According to the American Psychiatric Association, a staggering one in six people will suffer from depression at some point in their life.

With about 1 in 15 American adults being diagnosed with depression every year, depression is among the most widespread mental illnesses and one of the most well-known. As depression awareness grows, more and more people realize that it is absolutely a legitimate medical condition requiring professional treatment.

However, the so-called “invisible” symptoms of depression can often make it one of the most challenging conditions to deal with, leading many sufferers to a frustrating and obstacle-laden treatment process.

Most commonly, patients are prescribed one of many different pharmaceutical medications. The process to pinpoint an effective dosage and balance of medications can be a long and arduous one, often full of unwanted side effects and frequent office visits.

When deciding if CBD is the right choice in alternative medicine for depression, it is important to first understand the causes.

What Causes Depression?

While many believe that a chemical imbalance in the brain is the source of depression, there are multiple other factors that can be involved including stressful life events, medications, faulty mood regulations, and other various medical conditions.

Researchers have identified numerous genes that are responsible for vulnerabilities in emotions and how people respond to different drug treatments. Even with the advancements in science with how the brain regulates mood, understanding of depression is an ongoing process that will take years to complete.

The Harvard Medical School states that the levels of certain chemicals in the brain may not be the most important impact on depression. While they claim the understanding on the neurological underpinnings of mood is incomplete, they state that nerve cell connections, never cell growth, and nerve cell functionality have a stronger impact on depression.

With the complexity of depression, there could be different, more individualized treatments to different people who share the same symptoms.

The good news is that there is a naturally-based alternative gaining steam as being potentially useful for depression sufferers: CBD.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the more than 60 naturally-occurring compounds found in the cannabis and hemp family of plants. For many people, cannabis is associated with distinct psychoactive effects, the “high” that is typically attributed to marijuana use.

The compound that produces this high is known as THC and interacts with the brain’s cannabinoid receptors in a very direct manner. However, CBD interacts with these receptors less directly, eliminating psychoactive effects and allowing patients to make use of the purported health benefits of cannabis without any feeling of being “high.”

Using CBD for holistic wellness is emerging as an attractive alternative for patients looking to avoid traditional pharmaceutical routes, or as a complementary component of a standard treatment plan for a variety of conditions. Most commonly, CBD is used as a daily supplement to promote general good health.

Because CBD affects brain activity, it’s also become a viable option for aiding in the treatment of several mental illnesses, including depression. *

How CBD Affects Depression

Recent studies have connected CBD’s ability to connect with brain receptors (including those related to dopamine and serotonin) with the potential relief or lessening of depression symptoms.

One 2011 study focused on how the serotonin system is connected through endocannabinoid signaling and determined that there is evidence that endocannabinoids can serve as critical regulators of the brain’s stress responses. These stress responses can be directly tied to depression, leading to the theory that CBD can have a beneficial impact on the symptoms.

A December 2010 study demonstrated that high concentrations of CBD have the ability to activate the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor, which serves to provide an anti-anxiety effect. This effect has the potential to provide relief to both depression and anxiety sufferers.

The Antidepressant Action of Cannabis

From the Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior journal, Abir T. El-Alfy documents the antidepressant-like effects from cannabinoids isolated from sativa cannabis. An associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. El-Alfy reports a study that explores the antidepressant action of cannabis.

To conduct this study, researchers administered CBD oil to mice that were experiencing symptoms of depression. At 2.5 mg/kg doses, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) shows major antidepressant-like effect. Cannabidiol (CBD) was found to produce significant effects at 20 and 200 mg/kg.

This study further contributes to the possibility of CBD being an alternative solution to helping symptoms of depression.

Using these same tests, another study reported in the December 2005 journal of European Neuropsychopharmacology the antidepressant-like effects of CBD.

The experiments were aimed at enhancing the activity of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor to see if they would produce antidepressant effects. The results suggested that antidepressant effects came from the enhancement of the CB1 receptor.

While these studies show significant progress in cannabidiol (CBD) being a viable solution to relieving symptoms of depression, it is recommended to take the time to research all alternative methods before making the decision to treat depression with CBD.

With the continued scientific studies of CBD and antidepressant effects, it is exciting to see the advancements of using a more natural way of healing issues such as anxiety and depression.

How to Use CBD Oil for Depression

CBD oil is a versatile product that can be used in a variety of ways for patients with depression, making it a flexible supplement or alternative to other options.

The most common use of CBD is in tincture or capsule form. Taken orally in tinctures, the oils absorb into the bloodstream very quickly. The bioavailability increases the longer you leave it under your tongue. Another great delivery method is topical with a salve, which can be applied directly to areas of need.

There is no one-size-fits-all dosage when it comes to utilizing CBD for depression, so we recommend referring to our dosage guide.

Although there are other options for CBD-based products, such as edibles and vaping options, those are more commonly utilized for patients dealing with chronic pain or inflammation.

CBD oil is just one of many components that can make up a natural treatment for depression. While traditional medicine has its own take on treatments, there are many other natural remedies that may assist in conjunction with CBD.

For example, turmeric curcumin has been found to reduce depression symptoms as reported in a 2017 review. The list of turmeric benefits goes on and it can help assist in other parts of a healthy life.

So when deciding on a natural health treatment for a daily regimen, how do you go about finding a good CBD oil?

The Best CBD Oil for Depression

If you conduct a basic Internet search for CBD oil, you’re likely to come up with several hundred options. However, all CBD oils are not created equally. Much like any food or drink that you put into your body, the farming process of the hemp (from which the CBD is derived) is critical in its level of quality. Using pesticides or careless farming practices is highly undesirable for any item you plan to ingest, including CBD products.

This is only the beginning though, as the real magic is created in our certified commercial kitchen. Our tincture formula is the result of high-quality hemp seed oil that compliments the full spectrum CBD, resulting in stronger bioavailability and effectiveness. This separates us from formulas derived from CBD isolate.

For that reason, 43 CBD Solutions utilizes 100 percent natural farming practices, working tirelessly to take every possible measure to create the best CBD products on the market. Using conscious farming, premium hemp seeds, and the advantage of an optimal setting in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, we can produce CBD products that raise the bar.

To learn more about the potential benefits * you could experience by adding CBD to your treatment plan, we invite you to review our educational resources and lab reports or contact our team today. Once you’re ready to utilize CBD to make a positive impact on your health and wellness, whether as a tool in your fight against depression or another medical condition, browse our wide range of CBD products to find the right one for you.

* The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the statements made regarding these products. FDA-approved research has not confirmed the efficacy of these products. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require this notice.

Featured Image Provided By: Africa Studio/Shutterstock