CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s a non-psychoactive extract from the cannabis plant (it won’t make you high).

CBD is suggested to support a wide variety of health conditions and symptoms. This supplement may be used to manage neurological disorders like epilepsy, anxiety and depression. It may also be used to alleviate pain, inflammation and insomnia amongst many others.

There are many different ways to use CBD products. You can find CBD in the form of oils, capsules, topical salves, vape pens, edibles, smokables and more.

CBD has many possible health benefits. Most of its effects come from its ability to interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) — which is made up of a series of receptors spread throughout the body.

Other benefits stem from CBD’s impact on cell regeneration and neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.

The primary benefits of CBD may include:

• Alleviates pain & inflammation
• Supports mental health & wellbeing
• Supports healthy skin
• Protects the brain
• Supports digestive function
• Protects the cardiovascular system
• Supports reproductive health

Regulates hormones & metabolism

Despite the many benefits of CBD, there are seven applications that make up about 80% of the use-cases of CBD:

1. Pain relief — arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, nerve pain, PMS pain, sickle cell anemia
2. Inflammatory conditions — DOMS muscle pain, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis
3. Stress & anxiety relief — anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome
4. Sleep support — insomnia, anxiety
5. Depression & mood disorders — bipolar disorder, OCD
6. Joint pain & anxiety in pets — arthritis, post-surgery recovery, hip pain, separation anxiety
7. Skin inflammation — psoriasis, eczema

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex cell-signaling system identified in the early 1990s by researchers exploring THC, a well-known cannabinoid. Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis. The ECS involves three core components: endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes.

The ECS involves three core components: endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes.The ECS is complicated, and experts haven’t yet determined exactly how it works or all of its potential functions.

Research

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 has linked the ECS to the following processes:

• appetite and digestion
• metabolism
• chronic pain
• inflammation and other immune system responses
• mood
• learning and memory
• motor control
• sleep
• cardiovascular system function
• muscle formation
• bone remodeling and growth
• liver function
• reproductive system function
• stress
• skin and nerve function

No. CBD does not get you high. You may feel mellow, experience less pain, and be more comfortable. In addition, some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC.

Hemp and marijuana are the same species of plant — Cannabis sativa.

Like other plants, cannabis has many different forms (called phenotypes) depending on its genetic lineage and growing environments. Even though two plants may be the same species, they can be exceptionally different from each other.

The main difference between hemp and marijuana is the amount of THC they produce. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that makes users feel high.

Officially, hemp is any plant that contains less than 0.3% THC by dried weight.

Marijuana is any cannabis plant containing more than 0.3% THC.

Hemp is completely legal in the United States and much of the world, while marijuana is considered illegal in some states and some countried due to its psychoactive effects.

There are two other species of marijuana as well — Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis. These species are always classified as marijuana rather than hemp.