CBD and Parkinson’s

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The news about getting a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis can be heartbreaking, but with the right care and proper supplementation, you can significantly improve your way of life.

What is Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s disease was described for the first time in 1817 by the English surgeon James Parkinsons. He wrote the ‘An Essay Of The Shaking Palsy’, a detailed description of the potential disease and common symptoms. Later, when the disease was officially discovered, it was named after him in recognition.

Parkison’s is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the part of the brain responsible for producing dopamine and the neurotransmitter that coordinates body-movements. At the onset of Parkinson’s disease, the cells in the substantia nigra area of the brain start dying. This causes the level of dopamine in the brain to decrease, and once it reaches 60-80%, the symptoms of Parkinson’s start to show.

As the disease progresses, the movements become slower, but behavioral and cognitive changes are also possibilities. Some of the most common Parkinson’s symptoms are motor-related: tremor, problems with balance, rigidity, and slow movement. Other more serious symptoms include sleep deprivation, depression, memory problems, psychosis, etc. Early signs may go undiagnosed for years, as there’s no definitive test for PD.

The cause for Parkinson’s remains unknown, but it may be due to hereditary or environmental factors.

Parkinson’s: The Statistics

After Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease is the second most common degenerative disease in the world. It’s estimated that by the end of this year, nearly one million people in the world will live with Parkinson’s.

The disease affects 1-2% of the population older than 65 and over 5% of the population over 85 years old. However, in the latest years, around 4% of the diagnosed are younger than 50 years old.

Globally, the numbers are staggering: nearly 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD every year, as well as 3 million people in China. If this number continues to rise, nearly half of all PD diagnosed patients will live in China.

Men are more likely to get diagnosed than women.

Is Parkinson’s Curable?

Unfortunately, there’s no known cure for Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, as there’s no test for the disease, it’s harder for medical professionals to diagnose the disease from an early stage.

However, with the available treatments, it’s easier to maintain the condition at a certain level. The medication associated with PD includes restoring or imitating the level of dopamine in the brain. Other medications prolong the effect of the drugs, but as the disease progresses, they may become less effective.

Aside from medication, a general lifestyle and diet changes are necessary for prolonged and improved life.

How Could CBD Help Treat Parkinson’s?

One of the key roles in improving the overall health once diagnosed with PD is our endocannabinoid system (ECS), a biological system responsible for multiple cognitive processes such as immune system strength, memory, pain-sensitivity, mood, etc.

The human endocannabinoid system contains CB2 receptors all through our body that are able to act as stimulators once fuelled with the power of CBD. For the PD patients, this means that CBD may be able to ease the PD symptoms.

There have been plenty of studies about CBD’s effects on Parkinson’s. The main focus of these studies were the non-motor symptoms, such as memory, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, attention-span problems, etc.

The first study on PD patients was done in 2009 and it included 4 men and 2 women diagnosed with PD, who experienced psychosis due to the disease. For 4 weeks, they received an oral dose of CBD, together with their prescribed drugs. After a month, the patients showed a significant decrease in the psychotic symptoms and the CBD treatment didn’t affect their motor functions in any way.

Another study was done in 2004 related to the REM sleep behavior of PD diagnosed patients. The study was done on four patients and the results from implementing CBD in their routine were positive: each patient was able to overcome sleep-troubles without any side effects.

The last study was done in February 2020, delving into the effects of CBD on anxiety and tremors at PD diagnosed patients. The study included 24 diagnosed patients who were treated with CBD for 15 days, and the results showed significant decreases in the patients’ anxiety levels.

Why Try CBD For Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s is not at all an easy disease to be diagnosed with, but with the right treatment, diet, and quality CBD, it can be managed. Our bodies are a natural producer of cannabinoids and by incorporating CBD into the treatment of PD patients, the chances for a better life for the patient may significantly increase.

There are multiple studies that prove the positive effect CBD has on PD patients, without causing any side effects. With the right dose of CBD, PD can become easily bearable as patients will no longer have problems with anxiety or sleep.

We advise you to consult with a medical professional before incorporating CBD into your treatment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us - our Enecta customer care team is more than happy to help you!