CBD Oil for Cancer: Can Cannabis Oil Be Used as a Cure & Treatment?
It’s challenging to find a place that wouldn’t stock CBD today, at least in its traditional oil form. CBD oil has taken the United States by storm, driving the attention of doctors, researchers, and media outlets across the world. Universities are starting their research on the possibility of treating a variety of health conditions with CBD, including cancer.
As CBD continues to change the public perception of cannabis, more people than ever are turning to CBD oil as a natural alternative for their ailments. In this article, we’re going to shed light on scientific research concerning the potential use of CBD oil for cancer and its symptoms.
We’ll also provide our list of recommended CBD oils that could potentially help individuals on their way to safe recovery.
There is limited research into CBD’s potential as a treatment for cancer and its symptoms. The FDA refuses to acknowledge CBD oil as a treatment for cancer; there’s only one pharmaceutical containing cannabidiol — its name is Epidiolex. However, Epidiolex is reserved for epilepsy patients, not those struggling with cancer.
If you want to use CBD oil for cancer, make sure to make an appointment with a doctor first; doing so will give you a fuller image of how CBD oil could help your treatment.
While CBD isn’t a cure-all, it can help you ease several of its symptoms and some adverse reactions to chemotherapy and radiation.
Here’s what studies have found regarding using CBD oil for cancer.
Nausea
Researchers have proposed CBD as a natural resource to reduce nausea and vomiting due to how it interacts with the brain. Many patients regularly use cannabinoids to calm the uncomfortable sensation of nausea as an unwanted effect of chemotherapy, radiation, and anti-cancer medications. Moreover, CBD regulates serotonin levels, which can reduce the stimulation in the brain’s area responsible for vomiting.
Pain
In a 2015 study conducted by Care By Design, most patients who took CBD oil for pain and inflammation reported improvements in their symptoms. CBD acts on specific pathways in the brain that may reduce inflammation and block pain signals. Pain is one of the most troubling symptoms of cancer — and a side effect of chemotherapy — so these are very promising results for those suffering from cancer.
Fatigue and Sleep Disturbances
CBD is an adaptogen, meaning they can help the body maintain homeostasis within the body without negatively impacting its functioning as well as making any changes in the brain structure. Adaptogens are also classified as smart molecules because they can act exactly where they are needed to promote balance and strengthen regeneration processes, such as neurogenesis. When cancer patients suffer from a lack of sleep, CBD may help ease some of the stress and anxiety that are often associated with this condition. This can help the body regulate its sleep cycles.
CBD may also help target the specific processes in the body to provide it with enough energy and vitality, which can be useful for cancer patients after chemotherapy. On top of the above, it can also improve focus. Some scientists call CBD “the boy scout molecule” because it always reaches the right target in any situation.
Loss of Appetite
Although some individuals report appetite suppression after using CBD, it turns out it may have the opposite effect on others. CBD can improve your appetite when it reaches specific receptors in the brain. And since the majority of cancer patients suffer from loss of appetite, this particular trait of CBD oil may come in handy when it comes to helping the body’s needs for nourishment, which the body needs throughout the disease and after radiation.
Can CBD Oil Help Cure Cancer?
There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence floating online from people claiming they have been cured of cancer by using cannabis. Scientific research performed on animals has shown that CBD can shrink tumors and stop them from spreading. For example, a research paper from 2011 showed that the stimulation of cannabinoid receptors through a mix of cannabinoids and fatty acids could potentially relieve prostate tumors.
Another study published in Plus One highlighted CBD’s anti-cancer properties to trigger a process of apoptosis — the death of cancerous cells — preventing tumor growth by reducing the number of certain proteins that are involved in the spread of malignant cells. The researchers concluded that they would recommend CBD as an anti-cancer agent due to its safety and lack of life-threatening side effects.
We’ve also visited the Cure your Own Cancer site, where patients provide their testimonials about their success in treating cancer with cannabis oil. The website was founded by a young activist Lincoln Horsley and it shares a lot of free information about cannabis, cancer, and how products like CBD oil can be used to support individuals on their way to recovery.
With all that said, using CBD oil for cancer isn’t an approved treatment because there haven’t been many human trials regarding this issue. Therefore, consumers must keep in mind that while anecdotal evidence about CBD oil and cancer is very optimistic, it must be scientifically investigated before being approved as a treatment method.
Best CBD Brands for Cancer Aid
The following compilation summarizes CBD oils we’ve selected after analyzing over 40 brands from local stores and online retailers. They have been evaluated according to the quality criteria such as hemp source, extraction methods, third-party testing, and customer service.
1. Royal CBD (Most Potent)
Get 15% off all Royal CBD products. Use code “CFAH” at checkout.
Product Details
| Potency | 250 mg –2500 mg |
| Available Flavors | Natural, Berry, Mint, Vanilla |
| CBD per serving | 8.3 mg – 83.3 mg |
Why Royal CBD is the Best CBD Oil for Cancer
My story with Royal CBD started about two years ago when we first read about them in one of our news briefs. They attracted us with the simplicity of their product selection, with only a few full-spectrum CBD oils available for sale. After two years, the company has grown by miles and expanded its line with capsules, gummies, and topicals, adding a high-potency option to their oils.
Since then, Royal CBD oil has been our number one product.
Royal CBD oils come in four different potency options, including 250 mg, 500 mg, 1000 mg, and 2500 mg. You can choose from flavors like Mint, Berry, and Vanilla, save for the highest strengths, which only comes in the unflavored version. These are full-spectrum products, meaning they were made using the whole plant and contain all the non-psychoactive cannabinoids and terpenes originally found in hemp. I’ve noticed the best results when it comes to nausea and pain relief using the 2500 mg bottle. The oil has also helped calm my anxiety and improve my sleep.
Note: Royal CBD is only available online; you won’t find it in any local store, although their online shop offers great discounts and a loyalty program that lets you save money on their products.
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2. Gold Bee (Best Flavor)
Product Details
| Potency | 1200 mg – 2400 mg |
| Available Flavors | Natural, Kiwi, Lychee |
| CBD per serving | 40 mg – 80 mg |
About Gold Bee
Gold Bee is a Nevada-rooted brand that focuses on making honey-flavored CBD extracts. The company has developed its own blend of high-CBD strains in partnership with local growers from Colorado. These plants are grown from non-GMO seeds in healthy soils and without growth boosters or pesticides.
Aside from the premium quality of ingredients, I believe this brand deserves much appreciation for how they mix CBD with honey. The flavor is surprisingly natural and masks the earthy hemp aftertaste that you get from full-spectrum CBD oil.
About the effects, I noticed similar results with my anxiety and pain to what I got from Royal CBD oil, but due to the lack of high-potency oil in its selection, I’ve decided to give the guys at Gold Bee second place.
However, if low-to-moderate doses of CBD work for you, this is one of the best brands to purchase CBD oil from.
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3. CBDPure (Best Transparency)
Product Details
| Potency | 100 mg –1000 mg |
| Available Flavors | None |
| CBD per serving | 3.3 mg – 33 mg/mL |
About CBDPure
CBDPure specializes in making mostly low-potency CBD oil. Recently, the brand has added a 1000 mg potency to their collection, which we couldn’t miss.
One interesting thing about CBDPure is that its low-potency oils work better than some high-potency products I’ve tried so far. For me, CBDPure is a textbook example of how to make top-of-the-shelf full-spectrum extracts. The effects were very similar to what I’ve experienced with the other two companies in this ranking.
CBDPure is my third-best pick on this list because both Royal CBD and Gold Bee offer a better price/quality ratio.
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4. Hemp Bombs (Best CBD Isolate)
Product Details
| Potency | 125 mg – 4000 mg |
| Available Flavors | Natural, Acai Berry, Orange Creamsicle, Peppermint, Watermelon |
| CBD per serving | 4 – 133 mg/mL |
About Hemp Bombs
Hemp Bombs is an American manufacturer producing CBD oil from 99% pure isolate. The company offers an extensive range of CBD extracts, offering up to 4000 mg of total CBD. This CBD oil is an excellent choice for cancer patients who, for some reason, want to avoid any THC in their oil. Full-spectrum products contain 0.3% THC or less, which isn’t enough to get anyone high, but CBD isolate is 100% THC-free.
CBD isolate is also odorless and flavorless, so it’s a good alternative for those with problems holding full-spectrum extracts in their mouth. That being said, there’s no synergy from other cannabinoids and terpenes, so Hemp Bombs may not be the best choice for those looking for the entourage effect in cannabis.
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5. CBDistillery (Best Price)
Product Details
| Potency | 250 mg – 5000 mg |
| Available Flavors | None |
| Potency | 8.3 – 166 mg/mL |
About CBDistillery
CBDistillery is one of the largest CBD companies in North America. The brand was launched by a group of Colorado citizens based on a mutual goal to supply consumers with affordable products that still match the highest quality standards. CBDistillery’s products are available in an extremely wide range of potencies, from 250 mg to a whopping 5000 mg of CBD per bottle. The highest potency contains 166 mg of CBD in each milliliter, which is enough to get yourself a few month’s worths of supplies.
You can also choose which type of CBD extract you want in your oil because CBDistillery offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum extracts (pure CBD oil). THC has been completely removed after initial filtration in the broad-spectrum variant, but the other cannabinoids and terpenes from hemp have been preserved.
CBDistillery has scored the last place in your compilation of the best CBD oils for cancer due to their hemp sourcing practices — the plants used by the company are non-GMO but not certified organic.
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What is CBD?
CBD is one of over 100 compounds in cannabis plants, which are categorized as cannabinoids. Unlike its psychoactive cousin THC, CBD can’t make you feel high. However, it still offers a plethora of benefits for our health.
It turns out that all mammals have an endocannabinoid system (discovered in the 1990s), which is a prime self-regulatory network composed of cannabinoid receptors and neurotransmitters known as endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are chemical messengers that are released to maintain homeostasis in the body, which is a state of equilibrium between all bodily functions, such as pain signaling, appetite, sleep cycles, immune function, emotional processing, and more.
CBD acts as a modulator, meaning it signals the endocannabinoid system to produce and maintain more of its native cannabinoids to help them effectively maintain the balance within the body.
CBD can also help the endocannabinoid system regain proper functioning when disrupted by homeostasis. The said signaling can promote the formation of healthy cells in the body while turning on the process of apoptosis — the destruction of malignant cells.
People use CBD for a wide range of health problems, from common anxiety to inflammatory conditions and severe chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis, epilepsy, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and cancer.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a liquid extract that contains high concentrations of CBD. It is made using hemp flowers, the resinous part of the plant. After initial extraction, CBD oil usually undergoes filtration to dump the redundant plant material and suspend the extract in a food-grade carrier oil, such as hemp seed oil or MCT oil.
CBD oil comes in glass bottles with a dropper attached for easier and precise dosing. To take CBD oil, you need to use the dropper to measure out the dose and place the oil beneath your tongue, allowing it to sit there for about one minute to let it absorb through special membranes in the mouth. You can swish it around the mouth to increase the surface area and increase the oil’s bioavailability.
Is CBD Oil Legal?
CBD can be produced from hemp and marijuana, so it’s understandable that you may have questions about its legality.
Marijuana-derived CBD oil will contain a considerable amount of THC, which crosses the legal 0.3% barrier. Such products can get the user high and are legal only in states that legalized recreational marijuana use. In states with a medical marijuana program, you can apply for a medical marijuana card to purchase marijuana-derived CBD oil from one of the state-licensed dispensaries.
Hemp is legal on the federal level because it contains up to 0.3% THC, which can do anything but produce a psychoactive buzz. In 2018, hemp was removed from the list of controlled substances. Hemp-derived CBD oil can be found over the counter in pharmacies, dispensaries, fitness studios, local health stores, and online. It’s a plant-based supplement, so you don’t need a prescription for it.
Final Thoughts on Using CBD Oil for Cancer
Researchers agree that cancer patients could benefit from CBD oil to some extent, but there is still much we don’t know about the exact mechanism behind its anti-cancer potential. Therefore, it’s too early to draw any conclusions.
Fortunately, CBD has garnered much attention from the medical community lately, and scientists are willing to investigate further its effects on cancer, its symptoms, and the side effects of chemotherapy. For instance, the Spanish Observatory on Medical Cannabis is aggressively researching cancer treatment with cannabis extracts, regularly posting their findings on its website.
If you want to try CBD oil to support your well-being during your cancer treatment and ease some of the uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy, consult your doctor about it, and above all, always buy your CBD oil from a reputable source that can provide premium-quality ingredients proven by lab-testing reports.
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