hormones that trigger functions to supposedly reduce the body’s temperature back to normal. This includes an increase in heart rate and dilated blood vessels so you end up sweating more.
Although CBD doesn’t directly affect estrogen levels, the cannabinoids in CBD can interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system to maintain healthy homeostasis. It stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen in the process, which alleviates many other symptoms.
Reduces Muscle and Joint Pain
When getting into the specifics, CBD is particularly effective in reducing muscle and joint pain. During menopause, your body also becomes more susceptible to inflammation. CBD has an anti-inflammatory effect that allows it to relieve painful, aching symptoms. Muscle and joint pain is usually the result of inflammation, most of which occurs in areas with high numbers of cannabinoid receptors. When these receptors are exposed to CBD, they have a pain-relieving effect.
Helps You Sleep Better
Studies show that CBD assists with neurotransmitters uptake, so it has an effect on alleviating symptoms like insomnia, depressive thoughts, and anxiety. Insomnia and anxiety are major complain for women going through menopause, and research indicates that CBD is effective for reducing both. Not only does CBD help you sleep better, but it can also be a safer alternative than potentially addictive sleeping pills. It helps with insomnia by shortening phases of lighter sleep and lengthening phases of deeper sleep, so you get more hours of REM sleep.
Relieves Anxiety
Insomnia is often triggered by anxiety as well, something that women experience almost twice as often as their male counterparts do. CBD works its wonders with anxiety by activating receptors that balance mood, thereby enhancing serotonin levels.
Altogether, CBD is effective for alleviating symptoms of menopause with its anti-inflammatory and relaxing effects. Sure, you can find different medications to alleviate each symptom, but they also come with a slew of side effects. On the other hand, CBD is a calming natural alternative that comes in plenty of forms.
Memory Loss
At this point, you probably think that estrogen affects too many body functions – but we’re just getting started. In fact, estrogen helps in forming new connections in the hippocampus – the part of your brain associated with memory.
Using CBD oil for menopause symptoms works by helping balance estrogen levels so your brain allows healthy hippocampus functions. This way, you don’t experience terrible memory loss and alleviate the problems of poor concentration.
Vaginal Dryness
During perimenopause and menopause, low estrogen levels significantly affect different structures in the vulva. Specifically, it results in the thinning of the labia majora and minora, resulting in lower production of protective secretion. The labia majora acts as padding for the delicate structures of the vulva, so a decrease in the lubrication and padding exposes sensitive structures like the vaginal opening, to irritation. Taking CBD oil for menopause symptoms helps in alleviating the symptom by balancing out estrogen levels in the body.
How to use CBD oil for Menopause Symptoms
CBD oil dosage for menopause symptoms
The right CBD oil dosage for menopause may differ from one woman to the next. To figure out how much you need, first determine where it’s needed. If you require it in a place prone to inflammation, such as near your skin, then a topical application is ideal. If you need CBD oil to improve your internal functions, taking CBD oil orally or adding it to your food is also an option.
Getting the best CBD oil for menopause
Nowadays, it’s much easier to search for CBD oils – you can check out forums and discussion groups that cater to women who use CBD oil to relieve menopause symptoms, as well s CBD users in general.
You can also get CBD oil for menopause reviews on sites like cbdoilreview.org, where they provide in-depth reviews about different suppliers and dispensaries. This is also the best way to find your best CBD oil for menopause symptoms.
Disclaimer: this is not medical advice, does not take the place of medical advice from your physician, and is not intended to treat or cure any disease. Patients should see a qualified medical provider for assessment and treatment.
Related Posts