Inflammation and CBD Oil: Benefits, Effectiveness, and Dosage

Written by Jason Brett — Edited by Cathy Rozyczko on September 24, 2021 — Reviewed by Ayesha Rashid, PhD

One of the most discussed benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) oil is its ability to fight inflammation. These anti-inflammatory properties may be why CBD oil has been found to help with inflammatory conditions as wide-ranging as Alzheimer's disease to irritable bowel syndrome to multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain.

Below, you’ll find information on how CBD oil can help manage and even treat a number of inflammation-related conditions and diseases. With this information, you and your doctor can then decide if CBD oil could be a helpful addition to your medical regimen.

Benefits of Taking CBD Oil For Inflammation

If you’re finding it difficult to function on your current inflammation treatment plan, it might be time to look elsewhere. CBD oil has the potential to not only reduce symptoms, but can also reduce the overall inflammation in your body, boosting your health and vitality.

When dealing with inflammation, you might typically turn to medications like ibuprofen and aspirin. But long-term use of these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can produce negative side effects, including kidney disease and peptic ulcers.

In contrast, CBD oil can offer anti-inflammatory results without these side effects.

CBD oil does not present any obvious side effects, but it does have the potential to interact with some medications you may be taking like antibiotics or antidepressants. So, before you even consider taking CBD oil for inflammation, you should consult with your physician or health care professional.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about CBD oil as an option for inflammation. The more open and honest you can be, the more likely you’ll be to find a solution that works for you. You can’t get answers to your questions if you do not ask them.

Effectiveness of CBD Oil to Reduce Inflammation

To understand how effective CBD oil is at reducing inflammation, you need to know a little bit about the science behind how CBD interacts with your body.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the human body produces and responds to cannabinoids, which play a key role in healthy body function and inflammation reduction. The cannabis plant produces phytocannabinoids like CBD, which are similar to the endocannabinoids produced by the human body; both types of cannabinoids interact with the ECS.

Two cannabinoid receptors, type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), are the most significant when it comes to CBD.

CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain while CB2 receptors are located throughout the body and central nervous system. CB2 receptors help regulate the immune system, and in doing so, regulate inflammatory responses. In fact, chronic inflammation has been shown to play a significant role in the development and progression of many diseases, indicating that normal CB2 function is not only crucial for reducing inflammation, but also for staying generally healthy.

CBD has been found to bind to some CB2 receptors, but it mainly exerts its effects through indirect activation of non-cannabinoid receptors. CBD acts on these receptors to target mechanisms and processes in the body that cause inflammation.

Cytokines, for example, are small proteins released by immune cells when the body is under some type of stress. Certain cytokines are involved in the initiation and continuation of inflammation. CBD oil has been shown to disrupt this immune response, preventing inflammation from occurring in the first place.

Another way CBD oil is known to fight inflammation is in relation to the neurotransmitter adenosine. CBD acts as an adenosine reuptake inhibitor, meaning it helps to increase the amount of adenosine in the brain, which in turn impacts adenosine receptors. Activation of these receptors, particularly the A2A receptor, plays a significant role in reducing inflammation in the body.

CBD Oil for Inflammation of the Joints

Conditions like arthritis and lupus are related to the activity of the immune system and cause inflammation, which can be incredibly disruptive, causing a great deal of pain in the joints and limiting mobility. These autoimmune disorders prevent the immune system from being able to recognize the body’s natural processes, causing it to attack and destroy healthy cells and tissues. 

CBD oil is an immune suppressor, meaning it can potentially reduce or eliminate detrimental, inflammatory responses.

Current testing indicates a lot of potential for CBD oil as a viable treatment for arthritis pain and inflammation, without any “evident side effects.”

CBD Oil for Inflammation in the Digestive Tract

Chronic inflammation in the digestive tract can lead to conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), these conditions can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss. The exact cause of IBD is unknown, but it’s believed that just like other forms of inflammation, an abnormal immune response leads to an inflammatory attack on healthy cells in the digestive tract.

Early studies on cannabis and management of IBD symptoms have produced positive results, but more research is still needed to definitively say whether CBD oil is a sure-fire remedy for inflammation in the digestive tract. 

CBD Oil for Inflammation of the Skin

Inflammation does not just have an impact on your body’s internal functions, but can also impact the appearance and condition of your skin.

Acne appears when hair follicles become clogged by oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria and can be triggered by stress, diet, medications, and hormones. Because CBD oil is anti-inflammatory, it can reduce the inflamed appearance of acne when applied topically (e.g. in lotion) and when ingested. More than just reducing the appearance of puffy skin, CBD oil’s effects on the ECS can inhibit excess oil production, keeping your pores from getting clogged, and preventing the occurrence of acne flare-ups.

Psoriasis is another autoimmune disorder, and is characterized by an overproduction of immature skin cells triggered by an abnormal immune response. Individuals with psoriasis often experience itchiness, redness, swelling, and inflammation; some sufferers may also develop psoriatic arthritis which leads to painful inflammation in the joints.

There is no cure for psoriasis and many of the traditional treatments carry harmful side effects like numbness, headaches, and high blood pressure, or simply lose their effectiveness over time. CBD oil can reduce the growth of keratinocytes, or immature skin cells, decreasing the size, appearance, and irritation of psoriasis patches. And as discussed above, CBD oil helps suppress a number of abnormal immune responses, effectively reducing inflammation without causing negative side effects.

How to Take CBD Oil for Inflammation

As the research indicates, CBD oil has tremendous potential for providing relief for inflammation, inflammatory diseases, and even chronic pain.

So, if you’ve spoken to your doctor and are ready to try CBD oil as a treatment, you have a variety of options when it comes to getting CBD into your system; a few of these include drops, vapes, sprays, shatter, and even gummies. CBD oil drops under the tongue and vapes will likely provide the fastest and most potent effects, but ingesting CBD oil via edibles may produce a different, longer-lasting outcome that you may find to be more pleasurable. Try out a few different methods to see which is best for you.

Again, before you start using CBD oil for inflammation, it is best to consult with your physician or healthcare provider. You might also consider consulting with a cannabis doctor who has extensive knowledge specific to CBD oil as a medical treatment.

Because no two people are the same, there is no standard dosage of CBD oil for inflammation, but start by following the recommended serving size on a CBD product.

If you’re still having trouble finding a dosage recommendation, we here at CBD Oil Review have tested hundreds of products to come up with a standard, starting dosage for you to try:

The CBD Oil Review Serving Standard is 25 mg of CBD, taken twice daily.

If you are not getting results from this amount, we recommend increasing the serving size by 25 mg every 3 to 4 weeks until you find relief.

What are the best CBD oils for inflammation?

Once you have consulted your physician or a cannabis doctor and decided to try CBD oil for inflammation, you are going to want to find a product that best suits you and your personal needs.

To start, reference our CBD oil Brand Reviews, and look for companies with all five badges.

Discover CBD Products Here

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