Can CBD help in Crohn's Disease: All you Need to Know

Why CBD helps for Crohn’s Disease?

CBD can help reduce Crohn’s disease because it can help support and maintain homeostasis, which plays a key role in strengthening the immune system and reducing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. 

Some studies have shown that cannabis can treat Crohn’s disease. For instance, in the review, “Cannabis for the treatment of Crohn’s disease,” 45% of individuals suffering from Crohn’s disease who smoked cannabis cigarettes were in remission, compared to only 10% of individuals from the placebo group.

Furthermore, because CBD has anti-inflammatory effects, it can help fight inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, CBD can reduce the digestive tract’s permeability and help someone overcome Crohn’s disease symptoms. 

However, researchers have not yet determined whether cannabinoids have therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects for Crohn’s disease (IBD) or if they simply mask its debilitating symptoms.

How CBD works for Crohn’s Disease

CBD plays an important role in fixing and resetting the homeostatic system, which helps the body function normally again.

Scientists believe that cannabis works by providing the body with additional cannabinoids that would support the endocannabinoid system and compensate the cannabinoids deficiency.

Cannabinoids would then enter the body and bind to specific receptors of the endocannabinoid system to perform the required tasks.

How to take Cannabis for Crohn's Disease

Cannabis can be used in the following forms for Crohn’s disease:

1- 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.

2- 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 and 10 minutes to reach the brain for someone to feel its effect. 

CBD dose for Crohn’s Disease: How much to Take

There is no official recommended dose of cannabis for Crohn’s disease. The dosing would vary depending on your condition, weight, gender, and age. The quality of the CBD plant may also affect the dose.

It’s important to always consult with your doctor before using cannabis to avoid taking the wrong dose.

Nevertheless, doctors suggest starting with 50 milligrams (mg) of CBD oil twice daily. One can go up 250 mg per dose if it is well-tolerated.

Another study suggests starting with around 40 mg and increasing it from there.

Factors affecting Cannabis Quality and Dose

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, tested properly, and officially approved by the government.

Taking Cannabis for Crohn's disease: precautions 

If you are considering taking CBD for Crohn's disease, there are some precautions that you should take into consideration:

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

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

- Pregnancy or 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.

- Driving: 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 Crohn's disease: side effects

Smoking cannabis might have some negative side effects. That is why doctors recommend taking 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.”