A Common American Condition
You may be shocked to learn that over 100 million people have diabetes or pre-diabetes in the U.S. today.
Diabetes is an inflammatory condition that affects just under 10% of the population (around 30 million people in total).
But there are also another 84 million Americans suffering from pre-diabetes which, if left untreated, can lead to diabetes type 2 within five years.
As the seventh leading cause of death among Americans in 2015, it’s no wonder that people are keen to explore different ways in which to help treat it. We were also interested in finding out more about CBD and diabetes, and have shared our findings here.
CBD and Diabetes
The popularity of CBD has been exploding over the last few years and it’s success as an anti-inflammatory has led many people to ask “does CBD help with diabetes?”.
Diabetes affects so many lives and anecdotal evidence seems compelling so we wanted to find out, specifically,, “does CBD oil lower blood sugars?” and “is CBD oil good for diabetic neuropathy?”.
We dug into all of the research available on the subject and have highlighted some interesting studies here. Does CBD oil help with diabetes? Let’s find out.
About Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic condition and inflammatory disease that occurs when your blood sugar (or blood glucose) levels are too high.
This happens when your body, either isn’t producing enough insulin to help convert the glucose into energy, or it isn’t using the insulin effectively.
Diabetes type 1 is the rarer of the two chronic conditions that affects just over 5% of total diabetes sufferers in total.
In diabetes type 1 the body’s immune system attacks and destroys precious beta-cells in the pancreas. These beta-cells are responsible for producing insulin, leaving the pancreas producing little or no insulin at all.
Type 2 Diabetes
People with diabetes type 2 are said to be insulin-resistant…
Previously known as adult-onset diabetes, this diagnosis is more common in older adults, although it is increasingly being seen in children and adolescents as levels of obesity, poor diets, and physical inactivity, continue to increase across the U.S.
One common complication of diabetes, caused by high levels of blood sugar, is diabetic neuropathy. This is a type of nerve damage which mostly affects the legs and feet but can cause loss of sensation, pain and paralysis.
Other complications that can arise include problems with the heart, skin, hearing, eyes, and kidneys.
Researchers have long identified higher levels of inflammation in people with diabetes type 2, which is why people have been looking to CBD to help.
What the Research Says: 6 Relevant Studies
CBD is well known to be an effective anti-inflammatory and is therefore widely thought to be able to help a myriad of conditions, where inflammation is at the root cause.
Not only that, but the endocannabinoid system plays an important role in metabolizing energy, influencing how your body responds to insulin, increasing or decreasing your sensitivity to it.
In CBD diabetes studies on animals, CBD has multiple positive effects on hyperglycemia, largely due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- A 2006 study, published in The American Journal of Pathology, proved that CBD demonstrates neuroprotective and blood-retinal barrier-preserving effects in experimental diabetes
- Another 2007 study showed that CBD possessed significant therapeutic benefits in the context of diabetic complications and atherosclerosis by reducing the effects of (induced) hyperglycemia.
- Research carried out in 2010 proved that CBD exhibited antinociceptive (pain blocking) effects in mouse models of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a long-term complication of diabetes that occurs from damage to peripheral nerves.
- Another study from 2010 also showed that CBD reduced oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis, which strongly suggests a great therapeutic potential for the treatment of complications arising from diabetes, as well as other cardiovascular problems.
- The American Diabetes Association also published a paper in 2006, showing that CBD reduces resistance to insulin and another cannabinoid, THC-V, helps to moderate blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes, not taking insulin.
- And finally, a 2005 research paper showed that excess body fat causes continuous abnormal inflammation that changes the way your body’s insulin behaves. CBD may also help to fight obesity by reducing appetite.
Should You Consider CBD Treatment for Diabetes?
Looking at the studies above would suggest that not only could CBD help delay the onset of diabetes, but for those already diagnosed, CBD may also have the potential to help decrease your body’s resistance to insulin. The research also shows great potential in using CBD oil for diabetic nerve pain.
When it comes to decreasing blood sugar levels, there isn’t any scientific research to suggest that CBD helps, although some anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise.
Interestingly, however, the cannabinoid THC-V does seem to be making some headway in regulating blood sugar levels so perhaps those recording results in this area were taking full-spectrum CBD oil that also contained concentrations of THC-V.
Diabetic patients should be wary of decreasing their blood sugar levels, however, as sudden drops in blood sugar can be dangerous, so it’s important you speak with a doctor before you begin working out a CBD treatment plan.
*It’s important you speak with a doctor before you begin working out a CBD treatment plan.
How to Take CBD Oil for Diabetes
The best CBD oil for diabetes will, of course, be a product that is free from added sugar.
You should also look for products that are extracted from organic hemp and only buy from companies that supply third-party lab results on their products potency and safety.
If you are hoping to use CBD oil to reduce your blood sugar levels then you can use these same lab reports to check for a concentration of THC-V.
Your CBD diabetes treatment should start out by working out how you want to take your CBD. More can be learned about the various methods of consumption, including the advantages and disadvantages of each, in another article we published here.
Next up, how much CBD oil should you take for diabetes?
The optimal CBD oil dosage for diabetes actually varies wildly from person to person.
It will depend entirely upon whether you’re taking it for prevention or symptom relief, plus the severity of your symptoms, and of course your height, weight and tolerance levels.
Unfortunately this means that there isn’t a set recommended dosage of CBD for diabetes and you should be wary of companies that try to pin a number on it. It is widely recognized that the best way to take CBD is to start with a low dose and increase it slowly until you feel or see your desired effects.
You cannot overdose on CBD so you don’t have to worry about taking too much and if you’re concerned about potential side effects then you can check out our article here. CBD has a highly favorable safety profile, especially compared with other prescription or over-the-counter remedies.
General CBD Dosage Chart
| Weight | Dosage for Mild Effects | Dosage for Moderate Effects | Dosage for Strong Effects |
| Less than 130 lbs. | 11 mg or less | 12 mg to 14 mg | 15 mg to 17 mg |
| 130 to 230 lbs. | 18 mg or less | 19 mg to 23 mg | 24 mg to 27 mg |
| Over 230 lbs. | 23 mg or less | 24 mg to 30 mg | 31 mg to 45 mg |
Reference: Tuck.com
Summary
So, is CBD oil good for diabetes? The evidence seems to suggest that CBD does indeed have the potential to massively help around 30 million people in the U.S. currently suffering from diabetes type 1 or 2.
Although it remains unclear as to whether CBD oil can help regulate blood sugar levels, it has been proven to reduce resistance to insulin in people with diabetes type 2 and also helps with various complications that can arise from diabetes, including difficult to treat neuropathic pain.
There’s also good news for another 84 million Americans that are suffering from pre-diabetes as CBD can also help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes type 2.
There are also some great changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle that can help manage your diabetes, so start taking control now before further complications arise.