Getting older has several advantages: retirement, more time to spend on your hobbies, traveling, bonding with your grandkids, and sharing your wisdom. Unfortunately, reaching old age also means having to deal with a host of health problems.
Nearly half of adults over the age of 65 have arthritis, a quarter have an anxiety disorder, and 10% develop Alzheimer’s. To cope with symptoms, many older adults are on a daily regimen of multiple prescription drugs. In fact, according to data from the American Public Health Association, more than a third of prescription drugs go to people over the age of 65, although they represent only 14% of the population. As we all know, these drugs have unpleasant side effects such as migraines, nausea, and fatigue. This is why, to reduce the number of side effects and to improve their overall quality of life, many seniors turn to natural remedies. One increasingly popular option is CBD.
What is CBD?
Although we’ve been using cannabis to treat various ailments for thousands of years, with the war on drugs, it’s only recently that legislators have loosened regulations to allow for more comprehensive research into the plant’s medical applications.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of over 100 cannabinoids produced by the Cannabis sativa plant. The most well-known cannabinoid is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound responsible for the psychoactive effect we usually associate with “smoking weed.” Some people are afraid to try CBD based products like Organic CBD Nugs because they think they’re going to get “high” from them, but this usually stems from confusion and misconceptions.
To understand why the two cannabinoids produce different results, you need to know a little bit about how the endocannabinoid system works. This system has two main types of cannabinoids receptors: CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found predominantly in the brain’s hippocampus, substantia nigra, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and limbic system, while CB2 receptors are mostly expressed in the immune and gastrointestinal system.
CBD and THC interact differently with these receptors. THC is able to produce its effects (i.e., profound relaxation, euphoria, increased appetite, motor impairment, propensity towards abstract thinking, and sometimes increased anxiety and paranoia) because it can bind to CB1 receptors directly. CBD, on the other hand, can’t bind directly to either type of receptors, and it delivers its effects by stimulating the body to produce its own cannabinoids such as anandamide, essentially helping you reach homeostasis (balance, overall well-being).
CBD does not have psychotropic properties, and it’s not addictive. It’s these two qualities that make it so appealing for both researchers trying to develop new drugs, as well as consumers. The CBD products you see on the market nowadays are derived from hemp, a strain of Cannabis sativa with less than 0.3% THC. This well below the level needed to get you “high.”
CBD Benefits for Older Adults
Arthritis and Chronic Pain
According to data from the CDC, 49.6% of adults over the age of 65 are diagnosed with arthritis. The most troublesome symptoms of this condition are pain, joint stiffness, and decreased movement. Since traditional drug therapy for arthritis (i.e., opioids and NSAIDs) has difficult to tolerate side effects, there has been growing interest in developing CBD based alternative treatments. Research is still in its infancy, but results are promising.
A 2016 study published in the European Journal of Pain examined the effects of CBD on rats. A CBD gel was applied to the joints of the animal subjects for four consecutive days, and results show that the treatment reduced swelling, suggesting that CBD can reduce inflammation in mammals.
Another study using rat subjects published in 2017 focused on osteoarthritis and whether CBD can prevent nerve damage in early-phase treatment. Results indicated that the cannabinoid can not only block joint pain, but prophylactic administration prevented inflammatory responses and nerve damage associated with arthritic joints.
Osteoporosis
As our body ages, we are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis – a condition that leads to bones becoming more fragile and brittle, and therefore more vulnerable to breaking.
Research shows that the CB1 and CB2 receptors we mentioned earlier are also present in bone tissue and play an important role in its health. CB2 receptors are expressed in both osteoclasts (cells that absorb bone tissue during growth or healing) as well as osteoblasts (cells that form bone tissue). CBD can stimulate these receptors to maintain a balance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts, preventing loss of bone density and slowing down the progression of osteoporosis.
Cardiovascular System
According to the American College of Cardiology, cardiovascular disease is the most common condition in older adults and the leading cause of death in this age group.
Based on the research we have so far, it seems that CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can also help reduce blood pressure and potentially mitigate the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
In a 2017 double-blind study, nine healthy male volunteers received either a dose of 600 mg of CBD or a placebo. Cardiovascular parameters were monitored, and results showed a reduction in resting blood pressure. The participants also received stress tests to see what effects CBD has on the stress response, and the study found a lower blood pressure increase than standard.
From other research, we know that, in addition to lowering blood pressure, CBD has antioxidant properties that may help decrease cell death caused by oxidative stress and serve as a prophylactic treatment against cardiovascular disease.
Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders
Although sleep disorders such as insomnia are common at any age, they are particularly prevalent among seniors. Since quality sleep is critical for both our mental health as well as our physical well-being, sleep disorders can be especially damaging in this age group. Unfortunately, prescription sleeping pills are not effective long terms and pose the risk of addiction. Over the counter alternatives often have side-effects such as confusion, grogginess, and daytime sleepiness.
Currently, we also have several studies indicating that CBD can be useful in treating symptoms of sleep disorders. The precise mechanism is still unknown, but experts speculate that it might be due to the way CBD interacts with serotonin and GABA receptors in the brain, lowering anxiety and promoting relaxation.
The most relevant study on this subject was published in 2019 in the Permanente Journal. Seventy-two human subjects – 47 with anxiety and 25 with sleep issues – received a daily dose of 25 mg of CBD over the course of four weeks. At the end of the experiment, 79,2% of them reported decreased levels of anxiety, and 66.7% reported better sleep quality.