Can CBD make the world go round?

You read intoxicating things about this substance called CBD, which is famous for not being just one thing: intoxicating. The active substances THC and CBD are contained as chemical siblings both in the hemp plant. CBD does not get you high and stoned, unlike THC. For that, supposedly, deeply relaxed and pain-free. The scientifically long-unconfirmed, but much-vaunted Claims by self-proclaimed CBD gurus read like a universal remedy for the evils of the 21st century: CBD alleviates fears, depression, cramps, inflammation, distraction. The intake mediates a body feeling like that after intense yoga session or intense meditation. Followers cheer: CBD will make you more open and creative. Physicians also suspect positive effects on cancer and epilepsy – the emphasis is on “suspect”.

 

Numerous celebrities and private individuals, who are plagued by nervousness and general overload, claim to never want to do without it. Thousands of companies are not mistaken in it wrong profits. And so you mix CBD currently cheerfully in creams, make-up, jams, drinks and ice cream. One marinates fish and meat in it and tells not only hopeful of the supposed miraculous effect, but spreads the rumor, even Coca-Cola would soon bring a CBD lemonade on the market.

A Self-Experiment:

I’m not the first one, but that just makes me more curious. Because what I read in other publicly documented tests leaves me astonished. A Canadian journalist writes that he was “peculiarly happy” after taking the CBD (he smoked it). He mentally digressed in spheres that he “seldomly visited”, but could easily focus. He does what he has to do with more Attention to detail and great pleasure: “Even those tasks I do not like at all.” What he felt after taking CBD was a “frivolous contentment that does not want to give way even after hours”. Before a birthday brunch where he only knows few people, he takes a few drops of CBD oil to solve his social anxiety and inhibitions. So? We are talking about mysterious carefreeness and absolute deep relaxation.

Like a big glass of red wine, just without the drunkenness

A brazilian writer takes CBD oil for her ADHD medications and psychotropic drugs. From the effect, she tells in her Instagram story: “What I can say in any case, is that today I was much more relaxed throughout the day and the side effects of ADHD drugs were mitigated. I did not have heart racing as I do usually and was not as tense. I was less hungry too. “She did not sleep better though. But she was generally much more relaxed, had fewer fears, was less nervous. In addition, the CBD oil has solved her headaches. Her own personal conclusion, which she does not want to be misconstrued as advice for other people: A positive effect on pain, tension and stress, no effect on falling asleep and no effect on depressive symptoms.

 

A publisher stated in a private talk we had: “I would describe the effect as the muffling of a large glass of red wine, only without the drunkenness, high mental and physical relaxation. In short, most things are suddenly dull. “He had the oil before a speech he had to stop,” and the nervousness, the anxiety, that black hole that sits just below the diaphragm, that was pretty much gone , And: “The effect was so positive that I considered taking the oil every day.”

 

I want it too! I am the ideal test person: chronically nervous, with me, tension is not uncommon, fears varied and depressive moods not unknown.

 

Ironically, on the third morning, I even wake up with a stiff neck.

Because I have no desire to deny me a possible effect by a CBD oil of uncontrolled origin and getting a dizzy oil turned on, I order directly at the pharmacy. Three times three drops daily.

 

My try goes on for a whole week. It’s a normal workweek. After three days of compulsory intake I still feel nothing. Except disgust, because the drops are quite bitter and smell like rancid cat piss. I drip it into my mouth, under my tongue. Two or three times, just after taking it, I feel a minimal sense of intoxication, like a sip of wine, but it is gone immediately. Sometimes I take the drops on an empty stomach, sometimes after a meal. Does not make a difference. Unfortunately, I do not feel a bit relaxed or calmer, too concentrated. Ironically, on the third morning I even wake up with a stiff neck because I have to be embarrassed at night. The pain stays for three days, the oil does not relieve it. Not even when I take the doubled amount of greed for the much-vaunted super-effect.

 

At the end of the week I have a reading in the evening and I am so terribly excited in spite of CBD oil as always. In addition, I have a headache that is often marked this week, which is unusual for me, but probably pure coincidence. I take painkillers because nothing else helps. And start to shy away from taking the oil, because I can not get rid of the feeling that the headache might come along. The only noticeable conspicuousness: I have less appetite on some days, which I find unpleasant, as I like to eat and I am much happier eating. I still eat eagerly. So maybe that’s just imagination.

 

 

At some point, I wonder if this stuff might just look like rescue drops or homeopathy, so it’s just a coincidence or wishful thinking to feel anything. And quite often, I feel nothing at all. I research what trained medical professionals have to say. And I’m on the phone with a doctor who has made a name for herself as an activist against pseudo-Medicine. Let’s keep her name anonymous for the sake of privacy, but this was her pep-talk on the subject.

 

“Cannabis and its constituents haven’t been studied much so far, so there are only few really good studies available. For the past two years, prescribers have had to support an observational study, but there are still no results. My level of knowledge boils down to this:” Clinical experience tells us that CBD Pain therapy only has a very limited effect. Any apparent improvement in certain symptoms is most likely to be observed through sedation. “In the best case, if you’re tired, you may feel better because you’re getting tired and, consequently, more relaxed. And of course, the placebo effect may be responsible for the supposed improvement.

There is a longing for simple solutions to complicated problems

As long as there is no evidence of clear effectiveness, it would be as naïve as superfluous to order CBD drops for big expenses. That I did it anyway and felt no effect, should not be surprising. After all, I haven’t been cheated.

 

Cannabinoids are certainly an interesting therapy for certain patients. At the same time, she emphasizes that she is only able to speak for her special area of expertise, which is that of epilepsy. There are indications that CBD also works against inflammation and pain, that it is antibacterial and helps with vomiting and anxiety, Even in the area of ​​Cancer some efficacy shows. But clearly, none of these assumptions are proven.

 

Some researchers inform about the danger of being tricked by overly beautiful promises. Especially as many over-the-counter, non-pharmacy-based supplements did not even pass quality controls and, according to US studies, often contained only minimal, inferior or no components of the active ingredients.

So what does the CBD trend teach us about the time we live in? For the time being probably only one thing: The longing for simple solutions to complicated problems is great. Very strong. CBD might be something that is helpful for some people, but not a remedy for everyone and everything.