People have used CBD to treat anxiety for years. Is science finally confirming its efficacy? (Guest column)

More than half of cannabidiol (CBD) users turn to the compound to treat anxiety. But qualitative studies have largely stayed quiet regarding its efficacy. Until now.

Preliminary results from an ongoing clinical trial published this month in Nature support the use of full-spectrum, high-CBD oil for the treatment of anxiety. Better yet, patients in the study report improvements in mood, sleep, quality of life and cognitive function.

Let’s dig into this groundbreaking study and consider what this could mean for the future treatment of anxiety and CBD.

The latest on anxiety and CBD

Anxiety disorders are the most prominent mental health conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 31% of adults. If left untreated, anxiety can severely affect a person’s quality of life. While there are different methods to help relieve anxiety, CBD is growing increasingly popular. Anecdotally, users find the compound useful in relaxation, sleep and reducing pain. Now, science is finally confirming the anxiety relief that can result from CBD.

In this phase 2 clinical trial, cannabis-naive patients with anxiety were treated with a high-CBD, full-spectrum oil for four weeks. Patients saw a significant reduction in their anxiety levels after just one week of treatment. Interestingly, this was achieved at a much lower dose of CBD than in previous clinical trials – a targeted daily dose of 30mg.

In a nutshell: The treatment helped patients quickly achieve and maintain symptom reduction with few side effects. Additionally, patients enjoyed increased self-control and the ability to think “flexibly.”

It’s worth noting that the findings are not outliers considering the study’s “p-value” of less than .01, making it statistically significant. A definitive assessment of the impact of this novel treatment on clinical symptoms and cognition will be further studied in the ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled stage.

The importance of full-spectrum oil

There’s a lot to unpack here. First and foremost, it’s incredibly exciting to see a legitimate, peer-reviewed investigation find what many people knew all along. Of course, there will be studies to come, but this clinical trial is a big affirmation to treating anxiety going forward.

Also, it’s interesting to note that researchers utilized a full-spectrum oil. In this trial, treatment response was observed at a much lower dosage than in a previous trial using a single extracted CBD isolate. In fact, the difference in dosage was 10 times – 30mg per day of full-spectrum CBD versus 300mg per day of extracted CBD isolate.

Researchers believe this difference may be related to the “entourage effect” of full-spectrum CBD – a term used to describe the potentially enhanced effects of cannabinoids when a variety of metabolites and closely related compounds like terpenoids and flavonoids work together in concert. While studies that directly compare full-spectrum and single-extracted products are scarce, research suggests that for some conditions, full-spectrum products yield therapeutic responses at lower doses and with fewer side effects.

Finally, it’s encouraging to see researchers note the tolerability of CBD as a big potential plus. Other medical treatments for anxiety – like benzodiazepines – are associated with the potential for abuse. On the other hand, recent evidence suggests that patients who use cannabinoid-based products for medical purposes actually exhibit few signs of problematic use. It will be interesting to see additional clinical trials compare the efficacy and side effect profiles of CBD-based products to conventional pharmacotherapy.

CBD: A tool in the fight against anxiety

I’m buoyed by the findings of this trial. Not only does it pave the way for more research into this all-important area, but this is yet another instance of anecdotal evidence translating into the clinical world. We’ve seen this happen with CBD and sports rehabilitation, menopause symptoms and now anxiety. More positive scientific findings should remind the medical world to take this compound seriously.

People who use CBD for anxiety are likely comforted and vindicated by these early findings. At the same time, it’s important to note researchers and healthcare professionals are yet to establish standardized dosing recommendations for CBD therapy and anxiety. Clearly, whether or not an oil is full-spectrum can impact dosage. In any case, the right amount will vary from person to person. So, the best advice is to start low and gradually increase over time. Take note of your anxiety, sleep patterns, energy levels and any other effects. Little by little, adjust the dose to receive the most benefits.

This article is by Scott Mazza, co-founder and COO of Buffalo’s Vitality CBD. Hailing from a background in finance, Scott is well-versed in the benefits of hemp and passionate about providing people with a natural alternative to the pharmaceutical industry. This holiday season, Vitality CBD is offering 30% off its products to readers of NY Cannabis Insider. Use the code NYCI30 at checkout.

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