Globally, cancer is the second most common cause of death. To fight its spread and reduce symptoms, patients are often prescribed treatments such as chemotherapy. These treatments can help to kill off cancer cells and prevent regrowth.
Unfortunately, while chemotherapy drugs help fight cancer, most of these drugs produce their own adverse side effects. These side effects can often make the patient feel worse.
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and is suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy, know that CBD can help.
Not only can you use CBD to alleviate some of the unwanted chemotherapy side effects, but CBD and cancer treatment can also work together to fight this disease. Most importantly, with CBD, some patients feel more in control of their life.
Several studies on CBD have shown that this revolutionary cannabinoid has the potential to help cancer patients. Researchers have also found that CBD and cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, can work together in relieving common cancer symptoms. In addition, research has revealed that using CBD for the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy can also be pretty effective.
The best news is that not only does CBD have the potential to help patients diagnosed with cancer, but CBD, in some cases, has actually been shown to fight cancer at the same time.
But can CBD really treat cancer? Can it genuinely help reduce chemotherapy side effects?
What is CBD?
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the major cannabinoids that the cannabis plant produces. Like THC, this cannabinoid also has many therapeutic effects that can help reduce common complaints associated with a wide variety of illnesses. But unlike THC, CBD does not cause paranoia, hallucinations, anxiety, or have any unwanted psychoactive effects. CBD also does not cause a user to feel the high most commonly associated with cannabis use.
These properties make CBD a very popular alternative remedy for treating a bunch of different illnesses. Even better, most users tolerate the use of CBD pretty well, and it’s considered very effective and safe by medical professionals.
What exactly is cancer, and can CBD cure cancer?
Cancer is a type of disease characterized by the abnormal growth of cells. The cells continuously divide and grow until they begin to invade other spaces as well. New blood vessels form on the abnormal growth, feeding it with the nutrients it needs to continue growing.
Through the lymphatic and vascular systems, these abnormal cells can travel to other parts of the body and invade new spaces. The process of traveling and invading other tissues is called metastasis.
Now, studies of the effects of CBD on cancer revealed that this cannabinoid has the potential to help cancer patients. CBD can, in fact, ‘kill’ cancer cells by inducing their death, a process called apoptosis. By inducing apoptosis, their growth and spread are minimized.
In addition, CBD also prevents blood vessels from developing on the abnormal growth. Without these blood vessels, the abnormal growth won’t have its own blood supply. It won’t receive nutrients to continuously grow or travel via the bloodstream to other parts of the body.
Can CBD cancer treatment help patients?
CBD also helps the endocannabinoid system control abnormal cell growths. The endocannabinoid system, one study showed, plays a crucial role in cancer prevention. Its activation prompts the death of cancer cells as well as prevents their proliferation and metastasis.
Because the endocannabinoid system is involved in several physiological functions, its activation by CBD also helps reduce several associated symptoms such as cancer pain, sleeplessness, fatigue, depression, and loss of appetite, among others.
Are CBD Drops for cancer a good complementary treatment?
CBD oil for cancer treatment can complement a patient’s current treatment regimen. Not only does CBD control several symptoms associated with cancer, but CBD also has a direct effect on the abnormal cancer cells, as mentioned earlier.
Of note, while CBD can kill some cancer cells and reduce associated symptoms, it should not be considered the cure-all for cancer. You should not replace your current cancer regimen with CBD alone. Instead, CBD can be used alongside your current treatment plan.
If you want to take advantage of the benefits of CBD, we recommend that you see your doctor first. Your medical practitioner can help you choose the best CBD oil for cancer and determine the correct CBD dosage for effective management of your symptoms.
Which is best – CBD oil or THC oil for cancer or both?
CBD and THC both have anti-cancer properties, and both of them can also help relieve chemotherapy side effects. But combining these two cannabinoids makes a powerful complementary treatment for cancer. They can work together to relieve symptoms, and they also boost each other’s therapeutic effects. This effect is called the Entourage Effect, a phenomenon where the cannabinoids and the terpenes work synergistically in relieving symptoms.
Whole-plant medical cannabis, according to research, works better than pure cannabinoid treatment. The cannabinoids, together with the terpenes, target different receptors that play a role in cancer development and prevention and its symptoms.
Can CBD prevent the development of cancer?
With all these studies on CBD and cancer treatment, it’s normal to wonder if CBD can also prevent cancer development.
Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient research on CBD and its effects on preventing cancer. No studies have been conducted yet on the long-term effects of CBD on cancer and its impact on preventing the development of the disease.
What CBD works best for specific cancer types?
CBD comes in many forms such as oils, tinctures, vapes, concentrates, edibles, topicals, and even suppositories. There are even high-CBD flowers that you can smoke.
When it comes to choosing the best form of CBD, go with the one that you’re most comfortable with.
If you want fast effects in relieving pain, use CBD oil or tincture placed under the tongue. You can even vape CBD. The CBD goes directly into your bloodstream and delivers fast onset of effects.
If you’re suffering from abrasions or sores, for example, then the addition of CBD balm can help.
Again, speak with your physician first if you want to start a course of CBD to manage your symptoms. They can help you choose the best form of CBD for your particular type of cancer and help decide the optimum dosage.
Can you use CBD for Chemotherapy Side Effects?
Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments. But while it can cure you of the horrible disease, it also produces adverse side effects that can make the patient feel worse.
- What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a typical cancer treatment regimen. It makes use of powerful drugs to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. These drugs are also used to shrink cancer growths. - How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy drugs are administered through several methods – intravenously, orally, or topically. The drugs may also be given through shots, just like vaccines.What these drugs do is to destroy the DNA as well as the RNA of the abnormal cells. This effectively prevents cancer cells from dividing, multiplying, and increasing.
- What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
The benefits of chemotherapy to patients are many. But chemotherapy treatment also has its own risks. It triggers severe nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy. It causes appetite loss, changes in bowel movement, hair loss, pain, fatigue, and fever. It can also cause mouth sores.Long term side effects of chemotherapy include lung tissue damage, heart and kidney problems, nerve damage, and infertility. And, of course, there’s always the possibility of cancer coming back or the development of cancer in other areas of the body.
In addition to all these adverse side effects, chemotherapy also destroys normal, healthy cells.
- Can CBD decrease the side effects and risks of chemotherapy?
CBD has an effect on the negative symptoms of chemotherapy. It can help stop nausea and vomiting. CBD can reduce cancer pain and increase appetite. CBD can also help improve sleep, ease anxiety, and relieve depression.Additionally, CBD also protects normal, healthy cells. It only kills and destroys the abnormal cancer cells while protecting the healthy and normal ones.
Final Thoughts – CBD and cancer – can it cure it?
CBD can bring welcome benefits to patients with cancer. In vitro studies on CBD and brain cancer, CBD and breast cancer, and CBD and prostate cancer showed promising results. Not only did CBD induce the death of the abnormal cancer cells, but this cannabinoid also prevented their growth and proliferation.
Moreover, CBD protected the normal, healthy cells from cell death. And, of course, CBD benefits patients who are suffering from the adverse side effects of chemotherapy.
If you want to use CBD for cancer treatment or CBD for chemotherapy side effects, we emphasize the importance of speaking with your primary doctor first. Understanding your medical history, they can recommend the most appropriate CBD treatment for your particular condition, as well as the correct dosage.
Author: B. D.
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