Can CBD help for Alzheimer's Disease?

Why CBD helps reduce Alzheimer and improve Memory?

Cannabis may help treat or prevent Alzheimer’s because it contains cannabinoids that may reduce the amount of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.

The most two common cannabinoids available in cannabis are CBD and THC. Both components have the same chemical formula and together they can help fight Alzheimer’s disease. The main difference between these two ingredients is that CBD has little or no effect on cognition compared to THC.

The cannabinoids in cannabis can treat Alzheimer’s because they also have anti-inflammatory effects. By lowering the levels of beta-amyloid in the brain, the cannabinoids also lower the chances of inflammation around the neurons in the brain. Thus, cannabinoids help preserve the brain’s neurons and maintain its functions.

Many studies indicate that THC can reduce the production of beta-amyloid protein. For instance, a study titled “The Potential Therapeutic Effects of THC on Alzheimer’s Disease” showed that small doses of THC lowered the levels of beta-amyloid in the brain.

This improves the communication and function of brain cells and prevents the development of Alzheimer’s. Thus, researchers concluded that THC could be a potential treatment option for Alzheimer’s.

In the study, “In vivo Evidence for Therapeutic Properties of Cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer's Disease,” researchers found that CBD could treat Alzheimer’s for several reasons.

First, it helps reduce “reactive gliosis,” which occurs when glial cells, which are responsible for protecting and insulating neurons become larger. This creates scars in the brain impairing brain function.

Second, it helps reduce inflammation around the neurons in the brain, further easing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Third, CBD also helps promote “neurogenesis” or the formation of new neurons which improves memory, learning, and cognition. 

How CBD works for Alzheimer

Cannabis is composed of many different cannabinoids. The main active ingredients include: 

1- the psychoactive cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC

2- the non-psychoactive cannabidiol or CBD.

Cannabis works to treat or reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s by:

1- Reducing beta-amyloid levels: high amounts of beta-amyloid in the brain can aggregate to form plaques and stop cells from communicating. Plaque formation kills cells, triggering the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cannabinoids, mainly THC, work on blocking the enzyme that helps produce beta-amyloid. This reduces the production of beta-amyloid in the brain.

When beta-amyloid protein levels are low, brain cells can communicate properly. This preserves the brain cells and helps the brain maintain its normal functions.

2- Reducing inflammation: CBD mainly helps reduce inflammation that ends up killing brain cells. This helps reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms like memory loss and may slow the progression of the disease. However, reducing brain inflammation does not reverse or cure the condition.

Different use of CBD for Alzheimer

The most common ways people use cannabis used to treat glaucoma are either by smoking cannabis or ingesting CBD oil.

Nevertheless, cannabis can be used in the following forms:

1- Smoking: this is the quickest way to get the effect of cannabis. It can be rolled into a cigarette or smoked in a water pipe, either as herbal cannabis or hash. When it is inhaled, THC would need between 1 to 10 minutes to reach the brain for someone to feel its effect.

2- Oral use (per oz.): hash oil can be taken as drops under the tongue, especially for medical purposes, or it can also be swallowed as baked products or herbal tea. For instance, cannabis leaves, hash, and oil can be mixed into brownies, cookies, and other foods.

If a person consumes cannabis, it will take longer for him or her to feel its effects because it needs to go through the digestive system before it gets into the bloodstream. It might take anywhere between 30 minutes to 5 hours for the body to absorb cannabis properly.

CBD is considered safer to use than THC because it causes less anxiety and paranoia. 

CBD dose for Alzheimer: How much to Take

There is no official recommended dosage of cannabis for Alzheimer’s disease. The dosing would vary depending on your condition, weight, sex, and age. It's important to always consult your doctor before using cannabis to avoid taking the wrong dose.

Given that the use of CBD is a relatively new treatment option, healthcare providers are still learning about the appropriate dosages of CBD and are trying to determine what dosing is safe and effective.

Nevertheless, doctors suggest that patients start at 40 mg per day. Patients can double the quantity after 4 days if they do not experience any improvement. At the beginning of their treatment, some patients reported taking up to 400 mg per day daily to reverse the disease.

It is important to note that some methods might work better than others in treating Alzheimer’s disease. The strength of the cannabinoids might depend on the method of use. Cannabis’s potency may also vary from one plant to another.

If you consider taking THC, you should stick to specified doses to reduce beta-amyloid production and protect brain cells. Excessive THC consumption can have reversed effects, possibly damaging and even killing brain cells.

Factors affecting Cannabis Quality and Dose

The dosage of cannabis might differ drastically from person to person, depending on the individual’s condition status, sex, weight, and age.

Several factors can impact the plant’s potency and alter its effects on the body.  These factors affect the dosage each person can take. They include:

- The type of cannabis plant
- The quality of the plant
- How cannabis was used i.e., whether it was smoked or ingested
- How the plant was processed

Therefore, defining the exact dosage remains challenging. It will be subject to disparity until a specific product is defined and tested properly and officially approved by the government.

Taking Cannabis for Alzheimer: precautions

Some precautions that should be taken into consideration while using cannabis. Below is a list of things one should not do if one has consumed cannabis:

- Drink alcohol: cannabis should not be mixed with alcohol since it may cause dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment. Alcohol will increase these effects.

- Take medicinal drugs: cannabis can increase the effects of medications that cause drowsiness such as antihistamines, antidepressants, seizure medicine, and pain relievers among others. 

- Consume cannabis while pregnant or when breastfeeding: women should avoid using cannabis during pregnancy or if they are planning on becoming pregnant. Smoking may increase the risk of having a child born with physical and mental defects, and a lower birth weight.

- Drive: cannabis use can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment. Therefore, it’s important to avoid driving so you don’t endanger yourself or harm others.

Taking Cannabis for Alzheimer: side effects

CBD and THC have the same chemical formula, but the atoms are arranged differently. This difference in atom position takes away the effect of feeling “high,” from CBD. Hence, CBD has little or no effect on cognition compared to THC.

Smoking cannabis might have some negative side effects. That is why doctors recommend CBD oil rather than smoking cannabis for medical purposes. These harmful effects might include developing:

- Respiratory problems: smoking cannabis can irritate the lungs and increase the risk of several conditions like chronic bronchitis and cancer of the respiratory tract.

- Heart disease: smoking cannabis increases the heart rate and might aggravate existing heart conditions.

- Mental health problems: the THC component of cannabis can decrease concentration levels, which can worsen short-term memory. When taken in high doses, it can even cause hallucinations and delusions.

- Addiction: many people who smoke cannabis long term might develop an addiction and depend on it because its THC component makes them feel “high.”