CBD For Brain Inflammation: What You Should Know

Just like the rest of the body, the brain can experience inflammation. Also known as neuroinflammation, brain inflammation can cause symptoms like mental fog, fatigue, and decreased cognitive speed and functioning.

Neuroinflammation can quickly lead to brain degeneration and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s.

Factors that can cause neuroinflammation include: 

• Diabetes
• High blood sugar
• Circulation issues
• Chronic stress
• Gluten intolerance
• Poor circulation
• Respiratory problems
• Anemia
• Heart failure
• Systemic inflammation
• Autoimmune conditions
• Substance abuse
• IBD
• Leaky blood-brain barrier

Infections and autoimmune inflammation can sometimes lead to a rare and acute form of brain inflammation called encephalitis. Though it does not always present symptoms, encephalitis can come with flu-like symptoms, motor problems, and even loss of sight or hearing. In the worst of cases, encephalitis can be life-threatening. 

Encephalomyelitis occurs when inflammation of the brain and spinal cord destroys myelin, the sheath-like layer that surrounds and insulates nerves.

Fortunately, science shows that CBD can regulate and reduce neuroinflammation, encephalitis, and encephalomyelitis.

Preventing and treating brain inflammation is an important health topic, whether you’re one of the many people managing the common risk factors, or if you suffer from autoimmune inflammation that puts you at risk for encephalitis and central nervous system damage. 

Continue reading to learn more about how CBD can protect the brain and help relieve brain inflammation.

This article should not, however, be relied upon as medical advice. Instead, consult a doctor with any immediate health concerns or questions about brain inflammation and CBD.

What are the Potential Benefits of CBD Oil for Brain Inflammation?

Like CBD, THC is emerging as a beneficial anti-inflammatory compound from the cannabis plant with the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases. 

Though many cannabis plant components offer anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, CBD and THC appear to be the only cannabinoids with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain.

Both cannabinoids seem to have similar bioavailability, concentration duration, and anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. Although THC has many of the same potential benefits as CBD, CBD is preferable in many medical contexts since it lacks the psychoactive effects of THC. 

In other words, CBD does not cause the ‘high’ of THC. CBD is better tolerated overall, with adverse effects being relatively minor and uncommon. 

Therefore, CBD is less risky and easier to implement into most patients’ lifestyles as a treatment for brain and other types of inflammation. As a result, CBD is rapidly gaining attention as a possible treatment for multiple brain-related conditions.

In contrast to THC, which is thought to trigger psychosis and schizophrenia in some, CBD actually shows signs of working as an antipsychotic and improving cases of schizophrenia. 

CBD may also be an effective antidepressant for treating anxiety and depression. Additionally, there is already an FDA-approved CBD-based seizure medication.

Next, though, we’ll explore how CBD functions in the body to protect the brain from inflammation and other related damage.

How CBD Protects The Brain

When the body intakes CBD, several mechanisms combine to fight brain inflammation.

In addition to relieving body-wide pain and inflammation, CBD gets through the blood-brain barrier and triggers the endocannabinoid system’s anti-inflammatory responses. It’s at that point that the brain can benefit from CBD’s neuroprotective, antioxidant, and antigliosis effects.

By controlling inflammation, oxidative stress, and the neuronal damage that can result, CBD may help treat cognitive and psychiatric symptoms of neurodegeneration from brain inflammation.

Please add an internal link to this relevant article in the same pillar once it’s published: cbd for inflammation

The Endocannabinoid System

The human body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) is responsible for regulating many vital immune and nervous system functions. Imbalance in the endocannabinoid system is related to brain inflammation, encephalitis, and encephalomyelitis. 

One of the ways CBD encourages the ECS’s CB1 and CB2 receptors to kick in is through anandamide. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid, one of the body’s naturally-occurring neurotransmitters that helps nerve cells communicate with one another.

CBD can improve anandamide levels, activating the nervous system, immune system, and cannabinoid receptors to help with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, pain, poor sleep quality, anxiety, epilepsy, and psychotic disorders. 

Why? Because anandamide protects the neurons from inflammatory damage under inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain.

The Blood-Brain Barrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a cell border that filters foreign substances that are circulating in the blood out of the CNS. So, the BBB can pose challenges in trying to medicate central nervous system problems.

While many cannabinoids help mitigate inflammation and immune system dysfunction, CBD is unique in its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Central nervous system/brain inflammation can compromise the BBB. In addition to crossing the BBB, CBD may also help preserve it.

CBD has Neuroprotective, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antigliosis Properties

Inflammation happens when the immune system engages in healing from injury or infection. But when inflammation persists for too long, immune cells produce free radicals, damaging healthy cells, and precipitating a vicious cycle of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Due to its relationship with the ECS and cannabinoid receptors, CBD can aid in immunoregulation, targeting this cyclical inflammation at the source.

Additionally, CBD addresses other steps in the inflammation cycle. By working as an antioxidant, CBD can also neutralize damaging excess free radicals, reducing oxidative stress and reigning in rampant inflammation.

Limiting brain inflammation, free radicals, and oxidative stress is key to minimizing damage like myelin destruction and a host of detrimental brain inflammation symptoms.

Next, let’s look at CBD’s neuroprotective effects. 

When the central nervous system, including the brain, sustains damage from inflammation or injury, certain cells change, a response called gliosis. Severe gliosis can even cause scarring in the brain.

This is how the body tries to protect the brain from further damage and allows it to eventually heal. However, brain glial scars can cause permanent sensorimotor function deficits. 

Brain glial cells called microglia also have a positive function. They play a role in neuronal function and help protect the brain. But in some neurodegenerative diseases, overactive microglia can cause uncontrolled inflammation and kill healthy brain cells.

CBD’s antigliosis capability gives it therapeutic potential in preventing brain lesion formation and brain cell death, especially in neurodegenerative diseases that come with hyperactive microglia.

Neurogenesis

Finally, CBD helps fuel neurogenesis, forming new neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain. Hippocampal neurogenesis is important in cognitive functioning. CBD may mitigate cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s and other conditions.

What Neurological Conditions can Potentially Benefit from CBD?

CBD calms down the immune response of inflammation, promotes anandamide balance, works as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals and decrease oxidative stress, crosses and preserves the BBB, controls overactive microglia and glial scarring, and encourages neurogenesis.

With so many mechanisms for helping brain inflammation, CBD offers immense therapeutic potential in treating brain inflammation and its symptoms across a range of neurological conditions. 

Below are some of the conditions related to brain inflammation, encephalitis, and encephalomyelitis that may benefit from CBD. Let’s discuss how the aforementioned mechanisms of CBD could help with each condition.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease that can disable the brain and spinal cord. With MS, the immune system attacks nerve fibers’ myelin sheath (encephalomyelitis) and deteriorates the nerves, disrupting the brain’s communication with the body. 

As a result, MS patients can experience slurred speech and fatigue, and lose their vision, mobility, coordination, and other bodily functions. Other major MS complications include muscle stiffness and spasms, paralysis, and epilepsy.

Brain inflammation contributes to depression and anxiety in people with MS. Research has linked ECS dysregulation and anandamide imbalance to MS and experimental models of autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 

Some countries have already approved cannabinoids to manage MS. Additionally, experiments have revealed CBD’s ability to attenuate autoimmune encephalitis in MS, delaying disease onset, decreasing clinical signs like paralysis and immune cells in the central nervous system, and reducing CNS damage. 

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders

Alzheimer’s disease is another progressive neurodegenerative disorder that comes with a sustained immune response in the brain. The extended presence of activated microglia and immune cells is a core component of AD, characterized by cognitive decline.

The activated microglia and immune cells in the brain can cause chronic neuroinflammation in AD, MS, ALS, CTE, and Parkinson’s disease (PD). This neuroinflammation appears fundamental to the progression of debilitating changes in the brain.

By decreasing activated glial cells and neuronal death while facilitating hippocampal neurogenesis, CBD may lessen brain inflammation and its detrimental effects in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Brain Ischemia

Also known as cerebral ischemia, brain ischemia occurs when the brain does not get enough blood flow due to congenital heart defects or sickle cell anemia. 

The limited oxygen supply from brain ischemia causes brain tissue death and other serious events like cardiorespiratory arrest, brain damage, cerebral infarction or ischemic stroke. Brain ischemia can be accompanied by symptoms like vision, speech, coordination, and mobility problems, and body weakness.

Brain inflammation plays a role in secondary brain damage from ischemia. Fortunately, CBD relieves oxidative stress and inflammation, preserves cerebral circulation, and mitigates brain damage in brain ischemia.

Epilepsy

Inflammation, activated microglia, and immune molecules in the brain are factors in seizures and epilepsy, as well as related neuronal death. CBD may be able to neutralize seizures and benefit cognition in epilepsy patients due to neuroprotective, anti-neuroinflammatory, neurogenesis, and antioxidant effects.

Psychiatric and Mood Disorders

Inflammation has a cyclical relationship with neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and mood disorders like major depressive disorder and bipolar. It makes sense that there is major interest in cannabinoids for treating sleep disorders, social phobia, PTSD, addiction, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.

Several of these neuropsychiatric disorders also involve decreased hippocampal neurogenesis. More research is needed on CBD’s mechanism in treating these disorders. But CBD’s efficacy as an antidepressant, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic compound may stem from facilitating neurogenesis in the hippocampus and preventing neurodegeneration from inflammation.

In addition, CBD has demonstrated changes in brain areas such as the medial and left temporal and prefrontal cortex and insula, which are also involved in neuropsychiatric conditions.

How To Treat Brain Inflammation Using CBD Oil

The appropriate type, dosage, and frequency of CBD varies by person. The first step in treating brain inflammation with CBD is to make a plan with your doctor to determine which kind of CBD to use, how much you should take, and how often. 

Here are some pointers on how to use CBD oil for brain inflammation.

Application

• Tincture oils- Tinctures are the most versatile form of CBD. You can precisely alter your dose, mix the oil into food and drinks, or administer it under your tongue.
• Gummies- Just like taking gummy vitamins, CBD gummies are a discreet, one-step, and tasty way to take your daily dose.
• Capsules- CBD also comes in straightforward softgels capsules that are available in different combinations of cannabinoids.

Dosage

Again, consult your doctor for exact CBD dosage advice to suit your medical situation. You can also check the product label for dosage suggestions. As a general rule, it’s best to start with a low dose and increase incrementally if you need to. 

Some people find relief with as little as 5 mg CBD per dose, and most people can easily tolerate at least 20-30 mg at once. Some products include 50 mg CBD per serving.

Frequency

Frequency also depends on the individual, the type of CBD, and how much you take per dose. Most CBD products should be taken once or twice daily. When you first start CBD, it will take two to four weeks to begin to see results.

Frequently Asked Questions about CBD for Brain Inflammation

Can CBD heal your brain?

Yes, CBD can potentially help the brain heal by decreasing inflammation and spurring neurogenesis.

What CBD is best for brain inflammation?

CBD oil administered sublingually reaches the bloodstream quicker to start working right away. CBD taken alongside other cannabinoids is also thought to have enhanced therapeutic effects.

Can CBD cause neurological problems?

No, CBD alone has relatively mild adverse effects and is not known to cause neurological problems. However, heavy marijuana use and mislabeled, contaminated, or low-quality CBD products can lead to neurological problems and other health complications.

Does CBD cause memory loss?

No, unlike THC, CBD does not have psychoactive effects and is not known to cause memory loss.

Can CBD help with intracranial hypertension?

Potentially. Some studies suggest cannabinoids like CBD could reduce intracranial pressure in traumatic brain injury.

How could CBD Improve Quality of Life?

Now you know how CBD can be useful for people with psychiatric conditions, seizures, and more. If you struggle with an autoimmune or neurodegenerative disease or deal with minor brain inflammation related to common health issues, CBD may help. 

Talk with your doctor about CBD and whether it might be a practical way to control brain inflammation and the damaging symptoms it can cause.

Then, consider buying CBD for brain inflammation online at Nature’s Legend.