10 Ways CBD Can Affect the Gut

Some of the biggest health trends of 2019 and 2020 talk about your gut health. Individuals are realizing that many of their health problems can be diagnosed by listening to the gut. It’s surprising what your stomach and digestive tract can tell you about your health, wellbeing, and nutrition. In fact, it’s often medically considered the body’s “second brain” because it plays such an important role in keeping your body functioning. 

This has led to a variety of products being created and promoted. Probiotics, fermented foods, pre-biotics, multi-vitamins, and more are highly recommended in both clinical settings and respected alternative medicine fields. 

Along with a push for greater bacteria consumption and general health habits, gut-health trends 

are leaning towards CBD products. If you read any number of CBD oil reviews for the best products on the market, you’ll discover many stories about CBD helping individuals reclaim their gut health and generally feel better. 

How Your Gut Affects Your Health   

Before diving into CBD’s potential benefits for your gut, it’s important to understand exactly how your gut works and how it affects your health. 

Most of our bodies are actually made out of microbes living within us. Scientists have counted about 38 trillion microorganisms in our body, most of which are located in the gut and perform essential functions that help us to live and operate healthy lives daily. If something is wrong with these microbiomes, or they’re not getting enough good bacteria from the outside, your gut health can decline.

Your gut’s microbiome is directly related to your immune system, which is why those who are not eating properly are the first to get sick. It also affects weight, genetic expression, emotional health, and mental illness. 

Much of what we learn about the body and mind comes from the digestive tract, which is brimming with microbes that tell all about what’s going on inside your body. It’s amazing the changes you can feel in your daily life by targeting your gut health. 

10 Benefits of Using CBD for Gut Health 

Now that you understand a little more about how the gut works, you’ll get a better sense of how CBD can help. Let’s look at 10 powerful ways that CBD affects gut health. 

1. Regulates Food Intake 

CBD is considered a versatile substance because it directly impacts the endocannabinoid system. This is the part of your central nervous system that helps to regulate immune and hormonal responses. When you add the cannabinoids found in CBD to the number of cannabinoids occurring naturally in your body, it helps to regulate this system.

Your cravings and appetite are controlled by the endocannabinoid system and balancing out that portion of your body can help you to regulate what you’re craving. It could be used as a diet aid. 

2. Boosts Appetite

Imbalances in the stomach microbiome can create appetite problems. This could be related to your diet, but it’s more likely a symptom of a larger issue, like an illness or disease. CBD is known for giving consumers the “munchies,” boosting an appetite that’s much needed for some individuals. 

3. Reduces Nausea

Although taking a dose of CBD that’s too large for your system could result in nausea, the right dose will curb nausea. It’s great for those who struggle with illnesses or inner ear problems that create constant nausea. It may also be a good treatment for motion sickness. 

4. Targets Intestinal Inflammation 

Inflammation in the gut could be the result of an illness or disease, but it’s more often the cause of poor diet. Americans in particular are known for intestinal inflammation because the Standard American Diet (SAD) is filled with gluten, carbs, sugars, and other foods that cause inflammation. It often results in irregularity and embarrassing gas problems. 

CBD has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that might target inflammation throughout the body. When swallowed, it could interact directly with the inflammation found throughout the intestinal tract and bring some normalcy to the condition. 

5. Could Prevent Cancer Cells 

Stomach cancer is a frightening risk that’s often the result of excess stress or too much of the wrong foods. It affects 28,000 people per year, and those over the age of 50 are at the highest risk with about 75 percent of cases in that age range. 

CBD is believed to have cell restorative properties that target cancerous cells, destroy them, and replace them with good cells. This is an undertested result, but it’s an exciting lead in this field of study! 

6. Promotes the “Bliss Molecule” 

The stomach produces a number of hormones, including the endocannabinoid anandamide. This is often referred to as the “bliss molecule” because it has a strong impact on your mood. You might be surprised to learn that about 70 percent of the body’s serotonin is actually produced in the stomach, and imbalances in this hormonal production can influence mood and health. 

CBD is believed to balance out the endocannabinoid system, which is related to hormone production. A spike in endocannabinoids can boost the bliss molecule and serotonin in the body, leading to a boost in mental and emotional health. 

7. Improves Gut Motility 

Gut motility refers to the contractions in the GI tract muscles that are used to push digested food along. If these are not working properly, it can result in constipation, diarrhea, cramping, bloating, etc. Certain foods, inflammatory diseases, and illnesses can contribute to this problem.

The endocannabinoid system is believed to play a role here, so taking CBD could impact your gut motility for the better. It could reduce pain, improve motility, and alleviate inflammation that prevents proper function. 

8. Regulates Digestion

When gut motility improves, digestion is able to regulate once again. Your intestines are not storing broken down food for too long or pushing it through too quickly. Your stomach is calm as it should be, and you’re regular once again. 

9. Bridge Between Gut and Brain 

As mentioned previously, the gut is often considered a second brain, and it needs a way to communicate with your actual brain. The body has several functions in place to promote communication, one of which is the endocannabinoid system. 

Boosting the number of cannabinoids occurring the body could help promote this communication while relieving some of the negative symptoms. For example, stress and anxiety can create butterflies in the belly or stomach cramps, and CBD may alleviate similar symptoms. 

10. Could Reduce Drug Use for IBD and Crohn’s Disease

If you’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel disease (IBD) or Crohn’s you know the frustration that comes in trying to alleviate the symptoms. It’s almost impossible to regulate without medications. But many of these drugs have harmful side effects, not the least of which is infertility. 

CBD could be used to help manage the diseases. And in some cases, it could minimize the use of drugs. Patients may be able to use milder alternatives rather than the “big gun” medications that come with difficult side effects if using CBD alongside them.