If you are struggling with anxiety you may have heard that CBD might help soothe symptoms. However, with research still in its early days, is there really science behind this claim?
Since the legalisation of CBD in the UK, there have been many people who say they use CBD to help soothe symptoms of anxiety. In fact, in a survey of UK CBD users, 32% of respondents said they use CBD for this purpose.
Anxiety can be a huge burden in our daily lives, affecting both our mind and body. The condition can make it difficult to interact with friends and family or to attend work and social events, leading to social isolation. It can also cause physical stress, impacting our cardiovascular system, nervous system and immune system.
In today’s fast paced and high pressure society there are over 8 million people in the UK living with anxiety, and, unfortunately, data shows that 50% of people with generalised anxiety disorder do not receive the support they need.
Current treatments for anxiety consist of prescribed medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), as well as counselling and other types of talking therapies.
However, data shows that around 33% of people with anxiety are resistant to treatment, 50% to 60% still have anxiety symptoms following treatment, and 55% have reported one or more bothersome side effects from medication.
Recent times have seen complementary and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, massage and osteopathy, see an increase in popularity for managing mental and physical wellbeing.
For example, in 2018, a survey from University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care revealed that the use of these treatments had risen from 12% of the UK population in 2005 to 16% in 2015, and that 7% of these people were using the treatments for anxiety.
Exercise and diet are also fundamental factors in supporting our wellbeing. In fact, a review from the University of Manchester has unveiled strong evidence that some food supplements can be effective additional support for some mental health conditions, complementing conventional treatment.
Omega-3 in particular – a healthy fatty acid that can be found in foods such as fish, nuts, seeds and plant oils, including hemp oil – has been shown to be potentially beneficial for anxiety symptoms. For example, a study from Harvard University demonstrated that people taking up to 2,000 mg a day of omega-3 saw a reduction in anxiety symptoms.
So, could CBD be another tool at our disposal to help combat anxiety symptoms? Here, we explore the current landscape of scientific knowledge on CBD and anxiety, so, with the guidance of a medical professional, you can decide whether CBD is a fitting supplement for your lifestyle.
CBD and anxiety
Some say there’s no smoke without fire. So, where did the idea that CBD might be a beneficial supplement for supporting anxiety symptoms come from? Let’s look at how CBD works in the body.
CBD is different to THC as it does not make you “high”. This is because of how the compounds interact with the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS) – a system that regulates a number of processes including sleep, appetite and reproduction, to name a few.
The ECS system regulates these processes through receptors known as CB1 and CB2. Research suggests that THC seems to interact with the CB1 receptor, while CBD seems to interact with the CB2 receptor.
Other cannabinoids that are produced within the body, including anandamide and 2-hydroglycerin (2-AG), also interact with these receptors to impact bodily processes.
CBD’s activity has been indicated in the production of GABA, which promotes calmness and relaxation, and some evidence is indicating that CBD’s indirect interaction with the CB2 receptor impacts the production of anandamide, a compound which has been found to produce feelings of happiness and relaxation.
One review of the current evidence on CBD suggests that both CBD and anandamide have anti-anxiety effects and are also able to regulate learned fear by dampening its expression.
It highlights that the CB1 and CB2 receptors are found in areas of the brain that are important for emotional regulation and defensive behaviours such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, making cannabinoids ideal for modulating neural circuit dynamics related to anxiety disorders.
The researchers that carried out the review highlight that these findings are preliminary, and that larger-scale clinical studies will be needed to investigate the effects of CBD as a therapy or medication for treating anxiety-related disorders.
Additionally, CBD has been found to modulate serotonin receptors known as 5-HT1A, which are closely linked managing levels of anxiety and depression, with dysregulation of these receptors being found in patients that are suffering from depression and related mood disorders.
It is important to note that the ECS is a relatively new scientific discovery, first being identified in 1988, meaning experts are still learning about how exactly this system works.
CBD for Anxiety and stress
Now we’ve explored how CBD impacts processes in the body, let’s dive into the current research.
To date, evidence is suggesting that CBD may have anti-anxiety properties, potentially due to its ability to regulate the production of anandamide, which, as noted, contributes to feelings of happiness and relaxation.
In fact, neuroimaging studies have shown that the compound may regulate regions of the brain that are associated with anxiety.
While there are currently limited studies on CBD and anxiety, one long-term study of CBD users revealed that the compound was effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, and another demonstrated that CBD was successful in reducing symptoms of anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder.
Further studies have looked at what CBD dose can impact anxiety. For example, one review found that 6 mg to 400 mg of orally administered CBD was effective for improving symptoms in a number of anxiety disorders, concluding that 300 mg was a beneficial dose for sleep and anxiety. Another found doses of 400 mg as effective for reducing symptoms.
A further study found significant improvements in anxiety as well as mood, sleep, quality of life, and cognition four weeks following treatment with CBD.
We know that stress can be a major contributing factor to feelings of anxiety, and some research indicates that CBD may impact stress.
For example, in an animal study, mice showed less signs of anxiety following administration of CBD as well as decreased levels of oxidative stress.
A number of placebo-controlled studies have indicated that CBD may have a positive effect on stress responses, as well as being able to reduce stress-related anxiety, working through its interaction with the ECS.
This has led to suggestions from researchers that the ECS could be a therapeutic target for treating stress.
Another, difficult symptom of anxiety is brain fog, which can be strongly impacted by stress and sleep. In the future, research may be able to show whether CBD’s possible benefits for reducing stress and improving sleep may contribute to helping to reduce brain fog.
It is important to note that CBD research is in its very early stages, and larger human trials will be needed before we can confirm CBD’s role as helpful for anxiety and stress.
CBD for Depression
Dealing with anxiety and stress can also lead to further mental health problems such as depression, and some research suggests CBD may be beneficial for combatting low mood.
For example, one study demonstrated that the compound has antidepressant-like effects, however, it noted that it “was effective only at the 30 mg·kg−1 dose, with smaller or higher doses producing no effect”.
Research into CBD for depression has been encouraged by scientists as a study on medical cannabis patients revealed the therapy was beneficial for reducing the severity of depressive symptoms.
It is important to note that the effects of CBD on such symptoms may be impacted by age, as some research has shown that CBD had a longer antidepressant effect in adult mice compared to adolescent mice.
CBD for Sleep
Poor sleep can greatly exacerbate feelings of anxiety, and we know that feeling anxious can leave you tossing and turning at night with thoughts racing through your mind.
It may be that CBD could aid in a good night’s sleep, as in recent years, the ECS has been identified by researchers as a potential therapeutic target for sleep problems.
This is because the ECS has been indicated in the control of the sleep-wake cycle through the modulation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and GABA, which have been shown to promote wakefulness and sleep respectively.
Researchers suggest that cannabinoids activate areas of the brain associated with sleep, essentially playing the role of sleep modulators.
For example, one study that investigated the use of CBD for sleep showed an improvement in sleep for 66.% of participants and a reduction in anxiety in 72% of participants.
In another study, improvements in sleep were recorded in patients who took 150 mg of CBD daily, and 50mg of CBD has also been shown to significantly improve sleep quality after eight weeks of administration.
Further studies and reviews have demonstrated that the compound may be effective in improving sleep quality and for addressing insomnia, however, they do emphasise that future research assessing CBDs effectiveness in patients with insomnia will be needed before this can be confirmed.
Thanks to this type of research, it is now widely understood that one of the main side effects of CBD is sedation, leading researchers to encourage more investigation into cannabinoids as a treatment for sleep conditions.
Supporting a healthy lifestyle
Addictions to caffeine, social media, work and sugary foods can leave us feeling jittery and strung out. Ensuring you are practising a healthy lifestyle can help to ease symptoms of anxiety.
It may be that supplementing our healthy routines with CBD could help us get the best out of exercise sessions and other activities that help us relax and soothe our nerves.
We know that exercise can be an excellent way to help combat feelings of anxiety. Specific types of exercise that have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety in research include aerobic exercise and yoga, for example.
Time away from exercise due to injury may heighten anxiety levels, and some research has suggested that CBD may aid in exercise recovery, as well as improve sports-related fatigue. However, this research is by no means conclusive and further investigation into these areas is now being encouraged.
Furthermore, some studies have suggested that CBD may have therapeutic properties on addictive behaviours, including tobacco addiction. How this may work is very poorly understood, but is thought to be related to the regulation of a complex network of chemical processes in the body.
Researchers suggest that CBD could also indirectly support the reduction of addictive behaviours through its suggested antianxiety and antidepressant properties.
Again, it is emphasised that further studies will be necessary to fully evaluate the potential of CBD as an intervention for addictive behaviours.