What Is CBD
                     What Is CBD?
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Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is one of the two most 
prevalent cannabinoids found in the resin of the cannabis plant. 
Concentration levels can vary, but the compound comprises up to 40% 
of the cannabis plant’s extract. It is one of dozens of other 
cannabinoids, but as the most prevalent next to (of course) THC, it has 
been the subject of more research than the others. At this time, there 
are still plenty of things about CBD that we don’t know for sure, but we 
understand more about how cannabis and marijuana work than we ever 
have before. In this article, I’ll give you an in-depth look at everything 
we currently know about CBD.
Where Does It Come From?
CBD occurs naturally in marijuana and hemp. Both of these plants 
are cannabis, but they have different chemical makeups. Hemp 
has a THC content of less than 0.3%, while marijuana contains 
anywhere from 5-35%. While CBD is found in both types of 
cannabis, it matters which one the CBD is extracted from. Extract 
from marijuana often contains small amounts of THC – possibly 
enough that the user could experience some of the psychoactive 
effects. The extracted from hemp contains no THC, so medical 
users who have no desire to experience any psychoactive effects 
should seek out the hemp-derived extracts.
How Does CBD Affect the Body?
CBD takes effect by interacting with the cannabinoid system, but 
its relationship to the human body is a bit more complex than 
other cannabinoids’. The endocannabinoid system contains the CB1 
and CB2 receptors that cannabinoids bind to. CB1 
receptors are found in skeletal muscle, the liver, the GI tract, the 
pancreatic islet, throughout the peripheral nervous system, and all 
throughout the brain. CB2 receptors are mainly found throughout 
the immune system, though some are also present in the brain’s 
reward regions.
Interestingly, CBD has a very low affinity for both types of 
cannabinoid receptor. This means that while it does bind to the CB 
receptors, it doesn’t do so as regularly as other cannabinoids, such 
as THC. CBD’s effects are indirect, but significant.
The dictionary definition of an agonist is “a substance which 
initiates a physiological response when combined with a 
receptor.” An antagonist is defined as “a substance that interferes 
with or inhibits the physiological action of another.” THC is an 
agonist of the body’s cannabinoid receptors, and it produces its 
effect by binding with the CB1 receptor. CBD has a low binding 
affinity for both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Instead it acts as an 
antagonist of THC, as well as several other cannabinoids.
For anyone who wants to experience the psychoactive effects of 
THC, this may sound like a mark against CBD. If CBD “interferes 
with or inhibits the physiological action” of THC, the THC won’t 
have as significant an effect. Right? Actually, no. 
Studies have shown that CBD does not reduce THC’s effect, and 
may actually intensify it. However, CBD has been shown to reduce 
THC’s less pleasant side effects, such as a fuzzy short-term 
memory and occasional anxiety
CBD’s interactions with cannabinoid receptors (and with other 
compounds that want to bind with those same receptors) explain 
some of the compound’s effects, but not all of them. As of 2019, 
science is still unsure about all of CBD’s mechanisms of action, but 
it is theorized that CBD interacts with additional biological targets 
beyond CB receptors, such as other neurotransmitter receptors. 
For example, CBD is a known agonist of a subtype (5-HT1a) of 
serotonin receptors, which play an important role in regulating 
moods. 
This may explain the calming, soothing effects that CBD users 
report. CBD also affects opioid receptors, which may explain 
the compound’s role in managing pain. There are also other 
less studied receptors, such as GPR55, that could play an 
important role in how the body responds to CBD. In any case, 
it’s clear that CBD has a complex relationship with the human 
body. As research continues, we will eventually develop a 
clearer understanding of how the compound works, as well as 
what it can be used for.
Methods of Ingestion
Because cannabinoid receptors are scattered all throughout the body, 
there are many ways to ingest or absorb CBD. CBD-containing 
cannabis can be consumed by smoking or vaporizing. Alternatively, 
extracted CBD can be taken orally, applied topically, or sprayed into 
the mouth as an aerosol. Inhaled, CBD absorbs rapidly, and effects 
are almost immediate. It takes longer for the body to absorb CBD 
that is eaten or swallowed, and the body doesn’t process it quite as 
efficiently. Taken sublingually, the CBD is absorbed more quickly 
through the mucus membranes in the mouth. When it is applied 
topically, CBD never reaches the bloodstream like it does via the 
other methods. The skin can absorb CBD, but it absorbs quite slowly, 
so you’ll need to apply the product liberally. Still, for many localized 
health issues such as soreness, scarring, or inflammation, a topical 
application may still be the best choice.
Medical Uses of CBD
CBD came into the limelight a few years ago when a strain of 
cannabis originally called “Hippie’s Disappointment” due to its low 
THC content appeared on CNN in 2013. This strain was created by 
crossbreeding another cannabis strain with industrial hemp, 
creating a plant with a very high CBD content, but containing very 
little THC. The strain was later renamed “Charlotte’s Web” after a 
young girl named Charlotte Figi.
You may have heard her story before. Charlotte is an American girl 
who suffers from Dravet syndrome, a severe type of epilepsy. By 
the time Charlotte was three years old, she was experiencing 
around 300 grand mal seizures per week. According to her parents, 
Charlotte’s condition improved immediately and dramatically when 
she began using marijuana. She uses the high-CBD extract taken 
from the Charlotte’s Web strain orally, dissolved in olive oil. After 
two years of this treatment, she was down to just four seizures per 
month, and is now able to live a much more normal life. 
Currently, there is only one FDA-approved CBD-based medication on 
the market. It’s called Epidiolex, and is used orally to treat Dravet 
syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, both of which are forms of 
epilepsy. Epidiolex has been shown to be effective for treating 
these syndromes. However, studies involving THC have shown that 
when used on mice, the psychoactive compound actually increased 
sensitivity to convulsions. So, it’s important to separate the CBD 
from the rest of the cannabis plant (or use low-THC strains) when it 
comes to this type of treatment. And, of course, it’s important to 
consult with a doctor before beginning any new treatment.
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggests that CBD 
may help with other afflictions as well, although many 
claims have yet to be thoroughly tested in a laboratory 
setting. Doctors prescribe medical marijuana for a wide 
range of conditions, such as: Alzheimer’s disease, eating 
disorders or loss of appetite, cancer, Crohn’s disease, 
glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, all types of pain, and some 
mental health conditions.
Potential Beneficial Effects of CBD Use
CBD is currently being studied in a clinical setting with hopes that it 
can help with anxiety, cognition, pain management, and more. The 
endocannabinoid system helps regulate many of the body’s 
functions. So, it makes sense that CBD and other cannabinoids could 
be used to positively effect the body in a number of ways, even if 
we aren’t completely sure what all of those ways are yet.
Regardless of what uses scientists find for CBD, they’ve already 
gathered plenty of data about CBD’s effects. CBD increases the 
brain’s levels of adenosine, a substance that is naturally 
produced by the body and helps with neuroprotection and 
reducing inflammation in the case of trauma to the head or 
brain. CBD is a vasodilator, and it also lowers blood pressure, so 
it may prove useful as a protective measure against brain and 
blood vessel damage potentially caused by a stroke.
CBD has been shown to help shorten and soften symptoms of 
anxiety, depression, and psychosis, and seems to enhance 
synaptic plasticity (which is what keeps your brain adaptable) 
and increase neurogenesis (the process by which your brain 
forms new neurons).
I mentioned previously that medical marijuana is often 
prescribed to cancer patients. This is often primarily so that the 
patient can take advantage of cannabis’ appetite-enhancing and 
pain management effects. However, cannabinoids have also 
been shown to reduce the speed at which tumors grow.
The compound also shows promise as a treatment for post-
traumatic stress disorder. One of PTSD’s most common 
symptoms is chronic anxiety, which gets worse in stressful 
environments. CBD’s anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects can 
decrease the intensity of this anxiety, which can make the 
disorder more manageable and allow PTSD sufferers to move 
back toward normalcy more quickly. In 2008, scientists proposed
 that certain chronic health problems might be caused by an 
underlying deficiency in certain endocannabinoids. If that turns 
out to be the case, cannabis-sourced phytocannabinoids 
(cannabinoids that come from plants) like CBD could be used like 
vitamins to replace the endocannabinoids that we lack.
The endocannabinoid system is spread throughout almost 
the entirety of the human body. Given it’s the ability to 
increase bonding of cannabinoids to CB receptors and to 
counteract the cannabinoids that reduce CB receptors’ 
ability to function efficiently, it seems plausible that CBD 
could provide a whole host of benefits. We certainly don’t 
know everything yet. But, if current trends in research 
continue, it won’t be too much longer before we have a 
near-complete picture.
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