The Skyrocketing Popularity of CBD for Epilepsy
Recently, people’s interest in products with CBD for epilepsy treatment has skyrocketed. And because of this popularity, the use of CBD for epilepsy increased over the past years. Though reports say CBD helps in controlling seizures along with other benefits such as sleep behavior, yet the analysis of the data is somewhat tricky because of the ungoverned nature of such observations.
Proofs towards the impending efficacy of CBD for epilepsy reached the moment of truth when the three superb placebo-controlled therapy trials using refined CBD products to patients having Lennox-Gastuat syndrome and Dravet syndrome was completed.
In these clinical trials, experts discovered that CBD is excellent to placebo in lessening the occurrence of uncontrollable seizures to individuals having Dravet syndrome and the incidence of drop seizures to those who have Lennox-Gastuat syndrome. Now, there is one evidence that complements the capabilities of CBD for epilepsy.
According to the latest information available, it is still uncertain whether the better seizure control defined by these clinical trials was associated to a straightforward response of CBD, or could be intervened by medicine interactions with related medications, specifically a remarkable increase in plasma levels about clobazam’s active metabolite referred to as N-desmethylclobazam.
Further explanation about the kin involvement of CBD develop seizure effect needs re-assessment of experimental data for the group of patients neither co-medicated with clobazam, or yet the initiative of more studies monitoring towards the baffling results of this interaction.
How does CBD help epilepsy to subside?
CBD for epilepsy has recently been famous because of CBD’s anticonvulsant properties. Medical Cannabis has 85 diverse chemical compounds referred to as cannabinoids. Among these chemicals, the most popular one is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, but the anticonvulsant properties are from a particular chemical called cannabidiol or CBD.
Accordingly, these properties are working on various targets such as the sodium ion channels, calcium ion channels, GATA system and brain receptor agents, and the glutamate receptor adversaries. These anticonvulsants could possibly affect your brain’s neurotransmitters, which are in charge of dispatching messages or to stick themselves on the neurons. This act is completed to change the cell’s activity by changing the way ions flow in and out of the neurons.
Individuals that have epilepsy could really get a health benefit in using CBD for epilepsy because it could decrease the occurrence of seizures. However, you should be precise that you will only be using CBD oils and should refrain from products with THC because it does have some psychoactive effects.
How can CBD cure epilepsy?
For patients who have used CBD for epilepsy, this innovative treatment had given them real relief at times when all other products failed. According to doctors, most of the epilepsy patients react to the first or second treatment for epilepsy, however, when a patient have already tried two different medications and experience no relief; the third medicine may only have less than 1% of a possibility to work. When this happens, it’s time to seek other options like surgeries, special diets, device implementation, or using CBD oil.
On the word of Michael Watkins, M.D., who is teaching pediatric neurology with McGovern Medical School within The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, “This can be really beneficial to patients.”
Doctor Watkins is working straight from the Pediatric Epilepsy Clinic at UTHealth; wherein there are 20 patients administers with CBD oils. He mentioned that the stigma of opting medication from Cannabis is gradually fading over the years.
“Most people are looking for anything beneficial to prevent their kids from having seizures,” he said.
On the other hand, doctors, along with the advocates and patients, made it clear that CBD oil is not a miracle medicine. They say CBD doesn’t wipe out epilepsy and that it is not for everyone. However, for some individuals, CBD has helped them managed or eliminate their symptoms and have given them freedom away from using other drugs that carry harmful side effects like liver failure, anemia, pancreatitis, low platelet levels, allergic reactions, and even suicidal tendencies.
What’s the right CBD oil dosage for epilepsy?
Every related study shows that CBD applies an inverted bell response towards dosage; this means that every individual got a different dosage amount for them.
There’s no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to CBD for epilepsy. But there are many factors that may help you determine the right dosage for you. Well, the first advice that seems to be the best one is to start small, then you go slow. When you start at a minimal dosage, you can then carefully and surely add until you figure out the right dosage.
According to Doctor Sarah Brewer, a medical nutritionist and medical director of a U.K. group named Healthspan, “For General well-being, the recommended dose is 10 mg to 200 mg per day as a food supplement.”
Most of the patients using CBD for epilepsy opt to start getting the small dosage and then bit by bit increase it up to the point that they find the right dosage that fits them. You will eventually reach the correct dosage wherein you can already feel and experience the benefits. Yet, you have to know that adding the dose further doesn’t increase the benefits any further. Meaning, you’ve hit your ideal dosage.
Take note, smoking or vaping CBD for epilepsy doesn’t last long compared to the edible ones like CBD capsules. So, you should consider taking it three times daily if you like to smoke or vape. It’s good to know that there isn’t any toxicity level found or even overdose on using CBD. As a matter of fact, CBD possesses a great safety profile when it comes to clinical studies.
Important Keys
It is vital to know that CBD doesn’t cure epilepsy, yet it is the best-known treatment for some patients when it comes to managing their symptoms. If you are not yet aware of your correct CBD dosage, you may seek a helpful dosage guide. Moreover, CBD for epilepsy is only used when the typical medications available in pharmaceuticals are not working. Also, more research is still needed to figure out the long term effects of the treatment. And hopefully, when this is done, we can start to see CBD for epilepsy as the first choice in treating its symptoms.