CBD Oil and Diabetes
You may have heard about using CBD to treat diabetes. CBD is short for cannabidiol, and it comes from the cannabis plant. CBD doesn’t make you feel high, and there is extensive research ongoing to see if it can help control blood sugar, calm inflammation, and ease nerve pain from diabetes. So, let’s talk about what the current rumors in the scientific community are saying about Full-Spectrum CBD Oils and Diabetes.
Studies have found that CBD:
Cuts down hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Lowered cholesterol and “bad fat” levels
Upped insulin production
Eases swelling and pain from nerve damage. One study showed CBD kept chronic inflammation and neuropathic pain at bay, which tends to affect the hands and feet of people with diabetes.
Lowers the risk of diabetes – potentially, CBD may ward off the disease completely.
Promotes “good fat” – CBD oil can help the body turn white fat into slimming brown fat. This promotes the body’s ability to use glucose.
Interesting Fact: Diabetes is an inflammatory condition and CBD has anti-inflammatory properties.
Several research studies have shown CBD to reduce insulin resistance as well as assists in moderating blood sugars for people with type 2 (T2D) who are not taking insulin.
Interesting Fact: CBD has also shown to inhibit and even delay destructive insulitis
CBD therapies have also shown to inhibit and even delay destructive insulitis and inflammatory Th1-associated cytokine production in mammals resulting in a decreased incidence of diabetes possibly through an immunomodulatory mechanism shifting the immune response from Th1 to Th2 dominance.
In Type 1 diabetes (T1D) which is a chronic autoimmune disease in which autoreactive T‐cells and inflammation cause severe loss of pancreatic beta cells. Autoreactive T-cells that turn on the body and trigger autoimmunity within the body, that triggered immune responses results in the body turning against its own healthy cells, tissues and other body normal constituents. Whereas “Insulitis” is the pathologic hallmark of T1D. Insulitis is an inflammatory lesion consisting of immune cells that infiltrate around and within the islets. Islets are located within the Pancreas and contain several types of cells, most importantly to Type 2 Diabetes (T1D) patients, beta cells that make the hormone insulin. Again, the anti-inflammatory properties of Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid found in the cannabis sativa plant, may be a novel
therapeutic approach at combatting both T1D and T2D.
Reduction of Insulitis
At microscopic levels, examinations of pancreatic islets when treated with a therapeutic regiment of CBD have revealed significant reduction of insulitis, results indicate that CBD can inhibit and delay destructive insulitis and inflammatory Th1-associated cytokine production resulting in a decreased incidence of diabetes possibly through an immunomodulatory mechanism shifting immune responses from Th1 to Th2 dominance.
So, what are Th1 and Th2?
Let’s start with the T-Helper cells (abbreviated as “Th”) are a vital part of our immune systems. They are lymphocytes (types of white blood cells) that recognize foreign pathogens, or in the case of autoimmune disease, normal tissue. In response to this recognition, they produce cytokines, which are hormonal messenger proteins that are responsible for the biological effects of the immune system. They are divided into subgroups as follows:
Th1: Th1 cells are involved in what is called “cell-mediated” immunity, which usually deal with viral and bacterial infections. These cells are our body’s first line of defense against pathogens that get inside our cells. They tend to be pro-inflammatory and are involved in the development of organ-specific autoimmune disease.
Th2: Th2 cells are involved in what is called “humoral-mediated” immunity, which deals with bacteria, toxins, and allergens. They are responsible for stimulating the production of antibodies in response to extracellular pathogens (those found in blood or other body fluids). They tend not to be inflammatory and are involved in systemic autoimmune disease and other chronic conditions.
In a well-functioning immune system, both groups of these T helper cells work together to keep the system balanced. One side might become more active to eradicate a threat, then settling back to a balanced level.
How does this affect an autoimmune disease?
In some people with autoimmune disease, patterns showing a dominance to either the Th1 or Th2 pathway have been shown. Although there are exceptions, the following show the conditions that are most commonly associated with a Th1 or Th2 dominant state:
TH1 dominant conditions:
Type 1 Diabetes
Multiple Sclerosis
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Grave’s Disease
Crohn’s Disease
Psoriasis
Sjoren’s Syndrome
Celiac Disease
Lichen Planus
Chronic viral infections
TH2 dominant conditions:
Lupus
Allergic Dermatitis
Scleroderma
Atopic Eczema
Sinusitis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Asthma
Allergies
Ulcerative Colitis
Multiple chemical sensitivity
When the Th1 cells of the immune system are overactive, they can suppress the activity of Th2 and vice versa. This can be problematic because these two components of the immune system function in a delicately balanced relationship. In the case of autoimmune disease, imbalance can further the attack on healthy tissue, thereby worsening symptoms.
Whenever you are trying CBD for the first time, please use caution
CBD comes in many forms, we produce full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products ranging from Water Soluble Drops that are up to 90% absorbant, to ingestible tinctures, topical creams and full-spectrum gummies. Now the FDA doesn’t regulate most of the CBD products currently in the US market, but recent activity on the hill are pointing towards a change in Federal Guidelines. Always be careful when looking at CBD products, not all CBD companies maintain the efficacy of the plant, resulting in oil formulations that are made with harmful chemicals such as butanes and ethanol. Where we focus our formulations on natural CO2 extraction methods, it’s hard to be sure that other CBD products are what they say they are, even if the label looks official. For instance, harmful pesticides and herbicides have been found in numerous CBD products, its essential that your CBD products are backed by verifiable third-party analysis.
CBD can cause the following:
Fatigue
Drowsiness
Diarrhea
Dry mouth
CBD can also interact with other medications like blood thinners. So, it’s important to talk with your doctor before trying CBD, but its equally important that your doctor talks to you about cannabinoids without a bias.
