More and more states in the U.S are accepting the legalization of medical and recreational use of hemp-derived CBD products. This helps the CBD market to gain more profit and according to statistics, by the end of 2020, the CBD market will have a turnover of around $20 billion.

Through many studies, it is now known that CBD helps in the treatment of health disorders that affects the human body. CBD tinctures, CBD topicals, CBD edibles, etc. are some of the most common CBD products. These products help to get the benefits of CBD for our body’s wellness.

There are some CBD products that are specially made for the well-being of senior citizens. But most of them are unaware of the medical benefits of CBD and how they improve their quality of life. The majority of the older adults are still stereotypical about the use of cannabis products.

The senior citizens have more than one option for administering CBD into their bodies. If they do not want to inhale the smoke, then try other administration methods like sublingual intake, oral intake, topical applications, etc. You can also consume CBD by adding CBD oil into your food and drinks.

What Is CBD?

CBD is the short form of cannabidiol, one of the 113 known cannabinoid compounds present in cannabis Sativa plant. It is the most popular cannabinoid in the world because it has many therapeutic benefits. It is mainly derived from the hemp plant rather than marijuana. Therefore, the THC content in CBD oil will probably be less than 0.3 %.

Unlike THC, the psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant, CBD does not provide the user with a sensation of high. It also does not have any life-threatening side effects. So it is completely safe to use CBD and its different products. But it is better to take your first CBD dose under supervision.

After its discovery in 1940, CBD had undergone several studies to find out its effect on the human body. These studies proved that CBD is effective for the treatment of many health disorders such as stress, anxiety, depression, pain, nausea, insomnia, migraine, acne, psoriasis, epilepsy, etc. But the FDA has only approved the use of Epidiolex, a prescribed medication that contains CBD. It is used for the treatment of two severe forms of epilepsy.

There are many reasons why CBD should become a regular part of the health routine of a senior citizen. CBD gifts them a lot of health benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the health benefits of CBD for senior citizens.

CBD Reduces Pain

The use of cannabis for treating pain has been going on for thousands of years. There are written texts that specify using the cannabis plant for alleviating pain.  After the discovery of CBD in 1940, it was found that it is the presence of CBD in cannabis plant that was the reason for the pain-relieving properties.

CBD’s pain-relieving properties come from its interaction with the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system present in your brain and immune system. The interaction of CBD with the cannabinoid receptors creates anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects that are crucial for managing the pain.

The anti-inflammatory property of CBD is very essential for reducing the inflammation in the joints of arthritis patients and thereby getting relief from pain. Recent studies have shown that CBD can be effective for alleviating the side effects of cancer treatment. Chemotherapy can cause side effects like pain and nausea. The use of CBD products like tinctures and gummies will help in alleviating them.

CBD Fight Glaucoma

Many types of researches are going on to find the link between cannabis and glaucoma treatment. Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that causes damage to the optic nerve that supplies visual information to your brain. It is usually caused by high pressure inside your eye known as the intraocular pressure. If not treated properly, it may lead to permanent blindness.

There is no research that shows that CBD oil reduces intraocular pressure and prevents glaucoma. But THC is shown to have abilities to decreases the intraocular pressure. CBD can be used for fighting glaucoma in other ways. People suffering from glaucoma shows unexpected symptoms like nausea, vomiting, severe pain, etc. The anti-nausea and analgesic properties of CBD help in alleviating these symptoms.

There are some studies showing that CBD could prevent the formation of peroxynitrite and provides protection for the neurons from damage caused by glutamate. The research on the effect of CBD oil on glaucoma is still in the earlier stages. Therefore, consult a medical professional before you start to use CBD oil for glaucoma.

CBD For Bone Health

Over 10 million people in the United States are suffering from osteoporosis and another 40 million is suffering from low bone density. Both these conditions usually affect older adults and cause pain, low mobility, and sometimes depression. A cure for osteoporosis is not been found yet. But its symptoms can be controlled using CBD oil products.

Many recent studies are showing that the regular use of CBD can help in maintaining bone health and controlling osteoporosis. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD help in reducing the inflammation that contributes to the loss of bone density. Many anecdotal records of CBD users also show encouraging results. The users report that regular CBD treatments slowed down the degradation of bones.

Studies on the effect of CBD on bone healing and development have been going on for many decades. Many of those studies showed positive results on the use of CBD for enhancing the healing of fractured bones. CBD accelerates the healing of broken bones and makes them stronger.

CBD Has Soothing Effects

Loss of energy is very common in senior citizens. The use of CBD helps to get soothing effects and it also promotes the feeling of energy. This is due to the CBD’s ability to strengthen the cells in the human body and the regeneration of cells. Also, CBD can relieve anxiety and promote a feeling of well-being.

The CBD works by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system present in your brain. The result of the interaction is a relief from racing thoughts and anxious ideas. The calming effects of CBD are very essential for getting good sleep.

Studies have shown that CBD is very effective in treating people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Severe pain and disruptive sleep are often associated with the disease. The use of CBD will help to reduce the pain and improve the quality of sleep in people affected by Parkinson’s disease.

CBD Can Treat Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that affects the brain that may lead to memory loss and negatively affect the behavior of the affected person. The disease is commonly seen in individuals above the age of 65 years. Currently, there is no complete cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But there are some treatments that can slow down the progression of the disease.

The main cause of Alzheimer’s disease is the buildup of protein amyloids and fiber bundles in the brains. The protein amyloids are commonly known as plaques. The formation of plaques and fiber bundles blocks the neural signal processing and gradually damages the nerve cells. In 2016, a study showed that CBD removed the protein amyloids from the neurons.

CBD has other neuroprotective properties also, which is the reason for many people trying CBD oil for different forms of dementia. It is important to note that all the studies only looked at the short-term effects of CBD on Alzheimer’s patients. More studies are needed to find out the long-term effects of CBD.

CBD Fights Insomnia

Older adults find it very difficult to achieve good sleep at night. Our brain regenerates and frees toxic substances during sleep. Therefore, it is extremely important to get good sleep to prevent age-related neurodegenerative disorders like glaucoma or Alzheimer’s disease. Now, older people can use CBD instead of prescribed sleeping pills because the later can cause a number of side effects.

There are many studies that prove that CBD helps to improve sleep and prevent insomnia. A study in 2019 looked at how CBD reduces anxiety and improves sleep. The study looked at 47 people with anxiety and 25 people with poor sleep quality. All the test subjects were given 25 mg of CBD in capsule form daily for about a month. The results showed that after one month 79.25 of the subjects reported lower anxiety level and 66.7 % of the subjects reported improved sleep quality.

Migraine and other types of body pain is another reason for insomnia. The anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of CBD help in reducing the pain in your body and provide a calming sensation that helps to sleep well. CBD also improves the symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder.

Things To Consider Before Using CBD

Now you know how CBD helps the senior citizens to maintain good health. But before you give CBD to your grandmother or grandfather, you need to consider a few things. The first thing to consider is the dosage of CBD. It is better to start with a small dosage and gradually increase the dosage until you see the desired effects. Even though CBD does not cause any severe side effects, it can still cause dry mouth or drowsiness.

Make sure to buy CBD products that are made from hemp that is grown in the United States. This is because the hemp farms in the United States are certified by state departments of agriculture. This certification ensures the quality of the hemp and also makes sure that it is not grown using any form of chemical pesticides.