In recent years, CBD has stirred several health experts and dissenting civilians alike as to how cannabidiol delivers natural relief and medicinal healing.
According to new findings, CBD organically relieves those suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), arthritis, numerous stress-related disorders, epilepsy, and over fifty other conditions.
While CBD’s magical and arguably scientific properties prove to be advantageous to people of all age brackets, this essay explores the primary demographic most affected by a variety of health problems: senior citizens.
This article intends to go through the tremendous advantages CBD provides to elderly individuals.
How CBD Improves the Health of Senior Citizens
To start, it’s important to understand that CBD is only one of the dozens of cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant, and its capacity to engage with our bodily Endocannabinoid System receptors only proves that the cannabis plant really does affect many things in our body. It’s also the same reason why THC produces mind-altering and euphoric effects on people.
The Leading CBD Health Benefits for Seniors
CBD Improves Overall Heart Health
Based on studies conducted by medical researchers, senior citizens find that heart disease can be all too common for folks their age. It’s also the number one cause of death of the said demographic. With an increasing number of American adults who suffer from high blood pressure, heart conditions appear to be the leading cause.
Based on those cumulative studies, CBD is reported to be a natural and efficient treatment for high blood pressure. Another study cites that ten men who were treated with 600 mg of CBD experienced better health results relating to their blood pressure. This same study also ascertained that their subjects’ stress response displayed a lower blood pressure increase than usual.
Furthermore, experts also discovered that CBD’s antioxidant properties might also deter cell death coming from oxidative stress and reduce cardiac inflammation—on top of bettering high blood pressure. The experts then went on by saying that the results suggest that CBD is packed with promising therapeutic potential in improving cardiovascular disorders and diabetic problems.
By blocking off cell death in the heart and reducing high blood pressure, CBD strongly enhances overall heart problems.
CBD Improves Bone Health
Osteoporosis is a normal bodily reaction as we continue to age. During the osteoporosis phase, our bones are bound to become brittle and fragile and lack a ton of vitamins and minerals. This results in severe, damaging pain should a senior experience a fall.
Interestingly, a complimenting study reveals that for men over the age of 60, the number one cause of death is falling or tripping over. More than 30% of women and roughly 20% of men nearing their 60s suffer from osteoporotic fractures. This alone already proves that bone health is a grave concern among the elderly.
On top of promoting cell repair and reducing inflammation, other studies say that CBD also promotes bone strengthening and helps hasten the healing of a fracture.
CBD Helps Soothe Pain
CBD is a flexible compound, and so one of its primary abilities is alleviating pain. With almost half of the elderly demographic in America suffering from arthritis and more than 80% of the senior population living through chronic agony, CBD has proven to be a natural aid for the older generation.
Research suggests that CBD is an effective ridder of joint pain and other similar health issues. In another study, senior patients who were treated with CBD were noted to have experienced little to no negative side effects and encountered clinically tremendous pain reduction, all thanks to the natural ingredient.
CBD Works to Improve Energy and Behavior
Everyone deals with mood swings, and our emotions can get the best of us many times. But when we encounter the life shifts that come with aging—losing a loved one, children who no longer have time to visit, existential dread—how fast our moods change can be intensified.
Once unhealthy mood shifts are prolonged, seniors are likely to develop even more health problems such as mental illnesses and emotional withdrawal. When one no longer feels the genuine invitation to be an active part of society, it’s easy to feel isolated, neglected, and lonely.
Fortunately, research says that CBD can help counter these behaviors. By engaging with the receptors that help create a say in how we feel, CBD can calm the mind, enhance cognitive performance, and also mitigate stress; all those three things render a tremendous contribution to how one understands his or her present condition, thereby putting one in a better, if not more reasonable mood.
While CBD has been proven to help better one’s mood, consoling our friends and family in the elderly is still an irreplaceable act—but that’s not to say we shouldn't heavily consider letting them resort to CBD.
CBD Improves Sleep Quality
It’s true that anyone can suffer from sleep disorders, but this may prove to be even more true for plenty of senior citizens. Sleep professionals say that this is due to the chemical imbalance the elderly get from prescription medications along with other health conditions. Sleeping patterns tend to irregularly shift, too, as one gets older.
Because sleep is when the body restores itself and flushes out toxins, any condition that disallows seniors to experience proper slumber and rest can be harmful. While turning to medication can temporarily fix this concern, the intake of too many medicines can be dangerous in the long run.
Because CBD is capable of getting rid of conditions that cause sleep deprivation like restlessness, stress, general body imbalance, and anxiety, seniors can encounter healthier and longer moments of sleep. Even better, being able to sleep well eliminates the need for seniors to take sleeping pills.
CBD Helps in Getting Rid of Medicine Addiction
When people become sick, the natural go-to move is to look for medicine and keep taking it until one gets better. As mentioned earlier, medicines are great and may even relieve one from a plethora of pains and health conditions. But for the elderly, taking one medicine usually leads to taking another, until it becomes a cycle. This process only perpetuates medicinal dependency.
Because the older generation suffers from a long list of natural and acquired-over-time health concerns, you can bet many of them take an assortment of medicines every day. Furthermore, a few studies say that CBD not only helps an elderly heal from many illnesses, CBD also helps prevent the dependency that comes with relying on modern pharmaceutical science.
The conclusion of a recent study says that CBD aids in stopping addiction by countering relapses. The same findings indicate that once CBD was administered for an entire week, the patients involved in the study no longer exhibited behaviors relating to medicinal addiction. As a matter of fact, one patient was kept from relapsing for a total of five months!
Should a senior decide to switch from traditional medication to natural cannabis, many scientists argue that CBD can alleviate and combat relapsing behaviors and withdrawals.
Why Seniors are Turning to CBD
Perhaps the leading reason has a lot to do with CBD’s side effects—or lack thereof. When stacked against pharmaceutical drugs, CBD promises more sustainability due to its being organic. It also helps that CBD covers an assortment of symptomatology, so it can be used for a sea of health problems.
More often than not, most traditional medicines have some extent of a side effect, and because seniors take so many, a lot of these side effects overlap with each other; calling for even more medicines to take just to help alleviate pain.
In that sense, CBD helps improve a senior’s medicinal management.
Another plus factor is that CBD is fundamentally safe. One need not worry about being high because it’s a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. On top of that, this chemical compound promotes holistic balance, too. From tempering inflammation and pain, as stated earlier, to managing mood, nausea, and appetite—things the elderly generally have problems with—CBD’s coverage transcends only one area of weakness.
CBD Risks for Seniors
There isn’t a whole lot of health risks associated with taking CBD, although a few reports do say that its consumers may feel tired most of the time. It’s also important to remember that the FDA hasn’t given CBD its stamp of approval.
Perhaps one of the most important things a senior should consider when turning to CBD for help are the other ingredients that are infused with a product or supplement.
How Seniors Can Take CBD
CBD takes many forms and how a senior can consume it is generally up to their preference.
Edibles
Edibles are a terrific way of intaking CBD because they can get rid of CBD’s natural “weedy” after-taste. Many manufacturers now sell CBD-infused truffles, mints, and even gum and candy. Royal CBD offers affordable CBD-infused gummies.
Topicals
Topicals are also noted to be effective. Like lotion, they can be applied directly to the skin. Similar to edibles, an extensive array of corporations now produce CBD-infused creams, lotions, transdermal patches, and salves. Although just as effective, topicals are best for skin issues such as eczema. One study, however, did point out that it can also help reduce the swelling of joints, so seniors with arthritis may also benefit from this form.
Smoking
Smoking is a common practice in the consumption of CBD, as well. The elderly may smoke CBD in a joint or utilize a vaporizer that uses CBD oil. Vape pens are also promising alternatives, although much research is still needed to identify risks and possible adverse effects of vape pens and Juuls. With the legalization of CBD in most US states, oils and other CBD-infused products have become more accessible to the general public. You can find a list of recommended CBD oils here, or purchase a bottle directly from suppliers.
Lastly, a senior may also opt for tinctures, oils, sprays, and lozenges. For best results and safe practices, consulting one’s physician is still the best move.
All this said, CBD continues to spark passionate discussions on whether or not it is a healthy and feasible long-term solution to combating health illnesses. Despite the FDA not promoting CBD as a cure-all, one can’t deny that many proven studies have shed light on how it’s improved health conditions for several walks of life—especially among the elderly.
Featured image: DepositPhotos © EdZbarzhyvetsky
