CBD oil is not just for the young and modern professional woman! Lots of our customers are parents that swear by it. However, did you know that CBD oil can also be used by your grandparents? There are a number of health benefits that CBD oil can be very helpful for conditions commonly found in the elderly. We discuss these topics and why CBD oil is great for the elderly further below.
1. CBD Oil for Diabetes Management
We covered this topic extensively in a previous blog post. In a nutshell, CBD oil works to balance out the hormone levels in the body, specifically insulin and glucagon. These hormones are responsible for blood sugar regulation and for those blood sugar spikes and crashes. CBD helps to promote insulin sensitivity so that cells can more effectively use the sugar taken from the blood. This can also affect energy levels throughout the day by allowing for greater stability with fewer crashes. By regulating blood sugar, we can also help to boost metabolism and reduce fat storage for a healthy weight.
2. CBD Oil for Heart Disease Prevention
We also covered this topic in a previous blog post. CBD oil is known for being a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This can positively affect heart health by reducing the incidence of heart disease. Specifically, it can help by lowering some of the main risk factors. This includes helping to lower high cholesterol levels reducing high blood pressure by decreasing the effects of stress. In addition, CBD is an antioxidant that can help to fight free radical damage and work to prevent oxidation. Therefore it works to slow the aging process in the body so you can age gracefully!
3. CBD Oil for Arthritis and Pain Management
This is yet another topic that we covered in a previous blog post. CBD oil is an analgesic, in addition to being anti-inflammatory making it very effective for pain management. It can even substitute Advil making it a great option for anyone suffering with any type of arthritis. CBD oil also helps to lower inflammation so it can work to promote healing within the body and not just cover the symptoms of pain. Elimination pain provides the extra benefit of helping with sleep by providing more comfort at night and allowing for less interruption. CBD oil can improve the quality of life of an aging parent by helping them to get back to their regular activities and maintain physical activity for a healthy weight.
4. Improved Bone Health and CBD Oil
There is an interesting finding that cannabinoids facilitate the process of bone metabolism. Old bone tissue goes through a cycle where it is replaced by new bone tissue at a rate of about 10% per year. This is critical to maintaining strong and healthy bones. CBD oil is shown to block an enzyme that destroys bone building compounds in the body, thus reducing the risk of age-related bone diseases like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In each of these diseases, the body is no longer creating new bone and cartilage cells. Therefore, CBD helps support the process of new bone cell formation and speeding up the healing of broken bones with a stronger fracture callus. This means less likelihood of breaking the bone again and providing 35-50% more strength.
5. Cancer Treatments and CBD Oil
The sad reality with aging is that the older we get, the higher the chances of diseases. This includes cancer since more cells are being created and destroyed. While there are no conclusive studies to prove that CBD can help prevent or treat cancer, it can definitely be a great complementary option. CBD can help to handle some of the symptoms and side effects linked with the conventional treatments for cancer including chemotherapy and radiation. For example, a common experience of those going through cancer treatment is pain due to inflammation, pressure on internal organs, or nerve injury. CBD oil can help with general pain by reducing inflammation, thus promoting a more comfortable experience.
6. Improved Brain Health and CBD Oil
Unfortunately, another side effect of aging is the decline of mental function. However, there are a number of ways in which we can support brain health with CBD oil. It can even work to stimulate neurogenesis, or the regeneration of cells in certain regions of the brain. In addition, CBD can improve the health outcomes for people with dementia including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, and lower any irritation or mood issues linked with these conditions. It does so by reducing inflammation, reducing oxygen build-up, and working as a brain stimulant and protectant. CBD can also reduce the stress and anxiety in those suffering with dementia while lowering the decline of memory and other brain functions.
7. CBD Oil for Epilepsy and Seizures
CBD is being used currently, and approved by the FDA, for two rare and harder to treat forms of epilepsy. This includes Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Seizures result from erratic electrical activity in the brain that can spread and promote uncontrolled physical movements and/or alterations of consciousness. Most anti-seizure medications work to slow down the excitatory nerve activity in the brain, but these two types are particularly difficult to control and manage with a different medication regimen than other types. However, studies show that CBD oil, when taken with other anti-seizure medications, reduces the frequency (between 30 to 63%) and severity of seizures and the period following (up to 50%) in people with these disorders.
The Verdict
CBD oil has a very wide range of applications in the elderly as you can see! This is exciting news since it can become a great complement to a number of different treatments for conditions that affect the elderly with minimal to no side effects. In other words, it can help your grandparents gain more comfort regardless of the symptoms that come along with aging.
We want to remind you that CBD oil is an incredibly safe supplement to take. However, there can be interactions with some prescription medications to watch out for which are increasingly used in the elderly. Therefore, CBD oil should not be taken with any prescription medications that are listed not be taken with grapefruit. Grapefruit can inhibit a liver enzyme called cytochrome P450 which can result in the medication not being broken down and stronger effects from it. In addition, the dosage can also be different for someone older due to changes in metabolism with the aging process so we suggest starting slowly.
Curious to try CBD oil for the elderly? For most chronic health conditions you will need a stronger and more consistent dose to really feel the difference. We suggest ICARIA’s newest HARMONIA product. It comes with no flavour based on our most popular THEIA product, but double the strength to pack a powerful punch. It also gives you the best value for long-term use!
