The rising popularity of cannabidiol CBD as a major ingredient in many health and wellness products is mainly due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. As a result, more people are using it and its fame is spreading through word of mouth. Because of the waning stigma regarding it and the support from medical care professionals, it was finally legalized at the federal level with the US Farm Act of 2018. One of the emerging trends in CBD usage is among women in the treatment or management of menopause symptoms and the purpose of this article is to help you better understand this.
What Is Menopause?
Menopause is a phase in women’s aging when they stop having periods and cannot get pregnant naturally. It normally happens around the age of 50 but has been found to occur even at or before the age of 40. Many of the discomforts or symptoms are due to the change in hormones and can have significant effects on daily activities. There is a phase before this called perimenopause where the hormone estrogen fluctuates between high and low before it drops to very low. This, in turn, affects other hormones and even influences or changes the neurochemistry of the brain. Besides, in this phase, the body produces higher levels of inflammatory chemicals or molecules along with increased bone reabsorption. You should also know that the whole experience varies from person to person, for some the symptoms are severe whereas for others it is not.
CBD For Menopause
CBD products like pure CBD oil are used by women to treat the symptoms of peri and post-menopausal symptoms and this is due to cannabidiol’s effect on the endocannabinoid system. Even scientific research supports this and some of the symptoms are listed below.
- Weight gain
- Joint pain and aches
- Osteoporosis
- Memory loss
- Mood swings and depression
- Sleep disorder like insomnia
How Cannabidiol CBD Helps To Treat Menopause Symptoms?
Weight Gain
One of the effects of menopause is a drop in the level of the hormone estrogen and this plays a crucial role in metabolism. As a result of this, fewer amounts of calories are burnt even during physically demanding tasks like exercise. So, due to this shift in hormonal balance women also show a tendency to develop diabetes due to insulin resistance, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, you should know that inflammation is a major reason for these two conditions.
Pure CBD oil is useful as it improves the rate of metabolism and thereby helps to manage weight. Also, it aids in the conversion of unhealthy white fat cells into calorie-burning healthy brown fat cells and this conversion requires energy. Apart from this, CBD’s anti-inflammatory effect helps to manage the underlying inflammation that is part of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Join Pan And Aches
The body produces higher amounts of inflammatory chemicals or molecules due to the drop in estrogen levels. So, it increases the chances for arthritis along with increased muscle and joint pains. Cannabidiol CBD is useful due to its anti-inflammatory effect coupled with its analgesic effect and used by those who suffer from arthritis. It must be kept in mind that more than 60% of women experience muscle and joint pains after menopause.
Osteoporosis
There is a constant transfer of calcium as well as other minerals into and out of our bones, but during the perimenopause phase, there is a net loss resulting in osteoporosis causing lower bone density. This increases the risk for fracture and doctors prescribe dietary calcium supplements to prevent or slow down the progress of this condition. Besides, it is understood from studies that this situation is brought about by the higher levels of inflammation-producing molecules or chemicals due to lower estrogen.
Consuming pure CBD oil as a dietary supplement will help to manage inflammation due to cannabidiol’s anti-inflammatory effect. Besides, it works on a molecular level that inhibits or slows down the function of osteoclasts that are responsible for breaking down or bone reabsorption and thereby effective in treating osteoporosis.
Memory Loss
The drop in estrogen and progesterone levels has a significant influence on memory loss in women experiencing menopause. It is because these hormones promote the formation of synaptic connections between neurons in the hippocampus that is responsible for forming new memories. So, cannabidiol CBD is useful due to its neuroprotective effect, as well as it improves cerebral blood flow. However, there is not much conclusive evidence and more research is conducted in this direction to better understand this.
Mood Swings And Depression
The lower levels of estrogen and progesterone influence serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain, and thereby affects mood. Consuming pure CBD oil is useful due to cannabidiol increasing the serotonin and anandamide levels in the brain.
Sleep Disorder Like Insomnia
The fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women cause sleeping disorders like insomnia. Cannabidiol CBD is useful due to its sleep-inducing quality as it reduces anxiety and brings calmness resulting in restorative sleep.
So, using pure CBD oil as part of a daily dietary supplement will help to manage menopause symptoms in women.