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Can CBD Relieve Menopause Symptoms?

With the recent explosion in interest of cannabinoid oil and its many health properties, many women are asking can CBD relieve menopause symptoms to a greater or lesser degree.

As it has been clearly shown in many recent studies, cannabinoid oil may work on the human body in a number of ways that can help bring relief from some of the more unpleasant menopause symptoms.

What is of particular interest in this case is the way that the substance interacts with cannabinoid receptors in the different areas of the body. Let's look at this to begin with.

How Do the Body's Cannabinoid Receptors Work?

What we know of the body's endocannabinoid system refers to a particular collection of cell receptors that are called cannabinoid receptors. These are present in the brain, the major organs, muscle and other tissues in the body.

The endocannabinoid system is designed to work through interaction with a variety of chemical messengers, including CBD. Researchers have come to believe that this system plays an important role in many bodily functions and other aspects of health.

These include:

A theory exists that infers that a poorly functioning endocannabinoid system may lie behind the manifestation of a number of different health conditions. By manipulating the chemicals involved such as CBD, it could be possible to help to treat such conditions.

The menopause itself appears to disrupt the endocannabinoid system in some ways. Since there are cannabinoid receptors found throughout the female reproductive system, there is the possibility that taking CBD oil could potentially reduce some menopause related symptoms.

Which Symptoms of Menopause Can CBD Treat?

It should be noted that there is no documented evidence to indicate that using CBD provides effective alleviation of symptoms related to menopause. However, there is much user opinion that it can be helpful in bringing some measure of relief from the following symptoms:

Sleep Disturbance

One of the common problems reported by women during menopause is disturbed sleep. This can create a knock-on effect by affecting the quality of daytime mental functioning and alertness as well as experiencing tiredness and lethargy.

A case study from 2016 carried out on a person suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) revealed that using CBD oil was effective at reducing sleep disturbances and also anxiety.

For that reason, it is quite possible that CBD oil may also be helpful in treating the sleep disturbances that are related to menopause.

Mood Regulation

A very common menopause symptom is the mood changes that are associated with the hormone imbalances that are related to the changes to the body.

Fortunately, CBD produces a similar effect to the way in which antidepressant medications act on the relevant areas of the brain, according to a study performed in 2010 on mice.

This effectively reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, instead producing a feeling of calm and well being. That means it can also be extremely helpful in stabilizing mood during menopause.

Bone Density Loss

Low bone density is a problem that can increase the possibility of sustaining fractures or bruising. This makes it an important symptom of menopause to deal with.

Recent research has found that CBD naturally interacts with a cannabinoid receptor that is believed to play a role in bone density loss. Further studies will need to be undertaken to provide more concrete evidence, but it is highly possible that taking CBD may help to reduce the rate of bone density loss that in some cases may occur during menopause.

Conclusions

While it looks very promising, there is at present very little reliable evidence that would suggest CBD oil is an effective means of treating the symptoms of menopause.

Researchers have provided some useful studies, although the medical profession is only really just beginning to understand in depth how the endocannabinoid system works and how CBD interacts with it. However, there is mounting momentum in anecdotal evidence to support the role it may play in forming a viable means of dealing with different health conditions.

Future research is also needed to directly put theories relating to the role CBD plays in menopause to the test. Eventually it could be possible to determine if CBD oil does indeed help to reduce the intensity of menopause symptoms and by what margin.

It is already well documented that CBD is one of the active components found in hemp and the cannabis plant. While CBD has medicinal use, it does not produce the "high" associated with marijuana.

Anyone considering using CBD as a treatment for menopause or any other health issues should first research the legality of using CBD oil and other related products in their area.