CBD for Female Health Conditions - Does It Work?
From our bath salts to our skincare products, CBD is everywhere. There’s absolutely no denying that the CBD hype has not only picked up a lot of momentum over the last few years, but it’s well and truly taking over the wellness scene - the CBD market was valued at 2.8 billion USD in 2020, and it’s only expected to grow exponentially.
A large market for CBD products is women, with a whole host of CBD products out there supposed to provide relief, support, and health benefits for those suffering from female health conditions. But, how can CBD help women? And even more importantly, does it actually work?
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the relationship between CBD and female health conditions: we’ll cover what CBD is, the different types of CBD products out there, how it’s supposed to help support female health, and finally, come to a conclusion about whether you should be taking CBD to support you!
So, let’s dive in.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, known as CBD, is a chemical compound found within the cannabis plant and unlike THC, a chemical compound within the cannabis plant that is psychoactive, CBD isn’t psychoactive.
Therefore, CBD provides (or is said to provide) the benefits of the cannabis plant, such as relaxation and pain relief, without altering the mind in the way that THC does.
Although there are a number of ways to create and consume CBD products, CBD is most commonly added to products or consumed directly as oil - the CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant, turned into oil, and diluted with a carrier oil.
What Are The Different Types of CBD Products Out There?
As mentioned briefly above, CBD is used to create a huge number of products! So, let’s take a look at some of the most popular types of CBD products on the market so we can get to grips with what’s out there.
CBD Oils and Tinctures
CBD oils and tinctures are liquids that can be dropped under the tongue and digested. When held under the tongue and then swallowed, the CBD enters the body in the fastest possible way.
CBD Edibles
CBD edibles include but are not limited to products like CBD gummies. These edibles are a great way to get a dose of CBD in a tasty way but they may contain high levels of sugar and have a delayed onset time.
CBD Capsules
As the name suggests, CBD capsules are simply CBD capsules or soft gel tablets that are consumed orally like a standard multivitamin or supplement. Much like CBD gummies, CBD capsules can have a delayed onset time.
CBD Topicals
CBD topicals include anything from bath salts and skincare products to lube and balms that are infused with CBD. These types of products may provide benefits to a specific area of your body but they don’t directly provide a high dose of CBD (and the dosage is unable to be calculated).
CBD E-liquids
CBD vape juice and e-liquids can be used in vapes. Although this type of CBD product does have a speedy onset time, using vapes can be detrimental to lung health and may become addictive (although CBD vape juice doesn’t typically contain nicotine, the action of vaping may become addictive).
How Can CBD Help Women?
Now that you know a little bit more about CBD and the different types of CBD out there, let’s take a look at the ways in which CBD is supposed to support female health!
CBD and Menstrual Pain
One of the most commonly recognized benefits of CBD for women is that it can help with reducing menstrual pain. CBD is said to not only provide pain relief, but also reduce inflammation within the body. Therefore, reducing pain during menstruation.
Although there’s not a lot of sufficient evidence to back up the efficacy of CBD as a pain-reliever, there have been studies that show that those who suffer from endometriosis can benefit from taking CBD oil to lower the level of pain they experience.
CBD and Hormonal Imbalance
With research showing that 43% of women deal with hormonal imbalances, CBD looks like a great way to relieve women from the symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances whilst also directly reducing the likelihood of hormonal imbalances.
Although there has only been small-study research on the relationship between CBD and hormonal imbalances, CBD is widely known to regulate levels of cortisol, insulin, and melatonin, which are the hormones most likely to be out of balance within the female body. Therefore, it may support women that suffer from hormonal imbalances!
CBD and Menopause
Although, of course, CBD cannot delay or pause menopause, there is evidence that it can reduce the severity of symptoms caused by menopause such as inflammation in the body and joints, migraines, hot flashes, insomnia, and low mood.
In particular, topical CBD products can be especially useful for those with menopause as they target and can provide relief to specific areas of the body.
CBD and Sex
CBD has been found to provide benefits specifically to your sex life in a number of ways, especially as a woman. Whether you have low libido that you want to support, you deal with anxiety in the bedroom, you have vaginal dryness, or you struggle to orgasm, CBD can help.
Aside from promoting a higher sense of libido and promoting a relaxed and less anxious mind, CBD also promotes blood flow which doesn’t only increase sensitivity but also increases the amount of natural lubrication that’s produced.
CBD and Sleep
If you’re someone that suffers from insomnia or other sleep-related conditions, CBD may be able to help! Research has shown that CBD can promote better sleep in the short run primarily by promoting a sense of calm and relaxation and by decreasing cortisol levels that keep people dealing with insomnia up at night.
However, it is important to say that although smaller doses of CBD can lower anxiety levels, a much higher dose of CBD is needed if it’s actually going to promote better sleep.
CBD and Anxiety
Not just for the physical body, CBD is strongly linked with supporting mental health! CBD has been shown to lower levels of anxiety, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, and OCD.
Research suggests that CBD can (and should!) be given as treatment to those dealing with anxiety or those diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Since anxiety can also affect the physical body, the secondary benefits that come from lowering anxiety levels with CBD are vast.
So, Does CBD Actually Work?
Well, it’s clear that CBD is incredibly powerful - it provides a number of impressive health benefits and can certainly help support certain female health conditions whilst also promoting a better state of overall health and wellbeing.
However, the real answer to “does CBD work?” actually depends on want CBD to help you with and the type of CBD product you consume. For example, some people swear by using CBD products for menstrual pain but others think it doesn’t provide adequate pain relief for them and therefore decide to look to other supplements.
Although, generally, yes, CBD is a powerful force that can definitely provide benefits!
So, Do You Want To Give CBD A Try?
Finding natural alternatives that actually work when it comes to boosting health and wellbeing can often be difficult, but CBD seems to tick all the boxes!
So, now that you know a little more about CBD, are you ready to give it a try and see if it can help support you?
Disclaimer: this article is here for educational purposes only and we are not giving active advice. You should always seek the advice and support of medical professionals if you have queries about your health or want to change your lifestyle dramatically.
