We’re covering CBD oil benefits for liver health in this article so you can better understand how cbd oil benefits not just liver health but a range of conditions in the body. We’ll also cover some on the endocannabinoid system so you can get to know this powerful system of physiology inside your body.
CBD for Liver Health
The liver is the largest solid organ found in the body and carries out hundreds of functions - more than five hundred, to be exact.
The liver's main functions include detoxification, protein synthesis, and creating chemicals for digestion. Although it is considered part of the digestive system, the liver helps the immune system by destroying bacteria and toxins that enter it through the gut.
This organ metabolizes fat, carbohydrates, and proteins, all while storing vitamins and minerals. The liver is responsible for detoxifying the blood from hormones and outside chemicals like medications and alcohol.
It produces bile, which is necessary for the small intestine and the absorption of vitamin K. Vitamin K is utilized in the body to maintain normal blood clotting. The liver is the production source of albumin, the most common protein found in blood (also found in hemp and eggs and is used in DNA repair). Albumin maintains the pressure in blood vessels and prevents them from leaking.
In 2014, Science Daily reported that chronic liver disease and cirrhosis is the twelfth most common cause of death in adults in the US. Damage to the liver can be genetic or environmental. CBD oil benefits reach into liver, kidney and brain health among many others.
The liver is capable of healing itself and regenerating, but if the damage is too extensive or continuous, it will lose this capability.
Excessive alcohol use or obesity, for example, can cause scarring (cirrhosis) to the liver, decreasing its ability to function and leading to liver failure.
Benefits of CBD oil for Liver Health
Cannabinoids' effect on liver health are currently being tested on mice, and the promising results are likely to lead to clinical testing in humans in the near future.
Research points to the fact that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is not involved with liver function unless the liver is unhealthy. When the liver is damaged, the ECS activates to initiate an inflammatory response.
A 2011 study published in Cell Death & Disease found that the cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD) triggered the death of hepatic stellate cells, which are responsible for causing scar tissue to form in the liver. This means that CBD works toward stopping the progression of liver damage. You can tell CBD oil benefits in some very significant ways.
The British Journal of Pharmacology published a study in 2011 that credited CBD with improving hepatic encephalopathy, which is a neuropsychiatric disorder associated with liver failure. With this disorder, cognitive and motor function are diminished. The results of affected mice treated with CBD found that liver function was restored and brain function normalized.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057300/
In another study from 2017 published in Scientific Reports Nature Research, found that CBD decreased liver damage in alcohol-induced liver steatosis mice.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5608708/
Another study mentioned that cirrhosis of the liver is mainly caused by just two preventable factors; alcoholism and a fatty diet. Researchers also went on to say that the endocannabinoid system assists in the healing of liver damage.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3073545/
A study from 2019 published in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that CBD helps to reduce alcohol consumption and balance out anxiety and impulsivity to drink again. They also found CBD helps to reduce liver damage. CBD oil benefits also extend into alleviating damage to neurons in the brain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6554654/
With these kinds of results, it’s clear that further research and clinical testing in humans is needed. As hemp oil is being utilized to successfully support a host of other conditions it’s no surprise that cannabidiol is helping treat diseases of the liver.
CBD oil and the endocannabinoid system
Cannabidiol works both directly in the body and through the body’s own endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a system of physiology inside the body only recently discovered in the mid 1990’s as having a remarkable capacity to bring balance and order to every single system in the body, from the circulatory, lymphatic and reproductive to the cardiovascular system. If there’s a system in the body, the ECS oversees the healthy functioning of that system.
You may ask, how did we not know about this system until now? Truth be told, we’ve been using marijuana, cannabis and hemp for thousands of years, ancient cultures such as the ancient egyptians understood it’s great properties, but until recently, modern medical science has not had the technology to be able to find this system.
The endocannabinoid system relies on both supplementary phytocannabinoids (from plants), and its own supply of endocannabinoids to both function and provide relief to systems under stress.
When we get adequate supply of cannabinoids, we bring this master system online so it can go to work on correcting any imbalances in the body that have led to states of dis-ease.
CBD oil benefits Conclusion
CBD oil benefits reach further than liver health but also into assisting the ECS in coming online and providing much needed support after its long dormant sleep. In most of us, the ECS has been lying asleep since we were breastfed, or since the womb if we were formula fed (yes, cannabinoids are so important, they're found in breastmilk).
If you’ve been researching CBD oil benefits and you wish to learn more, it’s important to understand where those benefits come from - and as you can tell, they’re coming from the fact that CBD oil is rich in a cannabinoid called cannabidiol.
But there are over 400 cannabinoids documented, all with their own unique properties to assist in the body, so the next step would be to research what plants contain cannabinoids… The richest plant, being cannabis.
Cannabis refers to the plant that gives rise to marijuana, hemp and their respective varieties. Marijuana is high in the psychoactive cannabinoid THC, whereas hemp is low in THC.
Hemp is the obvious choice for those who wish to activate their ECS, and provide the body with hundreds of cannabinoids without worrying about the “high” - you can learn more about hemp products and the different varieties over on our blog.
If you would like to learn more about hemp, cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system check out our research backed articles covering everything you need to know.
As always, prior to making any changes to your lifestyle or treatment plan, consult with a licenced medical professional.
