Can CBD Oil Be Used to Treat Cancer?
4 min readCannabidiol (CBD) is one of the potent cannabis compounds that people take for recreational and therapeutic purposes. They use this cannabinoid to manage various conditions such as pain, stress, anxiety, cancer, and depression. Being a natural-based product, CBD does not cause adverse effects similar to those offered by pharmaceutical products.
The demand for cannabidiol products like CBD oil has risen tremendously as many people want to experience its benefits in the modern world. Individuals are always wondering if CBD oil can treat cancer. While it’s too early to conclude that this compound can treat cancer, several studies show promising effects. To enjoy such benefits, you can get CBD oil in UK from trusted vendors.
So, if you are still confused about how CBD Oil works, here are several ways it’s used to treat and manage cancer.
CBD Oil Might Help Slow Tumor Growth
When an individual is diagnosed with cancer, they will notice tumors in the affected area, usually a lump of tissues. They appear when the process of cell renewal in the body breaks down, causing damaged and abnormal cells to multiply. This creates discomfort for an individual, causing pain and leading to suffering.
Luckily, research shows that CBD Oil can help slow the growth of tumors, especially pancreatic cancer. It also lessens tumor invasion and can induce death in the tumor cells. However, the dosage, formulation, and mode of action are still lacking; hence more research is needed on this claim.
CBD Oil Might Provoke Cancer Cells Death
The use of radiation is one of the effective cancer treatments. It breaks the DNA in the abnormal cells and prevents them from growing, spreading, and dividing, causing them to die. Sometimes radiation can affect the healthy cells leading to their damage during this intensive treatment. This can cause adverse effects such as hair loss, headache, skin change, blurry vision, nausea, and vomiting.
A study shows that taking CBD oil makes glioblastoma (GBM) cells more radiosensitive with no impact on the normal cells to lessen the adverse effects of radiation. Therefore, the treatment can eliminate the damaged cells through radiation with fewer adverse effects on the cancer patient.
CBD Oil May Help Lessen Proliferation and Invasion in Breast Cancer Cell
If you didn’t know, cell proliferation is how fast the cancer cell duplicates its DNA and divides itself into two, spreading it quickly. On the other hand, invasion refers to the spread of cancer cells to neighboring tissue, which leads to tumor extension.
According to a 2010 research, the report shows that CBD, a product with low toxicity, might significantly lessen proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of breast cancer cells. This prevents the diseases from spreading to other tissues, thus regulating the size of the tumor.
CBD Oil Can Help Lessen Symptoms Related to Cancer
Besides CBD acting directly on cancer cells, it may manage discomforts that come with cancer. However, it is essential to note that many of these claims are based on anecdotal reports and animal studies, hence the need for more human research. Some of the cancer-related symptoms that you can manage by using CBD oil include:
Nausea and Vomiting
Many people experience nausea and vomiting after undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy as one of the side effects. This can be devastating and uncomfortable for the patient since it makes them feel weak and unable to fight the disease.
Fortunately, a 2016 study shows that taking medicine that contains cannabinoids like CBD oil can assist relieve nausea and vomiting during cancer treatment. Further, the American Cancer Society has also listed cannabinoids as an alternative to reduce nausea after chemotherapy.
Pain
Cancer pain comes from the damage to the healthy tissues. Tumors destroy and press on tissues, nerves, and bone causing agony to the patient. Some cancer treatments like radiation also have adverse effects like headaches that negatively affect an individual’s life.
People use CBD oil to reduce suffering since it may help lessen pain intensity by stimulating the endocannabinoid system. One study shows that CBD has the potential to relieve acute and chronic pain caused by various conditions like cancer. Another recent research also suggests that CBD can help lessen pain and inflammation.
Insomnia
Several factors can cause cancer patients to have an unhealthy sleeping pattern. One of them is the pain caused by the tumors and the stress of knowing they are suffering from this giant monster. These factors can keep them awake throughout the night, prolonging the treatment period due to lack of proper rest.
Surprisingly, using CBD oil may help an individual fall asleep quickly and have uninterrupted rest the entire night. The cannabinoid works through its sedative effects that relax and soothes the mind and body. Also, CBD might help cancer patients eliminate stress and anxiety hence improving their sleep quality.
Conclusion
For many years, cannabidiol oil has been known to treat and manage various conditions, promoting physical and mental well-being. Recently, several studies have come up to prove CBD oil can treat cancer. However, more research is needed on administration, dosing, and its risk to cancer patients.
In that case, it is essential to consult your doctor before using CBD to treat cancer since it is not an alternative to other approved treatments.