Can CBD Really Help With ADHD?

CBD or cannabidiol is one of the many active compounds that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. The popularity of CBD has increased recently after the preliminary research indicated that the compound has the potential to help in the treatment of some health conditions. One of the conditions that anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD can help with is the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADH).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a health condition where an individual has variances in brain development and brain activity that affect their attention. The variances can also affect their ability to remain still and self-control.

This condition is among the medical disorders that many children are diagnosed with. The symptoms of this condition continue until a person reaches adolescence or adulthood. About 57% of children and adolescents and 3.5% of adults across the world are diagnosed with ADHD.

Researchers are yet to pinpoint the exact cause of this condition. Nevertheless, some studies have suggested that multi-factor condition causes ADHD. This comprises of a combination of neurobiological, genetic, and environmental factors. These factors are responsible for the dopaminergic signalling system problems.

The conventional medication for ADHD is called Ritalin. This medication stimulates the brain to make a patient feel excited. It also suppresses tiredness and inhibitions. Unfortunately, this medication has side effects that may include reduced growth, weight gain, vomiting, nausea, bellyache, and a burning sensation in the esophagus. That’s why some people are trying CBD oil for ADHD (cbdhow’s guide).

Did You Know?

There are plenty of anecdotal reports from people saying that CBD oil does indeed help them manage ADHD symptoms. Symptoms  like hyperactivity, restlessness, and more.

How CBD Works

CBD works by engaging two receptors in the human body. These are CB1 and CB2 receptors. Both receptors affect specific body parts directly. The brain has CB1 receptors in abundant numbers. And this receptor has a direct relationship with epilepsy. The immune system has more CB2 receptors. This is connected to inflammation and pain.

CBD triggers the body to use the naturally produced cannabinoids more. This leads to an increase in the uptick of the naturally occurring cannabinoids in the body. This has numerous benefits that include reduced hyperactivity and decreased anxiety.

When a person uses CBD for ADHD, the compound helps in dealing with the symptoms of this condition. Some of the symptoms that CBD helps with include restlessness or hyperactivity. Consequently, some people are using CBD alongside conventional medication to treat ADHD.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is just one of the active compounds in the cannabis plant. CBD oil is gaining in popularity due to early research that shows that CBD just might be helpful for several health conditions. The jury may still be out, but so far, it has not swayed many from various amounts of success.

Does CBD Help with ADHD?

This is the question for which many people need an answer. Hyperactivity, crankiness, aggression, and sleeping problems are common symptoms of ADHD. These symptoms make the social life of the patients have many problems. Traditional medication for ADHD can worsen the symptoms or cause other health problems. That’s why researchers are examining the ability of CBD to help with ADHD treatment.

CBD has been proven to have anti-depressive and anxiety-reducing properties. A small study conducted in 2017 involved a group of ADHD patients that used cannabis to self-medicate. The researchers established that using cannabis led to symptom reduction and improved brain function.

Having said that, this is just preliminary research. And the majority of research on ADHD that has been done so far has focused on cannabis. As a plant, cannabis has over 100 compounds in addition to CBD. Therefore, it’s difficult for researchers to conclude that it’s CBD that helped the patients deal with ADHD symptoms.

Nevertheless, some individuals have given anecdotal reports saying that using CBD oil has helped them deal with the symptoms of ADHD.

CBD Oil for Treating ADHD Symptoms

No research has conclusively shown that CBD oil can treat ADHD. However, it can help in the management of specific symptoms experienced by individuals with this condition. Some ADHD patients struggle with symptoms like anxiety. Anxiety alone can worsen ADHD. Preliminary research has indicated that CBD oil has the potential to relieve anxiety symptoms.

A 2016 study supported the earlier claims that CBD has the potential to help with sleep and anxiety problems among children. However, further research should be done to explore the effect of CBD in a broader cohort.

Currently, many ADHD patients are using cannabis to treat the condition. That said these patients are using the whole plant or medical marijuana to self-treat for ADHD. Most patients that use cannabis instead of traditional medication have reported better results. They have reported significant improvement in aggression, hyperactivity reduction, and improved focusing ability.

How CBD Might Help with ADHD

Researchers have suggested that ADHD could be caused by low dopamine levels. This neurotransmitter controls the brain’s cognitive abilities like mood, memory, and attention levels. ADHD manifests itself when a person has low levels of this chemical.

Research has shown that CBD improves dopamine transmission. When this happens, cognitive processes improve in ADHD patients. Consequently, a person suffering from this condition can have increased focus levels after using CBD. CBD makes the brain receptors more active and this helps with anxiety and stress reduction. CBD can also minimize the distractions and hyperactivity that ADHD patients face.

CBD oil ADHD treatment can improve cognitive processes in the brain thereby treating most symptoms of this condition. CBD has the potential to relieve neurological problems like depression and anxiety. Thus, it could be a possible agent for the treatment of ADHD.

Most medications for managing ADHD have unpleasant side effects. Some of these effects are extremely severe. Therefore, some patients do not comply with ADHD medications. On the other hand, CBD does not have unpleasant side effects. When compared to conventional drugs for treating this condition, CBD is relatively safer. That’s why some patients are turning to it as a treatment for ADHD instead of conventional medication.

The Bottom Line

More research is required to conclude that CBD can be used as a conventional treatment for ADHD. So far, research on the ability of CBD to treat ADHD or its symptoms is limited. Some individuals maintain that CBD helps with ADHD symptoms. More research is still needed to determine the effectiveness of this compound and possible side effects. Therefore, if you or a loved one is considering CBD as a treatment for ADHD, talk to your healthcare provider first.