CBD and blood pressure (hypertension)

Today, many people believe that CBD (or cannabidiol) can be used as a treatment for a variety of conditions: CBD and blood pressure (hypertension) being one of them. If you also face this health-threatening condition, it's time to find out what benefits CBD can bring to your body.

What is CBD and is it legal in Lithuania?

Cannabidiol, commonly called CBD, is a natural product derived from the fibrous hemp plant. Currently, the two components of the hemp plant (cannabinoids) are the most well-known. These are cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol (which is commonly called THC).

THC is a cannabinoid that affects the psyche, can provide the effect of intoxication and euphoria. Because of its effects, THC is illegal in many countries. Lithuania is no exception.

On the other hand, cannabidiol does not have a psychoactive effect and does not cause intoxication, on the contrary, this substance has many positive properties. CBD is used by humans for its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer and neuroprotective properties. This cannabinoid became legal in Lithuania at the end of 2021 - today it is widely available in online and physical stores and more and more people are convinced of its benefits.

How does cannabidiol affect cardiovascular diseases?

Cannabidiol has been known for some time to help people with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, parkinson's, epilepsy and even cancer. However, preclinical studies suggest that this cannabinoid may also benefit the cardiovascular system.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the blood continuously increases the pressure on the artery walls. High blood pressure can be caused by many different things, such as stress, poor diet, overweight, lack of sleep, bad habits, lifestyle, and also age: people 65 and older are at risk.

It is important to note that high blood pressure is not always dangerous: it can be temporary for some people. However, if it is a long-term problem, hypertension may be diagnosed. Chronic high blood pressure can permanently damage the arteries, making them less elastic. This reduces the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart and can lead to cardiovascular disease.

An extremely high number of deaths due to diseases of this origin has been recorded in Lithuania for some time, therefore, if you or your relatives have been diagnosed with hypertension, it is necessary to take this problem seriously and take measures to control it.

Treatment of hypertension

In most cases, blood pressure is related to lifestyle factors and diet. Sometimes good results can be achieved by adjusting certain everyday factors. If you have hypertension, it is worth following the following recommendations of doctors:

• Include more fruits, vegetables, legumes, grain products in the diet.
• Give preference to healthier, stewed or boiled food.
• Avoid salt, sugar, fat, roasted, deep-fried, oil-cooked products.
• Exercise regularly, maintain physical activity.
• Maintain a healthy weight or, if indicated, lose weight.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Quit smoking.
• Maintain a regular sleep rhythm and sleep from 7 to 9 hours every day.

Sometimes lifestyle changes are not enough to treat high blood pressure. If these do not help, your doctor may recommend medicines that lower blood pressure.

However, medication is not the last straw. A number of people who regularly take CBD, or cannabidiol, are happy with the blood pressure lowering benefits of this product. Are such claims really justified? Let the results speak for themselves.

CBD and Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Research Evidence for Benefits

The Journal of Hypertension describes a scientific study that examined the effects of cannabidiol in humans and rats. Human pulmonary arteries and rat mesenteric arteries were observed. It has been observed that when CBD enters the body, vascular activity is relaxed and vascular tension is significantly reduced.

This may mean that cannabidiol effectively reduces high blood pressure, hypertension. This is especially true for overweight patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Another study published by the American Society for Clinical Research also looked at whether cannabidiol lowers blood pressure. The group of male volunteers is divided into two parts. Some people were randomly assigned to receive 75 mg of CBD, while others received a placebo. They were then monitored to see if it affected the participants' cardiovascular systems. This study concluded that participants who received cannabidiol had lower blood pressure.

Although research is in its early stages, the experiments discussed prove that CBD helps patients with hypertension and high blood pressure.

CBD and blood pressure (hypertension): how does it affect the body?

The body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that regulates sleep, appetite, pain and the immune system. This has led people to use CBD for insomnia, pain and other problems. The endocannabinoid system produces endocannabinoids in our body, which are neurotransmitters. Cannabidiol affects the activity of endocannabinoid receptors, which reduces inflammation and interacts with neurotransmitters.

Summary

Scientists are constantly researching what CBD can be used for, and every day they are discovering incredibly relevant new things that substantiate the benefits of this product for maintaining health and treating diseases. Hypertension is one of them.

This is a health and even life-threatening condition - blood pressure that exceeds the established safe limits. In hypertension, blood pressure is regulated with medication, but there is another alternative - cannabidiol.

Like any scientific discovery, CBD products was met with skepticism at first. However, the first studies and the many happy patients who regularly use cannabidiol products suggest that cannabidiol is an effective and safe remedy for specific problems in the body, including those related to the cardiovascular system. One thing is clear: CBD will definitely not harm the body.

Research and practice have proven: CBD and blood pressure (hypertension) can be a great combination that will help you say goodbye to high blood pressure and live a healthier life.