Heart Disease; the reality is it can happen to anybody at any time, and for a multitude of reasons. Heart diseases can involve blocked, corroded, and/or narrowed blood vessels, and sometimes it occurs in the heart muscle itself, while other times it “settles” in the valves. Often people are born with heart disease, but many other times it comes later in life due to things like poor diet, smoking habits (tobacco/cigarette smoke), and lack of exercise.
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men across America, with over 610,000 deaths a year? Heart disease is caused by blood vessels that harden (sclerosis) and plaque that builds up over time, which reduces cardiovascular function
How CBD can help with Heart Disease
The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is a homeostatic control center that is responsible for regulating all aspects of our body. Among other things, it takes care of “simple” processes like making sure you don’t bleed out when you scrape your knee or making sure your body doesn’t overheat to the point of death when you have a fever. There are three main parts of the ECS, which we will take a closer look at below:
- Metabolic Enzymes:These create the endocannabinoids in your body, and they are degraded when they are no longer needed. If it weren’t for these enzymes, our brains would be cluttered with endocannabinoids which would cause blockage in the communication between neurons.
- Cannabinoid Receptors: For endocannabinoids to work, they need somewhere to go. Our bodies are filled with cannabinoid receptors, the two most well-known being CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors work in the neurological system (primarily the brain and spinal cord), while CB2 receptors control the immune system and other regulatory systems of the body. When endocannabinoids bind to these receptors, they help to moderate their respective roles and ensure that your brain and body work more efficiently.
- Endocannabinoids: Cannabinoids come from the cannabis plants, while endocannabinoids are similar chemicals that are synthesized naturally in the human body. There are two endocannabinoids that have been studied: anandamide (which binds to CB1 receptors), and 2-AG, which binds to CB2 receptors. These endocannabinoids either promote or inhibit the production of neurotransmitters, which controls the “neurological conversations” that take place between neurons.
CBD doesn’t directly interact with the cardiovascular system, but the way that it interacts with the endocannabinoid system can be beneficial to the health of your heart. There are three main ways in which CBD can help with heart disease. These are:
- Reducing inflammation
- Lowering your blood pressure
- Minimizing arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
One of the main side effects associated with CBD is lowered blood pressure. In the case of heart disease, this is more of a treatment than a risk. CBD has been found to widen the blood vessels (allowing for more blood flow), and as a result, this reduces the damage that is done to arterial walls caused by high blood pressure.
A randomized cross-over study was conducted on healthy patients, which found that a single dose of CBD could help to lower blood pressure. As part of the study, nine healthy males were given either CBD or placebo, and it was discovered that those who took the CBD experienced reduced stroke volume, reduced blood pressure after cold exposure, and reduced resting systolic pressure.
Top Medical Studies on CBD and Heart Disease
One of the latest studies on CBD for heart disease, carried out by researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai and published in Science Direct, found that cannabis could be used to treat both stroke and cardiac arrest. The study is centered around the effects that CBD has on a condition known as cerebral ischemia. This disease is a deficiency of blood flow to the brain and is associated with several health problems such as cardiac arrest, brain damage, and stroke.
The study specifically showed that CBD could be used to treat conditions that involve a deficiency in blood flow, although it was stated that findings are still in their early stages and more studies need to be done to reaffirm results.
Another study found that in addition to its ability to lower blood pressure, CBD could also be useful in the prevention and treatment of a myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. In this study, it was discovered that CBD produces a substantial cardioprotective effect from ischemia, which reduces infarction size.
Similar results were seen in 2010 and published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, where it was observed that CBD doesn’t only reduce infarction size, but also minimizes the severity of arrhythmias during an acute attack.
Another article (published in the same journal) reported that CBD effectively reduces cardiovascular tension in the vascular system. Vascular tension is a heart condition in which significant strain is placed on the blood vessels.
Finally, a study done by the National Institute of Health and published in 2010 looked at the possibility of CBD to treat cardiovascular complications resulting from diabetes. They specifically looked at how CBD could potentially reduce the risk of cardiomyopathy, which is disease of the heart muscles that may develop even in well-managed diabetes. They concluded that CBD reduced the effects of “cardiac fibrosis, cell death, inflammation, myocardial dysfunction, oxidative/nitrative stress, and interrelated signaling pathways.”
Final thoughts on CBD for Heart Disease
As we continue to explore CBD in numerous therapeutic and medicinal applications, the evidence that is emerging proves it may offer treatment against heart disease – in addition to the various other health conditionsthat it has been known to treat.
The availability of a safe, effective, and affordable natural remedy for heart disease may seem too good to be true, but some say that it’s already here in the form of CBD oil. While some components of the medical community remain skeptical, the reality is that evidence of the all-natural cannabis compound’s effectiveness is mounting.