In the United States alone, 30.3 million people (9.4% of the population) have diabetes, with 5% reserved for people with type 1 diabetes. Even more, an estimated 7.2 million people are currently undiagnosed and going untreated (1). Those are staggering statistics! There are two types of diabetes (type 1 & 2) but the second is more prevalent and is acquired over time whereas Type 1 is congenital. They both involve the islet cells in the pancreas which release the hormone insulin (among others). Insulin is an important hormone that governs how sugar is used in the body and if there’s not enough insulin, sugar builds up in the bloodstream and is toxic to the body. CBD is constantly being studied for its ability to help a multitude of diseases and disorders, but did you know that CBD can help manage diabetes for those 30.3 million people? Read on for current research.
Current research is very promising for CBD and diabetes. It’s already known that Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune related, and the suspect is the T-cell and Type 2 is thought to be the result of excessive insulin not being able to function due to overuse. What both of these have in common is inflammation. We have learned in previous articles how helpful CBD is for inflammation. It has been found that there are CBD receptors in the pancreas, as well as CB1 or CB2 receptors almost everywhere in the body. There’s evidence that both CB1 & CB2 receptors in the pancreas have different responsibilities. CB1 in the pancreas is mainly in the glucagon secreting Alpha cells and CB2 in the pancreas is mainly in the somatostatin secreting Delta cells. CB stimulation affected the levels of both insulin and glucagon. Furthermore, the main endocannabinoid naturally in our body 2-AG is managed by sugar (2).
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, led by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, who is known for discovering cannabidiol (CBD), observed CBD receptors in other bodily tissues. The findings suggest that the therapeutic effects of CBD, a non-psychoactive compound, could be modified to fit different receptors. Different illnesses such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease could, therefore, be treated. So, if diabetes is a function of an inflammatory response, then CBD is a readily available fuel for the system when it gets overwhelmed by illness. “Unlike insulin and other existing medications for diabetes, CBD may actually suppress, reverse and perhaps cure the disease,” Rosenfeld added. There are no major side effects of CBD, according to Rosenfield, which will not affect patients with diabetes doing everyday activities such as work, driving or exercise. While CBD can be obtained from marijuana, it is also abundant in hemp, a plant with no psychoactive properties and no potential for abuse (3.)
With all of this exciting research, there’s never been a better time to see if CBD can help manage diabetes. As always, speak to your doctor before starting any new health care regime. We have many options for CBD products on our website at www.cbdluvive.wpengine.com – let us know if you have any questions!
References:
- https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3349875/
- https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2015/apr/cbd-compound-in-cannabis-could-treat-diabetes,-researchers-suggest-95335970.html
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or prior to using any CBD products.