There is an opioid epidemic going on in our country regardless of whether it’s being publicized. What’s worse is the ongoing health crisis caused by our overmedicated and undernourished population.
Our body is an intricate machine that needs nourishment with essential nutrients, whether through diet or daily dietary supplements, to maintain what our bodies need most, and that is ‘homeostasis’, a state of balance that most of us lack.
What if I told you that there was a system just waiting to be unlocked, one that would allow your body to perform at peak level and maintain the homeostasis that it requires for optimum functioning and health?
Let’s explore the Endocannabinoid system!
The Drug Crisis
Preliminary estimates show that drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 72,000 lethal drug overdoses last year — that’s nearly 200 per day. At least 2/3 of overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017 were linked to Opioids. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic of overdoses, with 20,101 deaths related to prescription pain relievers and 12,990 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2015. They estimate that 2 million Americans had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 591,000 had a substance use disorder involving heroin.
While not everyone who takes a prescription opioid will become an addict, the risk is all too real. The health risks associated with using these opioids for long-term chronic pain can be detrimental. Over time, your body develops a tolerance to the drug and you’ll require higher and higher doses at more frequent intervals to achieve the same pain relief. This is how the addiction process begins. According the Department of Health and Human Services, on an average day in the U.S. over 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed and 78 people die from an opioid-related overdose. This includes overdoses involving prescription opioids as well as illicit opioids such as heroin.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
The endocannabinoid system is present in all humans from birth and we have receptors throughout the body (brain, digestive system, lymphatic system, etc.). This system is responsible for homeostasis regulating breath, inflammation, immune response, sleep/wake cycle, blood pressure, tumor surveillance, mood, pain, gastrointestinal motility, hormonal balance, and reproduction.
In the 1990s, scientists discovered that the human body contains and produces its own cannabinoids, which are a diverse class of chemical compounds that occur naturally in the human body (endocannabinoids) and the cannabis plants (phytocannabinoids). Interactions with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) trigger various physiological actions. The human body contains more cannabinoid (CB) receptors than ANY OTHER RECEPTOR in the body. These receptors help to regulate the neurological system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. These three systems comprise a large percentage of our overall physiology.
The ECS is responsible for physiological processes like appetite, pain sensation, mood and memory, and cannabinoids mediate communication between various cells and systems. Some researchers suggest the system serves as a bridge between the brain and the body, and the area of the brain with which the cannabinoids bind dictates the way the cannabis affects the person. These areas include the limbic system, which affects memory, cognition and psychomotor performance; the Mesolithic pathway, the part of the brain associated with the feeling of reward; and various parts of the brain associated with pain perception.
ECS is responsible for homeostasis and can be activated by going for a run (often known as the runner’s high). Activation and up regulation of this system is essential to healthy living. There are 2 main receptors found in the ECS: CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain, and CB2 receptors are prevalent throughout the body (immune, digestive, muscular, and vascular systems). These receptors, when activated, can be very beneficial in certain body conditions and disease states, including neuropathic pain and multiple sclerosis, by decreasing symptoms and slowing disease progression.
The endocannabinoid system strongly suggests that the human organism is actually designed to make good use of the cannabis plant. In other words, the phytocannabinoids (plant derived cannabinoids) in the cannabis plant trigger something that’s been inside us since the dawn of mankind. The ECS exist in other mammals, reptiles, fish, and more, suggesting it is truly an ancient biological system.
What is CBD?
The hemp plant has over 161 compounds and 2 are used medicinally. The first, better known compound is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the cannabinoid that produces the euphoric and psychotropic effects of marijuana. The second compound is CBD or Cannabidiol (Canna-Bi-Diol), the non-psychoactive cannabinoid that does NOT cause intoxication.
Our bodies, and those of almost all animals, have an endocannabinoid system with hundreds of CB receptors. It is the greatest system you’ve never heard about. Dr. Margaret Gedde, a Stanford-trained pathologist and award-winning researcher stated, “So many pain medications are damaging to the stomach, to the gut. The cannabis doesn’t hurt the gut. It helps heal the gut. People are so relieved…there’s nothing else that does that. It won’t hurt the organs. It won’t hurt the liver. It won’t hurt the kidneys. Ibuprofen…people can’t stay on that for months and years. They can stay on cannabis. We know there is no known lethal dose for cannabis, whether it’s THC or CBD. A person couldn’t die from it even if they were trying really hard. There’s nothing else you can say that about. It offers so much to people on a medical level.”
Uses of CBD/ How Supplied
CBD has been shown to have a broad spectrum of uses. It serves as an anti-epileptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-emetic, anxiolytics and anti-psychotic. CBD is effective in supporting healthy immune function, relieving inflammation, regulating stress and anxiety, providing overall calming to the mind and body, and improving energy and mood. The following are some common conditions that CBD may be effective in supporting:
- ADHD
- Fibromyalgia
- OCD
- Acne
- Heart disease
- Osteoporosis
- Alzheimer’s
- Inflammation
- Parkinson’s
- Anxiety
- Irritable Bowel
- PTSD
- Arthritis
- Leaky gut
Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the chemist who identified the endocannabinoid system stated, “I can’t list all the physiological systems and conditions affected by cannabinoids, because there are too many.”
CBD is available in tinctures (liquid), capsules, and salves. Salves can be especially helpful for topical use in patients who suffer from ordinary aches and pains from arthritis or muscle soreness. CBD oil, or tinctures, are rapidly absorbed when placed under the tongue for several seconds, providing a multitude of health benefits.
Legalities of CBD
CBD is legal. While hemp oil contains trace amounts of THC, the levels are about 100 times lower than the federal limit of 0.3%. CBD oil is classified as a dietary supplement and was made legal by the Agriculture Act of 2014, which legalized the marketing and sale of industrialized hemp products across the country.
Considerations Before Using CBD
Not all CBD oils are created equal. Because the CBD oil industry is still new, there aren’t any regulations that control the manufacturing process. This means that different CBD brands may have different extraction methods to process CBD oil from hemp. Some companies, especially those who sell their products at a ridiculously low price, may use cheap methods when extracting CBD oil. These may involve toxic solvents dangerous to our health. Other companies use organic, pharmaceutical grade extraction methods to process CBD oil. Their process removes toxins and residues from the base hemp plant. Do your research on your vendor’s production methods before purchasing. Also, look for US grown hemp, as they require US farmers to get certified by state Departments of Agriculture.
Check the amount of THC in your CBD oil. The optimal legal amount of THC present in CBD oils should not exceed 0.3%. Also, a high quality CBD always provides third-party lab results to their consumers. These independent labs exist to ensure the CBD oil is everything it claims to be, with a high level of CBD, low THC, and lacking in impurities that can be harmful to consumers. These Certificates of Analysis (C of A) should be readily available upon request. Be very leery of the product if the company cannot provide this information.
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, an independent lab chemically analyzed 84 commercially available CBD products on the internet. The researchers found that ONLY 31% of the products tested contained the precise amount of CBD advertised on the label.
Drug interactions are possible. To avoid drug interactions with CBD, consult with a trained medical professional like your pharmacist or doctor before using CBD if you are on multiple medications. There are potential side effects if inappropriate serving sizes are used. There is no one size fits all dosing since we are all chemically different. Everyone’s internal balance system is different. Some are a bit out of balance, and others are way out of balance. Some people are very sensitive to certain chemicals and others are less responsive. There is no magic number, no formula, and no test to determine how out of balance you are. This is an individual process and everyone has a “sweet spot” to uncover.
Bottom Line
If you are in pain and taking too many prescription medications and feeling tired of the same rut you are in regarding your health, try CBD. This age old system exists in all of us waiting to be tapped for our well-being and homeostasis. Our pharmacists at TLC are specially trained in CBD and health management. At TLC, we provide Certificates of Analysis on our products to give consumers proof of non-detectable THC, solvents, pesticides, and heavy metals for each product. These Certificates of Analysis also confirm the actual amount of CBD in the bottle. Come talk to us and bring us your questions. We want to help you reach your full health potential.
By Zoom H. Heaton
TLC Medical Centre pharmacy is a traditional pharmacy offering specialized services such as medical equipment, compression stocking fittings, diabetic shoes fitting with shoe selection on site, vaccinations throughout the year and medical compounding (our compounding lab is located inside TLC called Custom Prescription Compounders, LLC). Our compounding pharmacist Zoom H. Heaton is also board certified in Anti-aging, Metabolic and Functional medicine. She works with patients needing help with various medical needs such as bio-identical hormone management, adrenal and thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, weight management, pain management compounding, nutritional guidance using specialized testing and much much more. If you feel that your health needs a change for the better, call us at 803-648-7800 extension 200 and make an appointment. The first 15 minutes of your consultation with Zoom is free.
