As the world becomes more and more stressful, more consumers are seeking ways to improve their mental health. Especially when it comes to everyday stress and anxiety. This is just one reason why CBD gummies for mental health are trending now more than ever.
Through continued research, medical experts are now hopeful that CBD could be an effective, all-natural remedy for improving mood and mental health. But, how? Here we’ll explore the science behind CBD gummies for mental health and what you should know.
CBD and Mental Health: How Does CBD Work?
To understand the efficacy of CBD gummies for mental health, it’s crucial to understand just how CBD works. So, let’s get into the basics. CBD or cannabidiol is a natural plant cannabinoid found in hemp and cannabis plants.
The oils of the plant are now easily extracted for manufacturers to produce goods like CBD gummies online, oils and tinctures, topicals, etc. When consumers ingest CBD products for mental health, the cannabinoid interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid, or the ECS. The ECS is a physiological system that influences the central nervous system and the body’s response to internal and external factors.
The ECS is made up of neurotransmitters and receptors that send messages throughout the body with one goal in mind - to achieve and maintain ‘homeostasis’. In layman's terms, homeostasis is the ultimate balance in health or when you feel ‘good’ or at your best.
The two main receptors found in the ECS are CB1 and CB2. These receptors are found in abundance in the central nervous system and the brain. CBD and other plant cannabinoids and compounds interact and influence these receptors for their effects to be felt.
Due to the vast coverage of the ECS, CBD has the ability to affect the body positively; mentally, physically, and emotionally. So, next, let’s focus on the specific benefits of CBD gummies for mental health.
CBD for Mental Health Benefits
Through CBD’s unique interaction with the body’s endocannabinoid system, the compound is thought to be highly beneficial for a wide range of health conditions, ailments, and symptoms. Including the use of CBD for tinnitus, and a variety of mental health conditions, such as, anxiety, PTSD and more.
Outside of increasing real-time user reports that CBD is beneficial for mental health, a growing list of small clinical trials are proving CBD’s efficacy too. Here are the most prominent results in proving how CBD makes you feel, mentally and emotionally.
- A 2014 study showed CBD was able to positively affect serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a natural neurotransmitter that is often called the ‘happy chemical’ due to its ability to improve moods. The researchers concluded that CBD’s mechanisms could be therapeutically beneficial for depression.
- A more recent study in 2019, looked at the use of CBD for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in teenagers. After four weeks of administering 300 mg CBD daily for mental health, results showed that CBD significantly decreased anxiety amongst participants. Leading the researchers to believe that CBD could be a potential treatment for SAD.
- Other research shows that CBD may be effective at reducing symptoms of psychosis and social anxiety disorder and a possible alternative solution to medications.
Research on CBD’s anxiolytic and antidepressant effects are adding to its popularity as an all-natural remedy that is powerful for improving mental health. If you’re looking to join the movement of consuming CBD gummies for mental health wellness - how can you choose the best? We’ll cover the top tips for shopping CBD oil vs gummies, next.
How to Choose the Best CBD Gummies?
First and foremost, when choosing which CBD gummies are right for you, it’s best to decide whether you’ll benefit from full-spectrum or broad-spectrum options. Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences.
- Full-spectrum - Full-spectrum CBD gummies and products include the entire profile of cannabinoids, and compounds naturally extracted from the hemp plant. Meaning, they can include up to 0.3% THC, other beneficial cannabinoids like CBG, CBC, and CBN, and terpenes, too.
- Broad-spectrum - Broad-spectrum CBD gummies, are just like full-spectrum ones with the entire profile of cannabinoids, compounds, and terpenes but without any traces of THC.
Once you know if full-spectrum or broad-spectrum is right for you, then it’s all about choosing a reputable brand with a trustworthy product. A few ‘must-haves’ to check off for choosing a brand of CBD gummies are -
- THC Content - All legal CBD products must have less than 0.3% THC, so you should ensure the brand you buy from verifies this with third-party testing.
- Hemp source - Since CBD gummies are made from hemp plant extracts, it’s best to know your source. Not all hemp can be treated the same, and the quality in which its grown will affect the quality of its extraction. Consumers may also be interested in USA-grown hemp, or products made with organic, vegan or gluten-free ingredients.
- COA’s - The best CBD gummies and products will be transparent with their third-party testing results. The most top-tier brands will have easily accessible COA’s or certificates of analysis available online, proving the contents and safety of the product for use.
Full Spectrum CBD Gummies For Mental Health
Full-spectrum CBD gummies and other products are quickly becoming the ‘go-to’ of many consuming CBD for health benefits. That’s because, when consuming all of hemp’s natural compounds together, what’s known as an ‘entourage effect’ can occur.
The entourage effect is the term that’s given to the symbiotic relationship of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytonutrients that amplify one another when consumed together. This leads to full-spectrum CBD gummies being more effective for conditions like chronic pain, and mental health, too.
Full-spectrum gummies not only contain CBD, but other proven mood-improving cannabinoids and compounds including -
- CBG, CBC, CBN, up to 0.3% THC, and other minor cannabinoids
- Terpenes like linalool, caryophyllene, limonene, humulene, pinene, and beyond.
In addition, high-end CBD brands will infuse their gummies or oils with supplement ingredients to better aid specific types of relief and recovery. For instance, adding Ashwagandha to CBD gummies for stress relief is extra beneficial, just as adding ginseng to CBD gummies for pain.
Now that we know more about the inner workings of CBD and how to choose the best CBD gummies for mental health, let’s answer some FAQs to complete our ultimate guide.
How Can I Use CBD Gummies for Mental Health?
Most consumers add CBD gummies for mental health to their normal morning or vitamin routines. While others take CBD gummies as needed throughout the day. In the end, CBD affects individuals differently so you’ll need to experiment with your own needs and dosage to find out what works best.
Keep in mind, CBD is non-psychoactive so you shouldn’t experience a buzz or high off eating one or multiple. Also, remember CBD gummies are metabolized by the digestive system which takes some time. Expect to feel effects, anywhere between 45 minutes - one hour from initial consumption, and don’t re-dose until after this period of time.
Is CBD Effective for Mental Health Challenges?
Mental health challenges like anxiety, PTSD, and more can be debilitating for those who suffer from them. Not to mention, the pharmaceutical medications commonly prescribed to treat these disorders can come with a number of side effects themselves. It is why so many people are considering CBD for their mental health concerns.
So, is it effective? All signs point to yes, although more research is needed for results to be conclusive. Today, there are a variety of studies that have proven CBD is effective at reducing symptoms and potentially treating a wide range of mental health challenges and conditions. These include -
- Social anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Bipolar disorder
How Should I Dose CBD for Mental Health?
Again, CBD will affect individuals uniquely based upon weight, tolerance, metabolism, and other physiological traits. That means, it’ll take some experimentation to decipher what dose is right for you. For the most part, experts recommend beginning with 15 mg - 25 mg once or twice a day.
From there, you can increase or decrease your doses as you feel fit.
CBD Gummies for Mental Health - The Bottom Line
There’s a plethora of research backing up what so many consumers experience themselves from consuming CBD gummies for mental health. CBD is increasingly proving to be beneficial for improving moods organically, and specifically benefits mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more.
If you’re interested in reaping the natural plant powers of hemp for mental health, shop Alchemy Naturals now. A CBD brand that’s dedicated to producing premium, vegan gummies infused with Full-Spectrum and Broad-Spectrum Hemp Extract derived from Oregon-grown hemp for ultimate efficacy.
Add CBD gummies to your wellness and self-care routines, now and browse our full collection!
