Is CBD Good For IBS and IBD?

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Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is an inflammatory condition that impacts the digestive tract. Often chronic and challenging to treat, symptoms of IBD can be debilitating. Those who suffer from the disorder report painful cramping, stomach bloat, and frequent bouts of diarrhea. In some patients, the symptoms of IBD are so disruptive they can start impacting critical aspects of their lives, such as work and other areas that determine quality of life [1].

As federal and state restrictions governing the production and sale of cannabidiol (CBD), the active compound in the cannabis sativa plant have eased in recent years, interest in the compound’s ability to help manage IBD symptoms has spiked. CBD is dissimilar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound’s more recognizable cousin, in that it doesn’t produce the euphoric effects that leave users with the sensation of feeling high.

Since CBD doesn’t impair in the same way THC does, there are fewer concerns over abuse and other objections some interests have conveyed about cannabis over the years. This relatively new finding concerning CBD has prompted medical practitioners and researchers to feel optimistic about its prospective therapeutic qualities, particularly for pathologies that have proven difficult to treat through conventional medicine.

CBD Live SeltzerWhat is CBD and How is it Delivered?

Like THC, its close cousin, CBD is a cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis sativa plant. As mentioned, unlike THC-rich marijuana products, CBD does not render the euphoric side effects that can leave its users feeling impaired. The unpleasant side effects such as induced hunger, lethargy, and feelings of paranoia that some THC users report are, by most accounts, less present in CBD.

Here’s a list of some frequent delivery methods for administering CBD:

  • Soft gels or capsules
  • Topical oils and creams
  • Suppositories
  • Edibles and infusions
  • Tinctures and nasal sprays

It’s important to note here for those considering CBD in any form and are subject to drug testing requirements, both broad-spectrum and CBD isolates may contain trace amounts of THC.

What Research Says About CBD For IBD

Historical animal studies and several emergent pre-clinical trials suggest that CBD may help relieve a range of symptoms associated with chronic conditions like IBS, including long-term, incurable pain, mood and anxiety disorders, and it has even shown potential to ease some side effects in cancer patients [2].

The research on CBD’s effectiveness in combating IBS, however, is ongoing and often mixed. Most clinicians are convinced that it is generally safe for adult use, as long as patients consult with a medical practitioner in advance of developing a prospective treatment plan and never exceed the recommended dosages. In addition to this, there are ample existing reports from those who suffer from IBS that their symptoms and quality of life improved after establishing a CBD therapeutic plan with their respective doctors.

For example, a study from 2016 stated that 91% of IBD patients saw an improvement in their symptoms when using medical cannabis, but 83.9% also reported abdominal pain [3].

In another study from 2020, the users of cannabis and cannabinoids stated that, while their IBD improved, they also felt more anxious and depressed when using medical cannabis [4]. Due to the mixed ratio of THC and CBD, it is difficult to say if CBD was the cause of these adverse effects.

However, until the findings are more conclusive, and the research catches up with the increasingly relaxed legal status surrounding cannabis production and use, cannabidiol shouldn’t be relied upon as a comprehensive replacement for traditional IBS treatments. The primary question researchers are asking today is how can CBD potentially alleviate the discomfort associated with IBS and in which dosages might the naturally occurring compound be most effective?

Super Healing CBD / CBG

Can CBD Help with Symptoms of IBS?

Lowering stress levels while improving diet and exercise habits are widely considered to be the first and best starting points for managing IBS symptoms [5]. CBD should only be considered as a supplementary or alternative means of reducing inflammation when conventional methods and medications have proven ineffective or prescription side effects become intolerable.

Some general practitioners prescribe medications that carry undesirable side effects. In this case, when the side effects become too much to bear, or the medications cease to have an impact, these patients have turned to CBD with relative success. Others who suffer from IBS might simply be looking for a reasonably safe natural alternative to conventional medicine that shows some potential for relieving their symptoms.

Since the body is composed of cannabinoid receptors, many of which are sited within the stomach, researchers have speculated that cannabis derivatives like CBD could improve hard-to-treat digestive ailments like IBS because of their anti-inflammatory qualities. In general, though, more research is needed to draw any hard conclusions on how beneficial CBD and other cannabis products are for relieving IBS symptoms.

The Outlook for CBD as a Supplemental Therapeutic for IBS

As the studies on cannabinoids and IBS advance and the legal and cultural stigmas surrounding cannabis wane, it’s entirely conceivable that we’ll see better-supported research findings in the immediate future.

In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about the potential health benefits of cannabidiol in its various forms, follow the link to continue reviewing our full line of premium, rigorously tested natural CBD extraction products from the Sugar Bottom Hemp farms.

Resources

1. Brugnatelli, V., Turco, F., Freo, U., & Zanette, G. (2020). Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Manipulating the Endocannabinoid System as First-Line Treatment. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00371

2. Cannabis and cannabinoids (PDQ®)–health professional version. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq

3. Ahmed W, Katz S. Therapeutic Use of Cannabis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2016 Nov;12(11):668-679. PMID: 28035196; PMCID: PMC5193087.

4. Carvalho ACA, Souza GA, Marqui SV, Guiguer ÉL, Araújo AC, Rubira CJ, Goulart RA, Flato UAP, Bueno PCDS, Buchaim RL, Barbalho SM. Cannabis and Canabidinoids on the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Going Beyond Misuse. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 22;21(8):2940. doi: 10.3390/ijms21082940. PMID: 32331305; PMCID: PMC7215817.

5. Husain, M., Dumitrascu, D., & Chaudhry, I. (2016). Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and stress; a study of international medical school students. European Psychiatry, 33(S1), S633-S633. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.2379