CBD for Eating Disorders

The deeper that we have dug into CBD, the more that we have uncovered potential uses of this substance and how it can interact with a variety of health conditions. For example, some have stated that CBD has the potential to help individuals who are suffering from various eating disorders, both in terms of the mental disorder that are hiding behind some of these eating disorders as well as some of the physical aspects that come along with these disorders. Let’s take a closer look at why CBD may be a possible treatment for these disorders and how you can begin utilizing it for your own personal use to test out if these potential applications are true.

What is CBD?

For those who have not yet heard of the substance, CBD, also referred to as cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found within the hemp plant. This compound belongs to a larger family of chemicals known as cannabinoids, which all function to perform some effect on the human body where certain parts or strains of the hemp plant are consumed or absorbed into the body. For example, one of the most well-known cannabinoids is THC. This cannabinoid is responsible for the psychoactive high that users experience when they use marijuana and for its many medical benefits associated with it as well. While CBD does not function in the same way, it is said that it is associated with many medical benefits when taken.

Benefits?

Inside the human body is a system known as the endocannabinoid system. This system works to ensure that all of our processes are balanced by releasing internal cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) that bind to receptors throughout our nervous system so that they can perform certain functions. For some individuals, this endocannabinoids system may not work properly and the body may need to get their cannabinoids elsewhere in order to promote optimal functionality in certain parts of the endocannabinoid system. This is where external cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids) such as CBD come in. Regarding CBD specifically, it has been said that it can help users reduce their pain levels, calm down inflammation, fight anxiety and depression, ease the symptoms of insomnia, and possibly even prevent the spread and growth of cancer. While these are some of the noted benefits, we will only focus on the ones that pertain to eating disorders specifically in this article.

How CBD Can Help With Eating Disorders

For those who are suffering from eating disorders and are looking into natural treatment options or who are looking to supplement their current treatment plan with a little something extra, here are some of the ways that CBD could potentially help you deal with some of the impact created by your eating disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa

For those who are dealing with anorexia nervosa, a condition in which an individual will starve themselves to become skinnier or to maintain a current weight, CBD may help to improve the appetite and fight off some of the underlying causes of this disorder such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. This is especially helpful if current medications are not helping to increase the appetite besides tackling some fo the mental health disorders.

Binge Eating

Those who binge eat will generally attempt to stave off their hunger, only to consume large quantities of food later and will repeat the cycle of guilt and shame, which only serves to contribute to the vicious cycle. Others who binge eat may simply binge eat on a regular basis and consume far more than they need, mostly due to the psychological ties with food as a safety mechanism. While CBD functions to increase appetite, it has also been shown to be an appetite suppressant and may be able to help individuals form a more healthy relationship with food and with themselves by targeting severe appetites and mental health issues at the same time.

Bulimia

In the case of those who are bulimic, individuals will binge eat and then throw everything up in order to avoid gaining the calories. Like with the previous two eating disorders mentioned, CBD may help the user to restore a healthy relationship with their food as they also tackle some of the reasons driving the eating disorder. In addition, CBD works great against nausea and may help to make it harder for the user to regurgitate their food.

Will CBD Oil Give Me the Munchies?

Given that CBD and THC are similar in nature, it is not uncommon to ask whether or not CBD will give you the munchies. While it can increase appetite, it does not do so in the same fashion that THC does and you will not experience the “munchies” as a result of using CBD. However, it should be noted that if you do use a CBD product that has a lot of THC mixed in with it, you may experience an increased appetite that could be similar to the “munchies”.

Conclusion
While we need to explore CBD more and conduct more research before we can definitively state that it is able to perform in the way described, it has shown promise and it may be able to help people with eating disorders. If you have any of the above eating disorders and are interested in pursuing CBD as a potential treatment option, make sure to talk to your doctor before attempting to use it to see if it would be the right option for you.