CBD Gummies for ADHD: What the Experts Say
CBD oil has been revolutionizing
the Health and Wellness industry as of late, and there’s no stopping in sight —
CBD treatment is here to stay. You can find CBD products in all shapes and
sizes: in antiseizure medications, in lotions, in lattes, and facials. And with
products like our CBD Gummies, it is easier than ever to use CBD in a way that
is right for you and your lifestyle.
What Can CBD Do For Me?
But how effective is the
treatment really, and what do the medical experts say about it? Sure, it may be
relaxing, or boost your brain focus during the afternoon slump, or help with
pain management, but in terms of actual diagnosed conditions, can CBD products
help? If CBD is so good for reducing anxiety and increasing focus, can it be
used to help with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Before we get to answering this
question, let’s recap what CBD is, where it comes from, and what we know about
it. Then, we’ll discuss how it could help manage a variety of ADHD symptoms.
As a reminder, please consult
with your doctor before using any CBD product to treat health conditions. Our
CBD Gummies are helpful, but they are not intended to be used as a medical
replacement or substitution. If you have or suspect a diagnosed condition, talk
to your doctor about what treatments could be right for you.
Remind Me: What is CBD Again?
CBD is short for cannabidiol,
which is a chemical compound that can be extracted from the Cannabis plant
family. CBD is a nonpsychoactive compound and one of almost 100 compounds in
Cannabis. It is used in all sorts of products for a variety of medical and
non-medical purposes.
CBD is most often compared to
THC, which is short for tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the other well-known
compound that is extracted from the Cannabis plant family and is the
psychoactive ingredient in Marijuana and what people use to get high. The two
are from the same plant family and look similar in chemical makeup, but they
are completely different in how they interact with the brain and the human
body.
Can I Get High From CBD?
You cannot get high from CBD
products. As mentioned above, CBD is a nonpsychoactive compound, so users are
not at risk of getting high. However, as a disclaimer, some manufacturers make
CBD products that have trace amounts of THC in them, which may cause
psychoactive effects, therefore making them an unsafe treatment for children.
What Kind of CBD Do You Use in Your Gummies?
We use Full Spectrum CBD, which
means there is 0% THC possible. The “Full Spectrum” part refers to the fact
that our products contain several strains of CBD to encourage the widest range
of benefits possible.
How Can CBD Help?
A recent study shows that
cannabidiol oil can help manage a variety of symptoms and bring about a host of
improvements. CBD can be used to regulate moods, improve sleep, sharpen focus,
cut down on inflammation, and a variety of other uses. It can be used to relax
your nervous system, and help you get through tough meetings, but research has
shown correlations between CBD and slowing down Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
So, no matter your ache, pain, or ailment, CBD could help manage your symptoms.
So, what does that mean for those that have ADHD?
Can CBD Gummies Help My ADHD?
All research surrounding CBD is
relatively new. It is a recent trend, and although it may be here to stay, we
cannot deny how new it is to the medical scene.
At face value, there is a lot
more research about CBD helping manage epilepsy and anxiety than there is about
ADHD. Even then, most of the research available revolves around CBD and the
cannabis plant itself, not necessarily the specific conditions it has treated.
What Does Research Say?
While there may be plenty of
anecdotes and correlations, there is currently no research that validates the
claim that CBD can adequately manage ADHD. An article in ADDitude Mag, which is
a hub for research about ADD/ADHD treatments, quotes Dr. Ryan Vandry:
“I am not aware of any scientific
or clinical data that would speak to the safety or efficacy of using CBD in the
treatment of ADHD,” says Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D., a member of John Hopkins
University School of Medicine’s Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit. “There
is no scientific basis from which CBD should be recommended for use as a
treatment for ADHD, nor is there any data that could speak to which product or
dose would be appropriate.”
Furthermore, the article mentions
the study, or lack there-of: According to Mitch Earleywine, professor of
psychology at SUNY-Albany and an advisory board member of the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), there is “no published
data, let alone randomized clinical trials, [that] support the use of CBD for
ADHD.”
Where Do We Go From Here?
The lack of research isn’t a
death sentence. Ultimately, it just means that there is much work left to do in
determining how exactly CBD could impact conditions like ADHD and be an
effective treatment. As CBD continues to dominate the market and many
discussions around the dinner table, there are a couple of things to note.
ADHD symptoms are usually
categorized distinctively as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. CBD
has been used and found effective to regulate moods, relax the nervous system,
bring about focus, and increase clarity in patients. So just because the
specific research does not exist yet, doesn’t mean that CBD couldn’t be a
helpful treatment in managing systems.
However, most ADHD trials involve
children, and CBD products are not recommended for the treatment of children,
once again, due to their novelty and the limited research regarding their
impact on brain development.
Ultimately, what we know about
cannabidiol oil should encourage us to positive thinking, but we should not
throw caution to the wind, either. As the research grows and experience with
CBD is gained, experts will be able to take a more conclusive stance on how CBD
oil can and should be used as an alternative treatment for ADHD patients.
This article is originally
published at SundayScaries.