We Have A Gut Feeling About Effects of Hemp on Bowels

The endocannabinoid system is a complex biological system that regulates a wide variety of processes in the human body. One process that the ECS regulates is digestion. It regulates numerous digestive processes such as hunger, salivation, appetite, and satiety. The endocannabinoid system consists of three major components such as cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoid, and metabolic enzymes. These components will work together with the central nervous system to maintain homeostasis and promote optimal wellness in the body. The hemp plant contains a large amount of cannabinoids, which is why it can affect digestion. The cannabinoids from the plant explain the effects of hemp on the bowels.

Intro to the Endocannabinoid System

Cannabinoid receptors are distributed throughout the digestive tract including the bowels. The enteric nervous system (ENS) of the digestive tract has over 500-million nerve endings. Hence, the endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in intestinal health. Introducing extra cannabinoids (such as CBD) from industrial hemp has a positive effect on the finely tuned endocannabinoid system of the digestive tract. Patients suffering from various digestive disorders may benefit from the effects of hemp on bowels.

CBD or cannabidiol is derived from both hemp and marijuana plants. Both hemp (industrial hemp) and marijuana are different strains of cannabis. Hemp contains 0.3% or less THC compared to marijuana. Thus, it won’t make you high like extracts from marijuana could. That’s why CBD oil extracted from hemp may be useful for bowel health. This article provides information on the effects of hemp on bowels.

Effects of Hemp on Bowels Starts With the ECS

Researchers believe that the endocannabinoid system or ECS is the communication link between your gut and brain. The system helps these two entities to speak to each other effectively. It also interacts with the central nervous system and enteric nervous system of the body. In fact, the ECS has a network of cannabinoid receptors— CB1 and CB2. These receptors interact with cannabinoids such as CBD from hemp.

The ECS affects your bowel health in three ways:

. Protecting the GI tract from inflammation

. Regulating digestive functions

. Communication with the brain

Poor ECS health plays a major role in various digestive health concerns such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, constipation, and gastritis. You can support your endocannabinoid system by ingesting CBD products from industrial hemp. Supplementing with CBD helps balance the endocannabinoid system and may improve bowel functions. 

Are There Any Effects of Hemp on Bowels?

According to the latest research, the answer is YES. CBD is a natural plant-based therapy that has beneficial effects for people who are coping with a wide range of GI tract conditions. CBD supplements may help the endocannabinoid system of the body to rebalance the biological functions that are out of whack. Many people rely on CBD products derived from industrial hemp to improve their digestive functions and report optimal health and well-being.

When a person is suffering from gastrointestinal disorders, the ECS tends to focus on inflammation in the GI tract. In fact, CBD supplementation may relieve symptoms of GI disorders such as inflammation and pain. It also has the potential to address secondary symptoms like anxiety and stress. There are many disorders that can affect the optimal functioning of the GI tract. Here are some of the common bowel disorders that hemp extracts could potentially help with:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Or IBS

The effects of hemp on bowels may help ease IBS – which causes inflammation in the large intestines. The common symptoms of IBS include bloating, cramping, gas, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and sudden weight loss. The condition affects over 15% of the population worldwide and is twice as prevalent in women compared to men. IBS is a chronic condition that has no cure. You can manage the symptoms of the condition with diet and lifestyle changes.

Different parts of the endocannabinoid system are linked to different symptoms of IBS. For example, low levels of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is known to create frequent abdominal cramps. PEA is an endocannabinoid. The latest research shows that PEA supplements help improve abdominal pain and cramps in IBS patients. CBD helps increase the natural levels of endocannabinoids including PEA in the gut. That’s why many patients have said that CBD supplements helped relieve their IBS symptoms.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is a painful and debilitating GI condition that affects millions of people across the globe. It causes inflammation that can affect any part of the GI tract. But the condition mostly affects the small intestines. The common symptoms of Crohn’s disease include bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and fever. Even though antibiotics can control the inflammation, they aren’t that effective and come with numerous side effects. The severity of the condition can affect the quality of life of the patient.

Addressing the inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease may be one of the effects of hemp on bowels. Hemp products interact with cannabinoid receptors in the GI tract and may improve the gut immune response while targeting inflammation in the process. It may also help relieve anxiety and stress that GI disorders can cause.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis is another form of irritable bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the GI tract. Colitis differs from Crohn’s because the former specifically affects the colon and rectum. Some of the most common symptoms of the condition include severe diarrhea with blood or pus, rectal bleeding, fatigue, difficulty in defecating, pain in the abdomen or rectum, fever, and weight loss. Similar to Crohn’s, there is no specific cure for Colitis. Treatments include a combination of anti-inflammatory & immunosuppressive drugs and painkillers to manage the symptoms.

CBD supplementation may be effective in relieving the symptoms associated with Colitis. It does this by reducing inflammation in the GI. There were several studies in 2018 that proved the effectiveness of CBD in relieving inflammation associated with Colitis and Crohn’s disease. The effects of hemp on bowels helped improve the quality of life of these study patients suffering from Ulcerative Colitis.

Gastritis

Gastritis is a condition that causes inflammation in the stomach lining. It affects millions of people around the world. Abusing painkillers and alcohol, bacterial infections, and spicy food items can cause gastritis. Some IBD conditions such as Crohn’s disease can increase your risk of gastritis. The common symptoms of the condition include severe burning in the upper stomach, vomiting, nausea, and a sense of fullness in the upper abdomen soon after eating. Gastritis can lead to stomach ulcers and stomach cancer in the long run. 

CBD from hemp can help gastritis in several ways. CBD may help deal with chronic nausea and vomiting bouts. These are two of the most common signs of severe gastritis. Some patients with severe gastritis will develop mood disorders due to the stress associated with having the condition. CBD helps increase the levels of anandamide in your system to help promote feelings of relaxation, happiness, and lessen the symptoms of gastritis. On the other hand, CBD may also help reduce inflammation of the stomach lining – which is the main cause of the condition. That’s why numerous healthcare providers recommend cannabinoids to treat mild to severe gastritis.

Constipation

Even though most people could experience constipation occasionally, severe constipation is a condition that should be treated. Constipation is defined as difficult or infrequent bowel movements for more than one week at a stretch. Straining during bowel movements, having less than three bowel movements per week, or having hard stools are some of the most common signs of this condition. Blockages or nerve issues in the bowels or rectum can cause chronic constipation.

CBD supplements may relieve certain types of constipation by addressing the cause of the issue. The anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving qualities of CBD play an important part in addressing constipation. If you experience constipation as a side effect of taking too many painkillers, you may be able to lower the dosage of painkillers and include CBD supplements in your routine. CBD may lessen the pain response in the system by increasing the levels of anandamide in your gut. Anandamide is one of the endocannabinoids that the body creates. It can moderate pain responses in damaged gut tissues and relieve anxiety and stress associated with the condition.

Conclusion: Effects of Hemp on Bowels

You need to look for a high-quality CBD supplement if you want the greatest effects of hemp on bowels. There are many CBD products on the market today, but the FDA does not regulate them, so their quality varies greatly. Make sure you do the research before choosing the best CBD supplement for your GI tract problems. Tanasi funded $2.5 million of scientific research to create the best hemp-extract formulas. Their credentials and reviews should put your mind at ease about choosing a Tanasi hemp-extract for any bowel issues you may have.