Does CBD Oil Actually Help With Dementia?

Cannabidiol (aka CBD) is one of the many compounds that can be found in the Cannabis and hemp plants. CBD is not to be confused with Tetrahydrocannabinol (aka THC). THC is a prominent and well-known compound found in the Cannabis plant that can produce a psychoactive effect on one who takes it. CBD, on the other hand, does not have that same response. Instead, it offers many of the same purported health benefits as THC-based medical marijuana but without the psychoactive component. There are many areas where CBD has shown potential, but can CBD oil really help with dementia? 

To gain a better understanding of how CBD could have a positive impact on dementia patients, you must first understand what dementia is and some of the symptoms that it introduces. 

What Is Dementia?

Contrary to popular belief, dementia is not actually a single disease. Instead, it is an umbrella term for any loss of cognitive abilities or function that are severe enough to negatively interfere with one’s daily life. Thus, it isn’t something that is a specific disease, but rather a subset that encompasses a range of diseases that could negatively impair your ability to think or remember things. This includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Frontotemporal dementia, and more. The majority of the patients that suffer from dementia do so due to Alzheimer’s disease which negatively impacts one’s ability to remember things.

What Exactly Causes Dementia?

There are actually a variety of things that can contribute to one getting dementia. Typically, it is caused by prolonged damage to the brain cells. When you have suffered from enough damage to limit the brain’s ability to function properly and communicate with one another, your entire mind is negatively impacted. This can occur to virtually any region in your brain. This is typically why you see those who are regularly participating in high-contact sports like American football or boxing suffer from various forms of dementia frequently. After all, they routinely experience hard hits and impact on their head that can cause prolonged damage over time. Thus, increasing one’s chances of developing some form of dementia. After all, once a region in your brain is compromised, it will be unable to carry out the routine functions that it is responsible for. 

What Are the Symptoms of Dementia?

As mentioned, dementia is an umbrella term for specific diseases. It describes a collection of different symptoms that are the direct result of damage done to the brain. There are numerous symptoms that routinely appear in those prior to them being fully diagnosed with one of the diseases. Some of these symptoms include; memory loss, big mood swings, an inability to follow along with a conversation, having difficulty concentrating, and being unable to handle basic daily tasks. In general, these symptoms begin appearing in a mild form. From there, the symptoms can progressively get worse as more and more damage is done. 

How Can It Be Treated?

Because there is no single cause of dementia, there isn’t a single solution as far as treatment is concerned. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s either, the disease that most dementia patients suffer from. There is research being done on a daily basis for prevention methods and cures for Alzheimer’s disease, but it continues to elude researchers. Despite there not being a cure for the disease itself, there are ways to effectively target and treat the symptoms that result from having the disease. These medications are usually tailored to target a specific symptom that the patient is suffering from. For instance, a lot of people that suffer from Alzheimer’s disease end up experiencing major changes in their sleeping patterns. The cause of this is not yet known, but many that suffer from the disease end up experiencing significant difficulty with being able to fall asleep. It can end up resulting in full-blown insomnia. Thus, a patient with this symptom will likely be prescribed with medication that helps them fall asleep. 

So, How Might CBD Help?

The research into CBD and its benefits have come a long way. While there is certainly still a lot to figure out, there has been some research on CBD and it impacts on patients with dementia. Studies have shown that CBD has the potential to relieve the amyloid protein buildup and cell damage that contributes to dementia. These proteins are known to be plaque-forming and cannabinoids may be able to effectively remove them from brain cells. Considering there is a new diagnosis that is delivered every 66 seconds, this is very promising indeed. 

What Does It Do That Helps?

May Reduce Inflammation

One of the main things that are likely contributing to CBD’s effects on symptoms of dementia has to do with its potential to reduce inflammation within the brain. After all, there have been numerous studies that have showcased how much of a correlation there is between excess inflammation in the brain to dementia. After all, Alzheimer’s disease causes massive neurodegeneration. The fact that CBD may help to minimize inflammation throughout the brain, it’s easy to see why it could have a positive impact on neurological disorders. 

May Help to Prevent Cognitive Decline

There is promising research that has shown CBD may able to help prevent cognitive decline in mice that were genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease. While it hasn’t shown the ability to completely stop it altogether, research suggests that it may be an effective way to slow down the progression of the disease. 

Improves Sleep

As mentioned, an inability to sleep is one of the main symptoms a lot of people suffer from when they suffer from one of the diseases that encompasses dementia. This is one area where CBD may show promise. In fact, there have been studies in those with Parkinson’s disease. The results of the study showcased that CBD was able to help manage the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease to the point where it allowed them to get much better quality sleep. The fact that CBD may be effective at helping one sleep can improve an individual’s quality of life. This makes CBD a potential option for those with dementia because it might limit the impact that a lack of quality of sleep can have not only on the progression of the disease itself but the symptoms that can further be presented because of it. 

Better Blood Flow

As mentioned, there is vascular dementia which is something that can negatively impact one’s ability to reason and even remember things. This is typically caused by a direct hit to the head or brain damage that resulted from a patient having insufficient blood flow to the brain. Thus, it can result from having a stroke and in many other ways. Like other forms of dementia, it is a progressive disease that is going to get worse over time. However, it can be slowed down. Research has shown that CBD may have the ability to improve blood flow to the brain. This could help to limit the damage that is caused. It may even help to boost overall brain cell activity which can help limit the progression of the disease. 

Reduce Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

One of the most common symptoms that a lot of people with dementia suffer from is depression. In fact, experts estimate that as much as 40 percent of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease alone suffer from severe depression. This does not include those who suffer from other types of dementia. Therefore, you can count on that number being significantly more when factoring in everything encompassing dementia. This is another area that has a lot of research backing it. CBD has been shown to help battle the symptoms of depression. In fact, there has been a study that showcased how CBD oil was effective in helping reduce anxiety and insomnia for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Final Thoughts

While there is certainly much more research to be done, current studies suggest that CBD oil has the potential to help with dementia. While it is not going to completely halt the damage or the progression of the diseases, it may be able to help limit the symptoms. Whether suffering from insomnia related to the disease, depression, or something else – CBD may be able to help manage these symptoms. 

However, not all CBD is created equal. You want to be certain that you are getting the highest quality CBD oil products to ensure you experience the maximum benefits it can offer. That is why you should choose a brand like Tanasi who actively invests in research to ensure it’s delivering the highest quality and most effective products. With Tanasi, you will be able to get the highest quality full-spectrum CBD hemp extract in the marketplace utilizing specially made formulations optimized for maximal biological activity and potency.