How Can CBD Help With Your Diet?

It’s all the rage. CBD oil. You see it in various forms like topical lotions, tinctures, a liquid form that you ingest drops of, capsules, sprays, vapes, and even edible gummies. You’ve probably seen how CBD can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, stress, and pain, and has even been shown to lower blood pressure, among other things. But can it help with weight loss?

Before getting into that, let’s learn the basics of CBD, including what it is, the widely known benefits, and the science behind how it affects our bodies.

What is CBD?

CBD comes from the cannabis plant. It makes up about 40% of hemp’s composition; so CBD products that you see are generally derived from the hemp plant. General research into CBD use has resulted in it being considered safe and with few side effects. It’s not a substance that leads to dependence as opposed to THC.

All of these terms, CBD, THC, and marijuana, have long been associated with someone getting high and giggly and having the munchies. But unlike its proponent THC, CBD’s properties do not create that feeling of euphoria or “high” in the user after ingestion. While THC is known as an appetite stimulant, CBD is thought of as an appetite suppressant.

There are many different types of CBD including:

• Isolate – 99% pure cannabinoid isolate extraction
• Nano-Isolate – the isolate molecules have an increase in bioavailability due to being broken down
• Full-Spectrum – contains most cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp plant
• Broad-Spectrum – same extract as full-spectrum, minus the THC

What Benefits Does It Have?

To understand how CBD benefits our bodies, the first thing to learn about is the endocannabinoid system. Researchers discovered this system in the 1990s. It consists of endogenous neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors and proteins in our nervous system. Simply put, it’s a complex system that signals our cells to act a certain way. It exists and is active in everyone’s body regardless of if they use CBD or not.

When someone uses CBD, its molecules communicate with what are called CBD2 receptors. CBD2 receptors then attach to the nervous system and help regulate a variety of functions in our immune cells, skin, organs, and muscles.

Now that we understand how CBD attaches itself to our cells and is carried throughout our systems.

Here are some benefits of its use:

Depression and Anxiety –High concentrates of CBD have been shown to activate serotonin and create an antidepressant effect. At the same time, it can reduce the effects of anxiety like increased heart rate and reducing stress.

Improving Sleep – CBD helps promote relaxation and, in turn, allows your body to calm enough to fall asleep.

Pain Relief and Anti-Inflammatory – CBD interacts with the ECS (endocannabinoid system) in a way that results in general pain relief and a reduction in inflammation.

How CBD Can Help Reduce Weight

Should we add weight loss to this list? Studies regarding the effects of CBD on weight loss are ongoing, but there is an indication that it is possible.

• Cannabis users weigh less – Another surprising study showed that cannabis users, in general, had leaner body compositions than non-users. It is widely believed by researchers that cannabinoids have an effect on metabolism, appetite, and other bodily functions that can contribute to someone’s weight loss or gain.
• Brown fat cells change to white – Although no human research has been conducted yet. Some studies have shown CBD can attribute to changing brown or bad fat cells into white or healthy fat that supplies energy and insulates your organs similar to the effects exercise can have.
• ECS interaction affects appetite and metabolism – CBD interacts with CBD1 and CBD2 receptors in the ECS (endocannabinoid system) that affect the brain and lymph tissue. They are considered receptors that are important to appetite and metabolism. A decrease in appetite means less food consumption, which supports weight loss.
• Lowered insulin levels – A large study conducted on people with a metabolic disease has shown that CBD use lowers insulin levels in the body. A reduction and stabilization of high insulin levels make it easier for a person to lose weight.

Shopping for CBD can be stressful for a newcomer. How do you know what to look for? How much should you take? Can you find the best CBD products online?

Now you’ve heard about what CBD is, how it works in our body, and how it might help to reduce weight. You’re probably wondering how to use it, where to get it, and how much to take.

It’s recommended that the type of CBD you should use to promote weight loss is full-spectrum hemp extract (remember the types we went over earlier?). As far as dosing goes; this can be a little tricky because CBD affects everyone differently regardless of their size and weight. It’s better to start with a low dose and go from there. And the answer to the last question is yes; you can find top-notch CBD products online and have them shipped directly to your home.

CBD isn’t a magic wand for weight loss, but nothing is. It’s recommended that CBD oil be taken daily in order to have the best chance of helping with weight loss, and most people report to see changes within a couple of weeks. With that being said, eating right, exercising, and staying active are important elements of a diet plan. You should look at a change in your diet, exercise, and general activity level as a lifestyle change and not a miracle fix. But we’ve heard that all before, right?

In closing, how CBD help to your diet? While more research is needed, early signs seem to point to yes. And in the meantime, if you’re planning to try it to aide your weight loss. You can be confident that you can do so with minimal side effects whose cons may be greatly outweighed by the pros of use.