Feeling constantly tired - Try CBD!

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis is a complex and poorly understood disease characterized by persistent fatigue for at least 6 months [1].

Chronic fatigue syndrome has the following symptoms:

• excessive exhaustion after any activity;
• problems with memory or mental abilities;
• dizziness, especially when changing body posture from a lying / sitting to a standing position;
• muscle and / or joint pain
• feeling tired in the morning after sleeping.

Symptoms of the disorder can further worsen during physical or mental activity and will not improve during the rest [2]. Unfortunately, the cause of CFS is unknown.  Women suffer from this disorder 2-4 times more often than men [3].  Approximately 90 % of people with CFS will never get a proper diagnosis due to the lack of doctors specialized  in the disease.  Instead, many physicians believe that CFS exists only «in the mind» of the patient, and that disorder can be treated with physical exercise [4].

Can CBD relieve symptoms of chronic fatigue?

Unfortunately, there is still not enough information — scientific research is not quite keeping up with the demand for CBD. While scientists continue to study how effective CBD is in the treatment of CFS, some patients are already reporting that they use CBD daily and it helps them sleep and feel better, also reducing symptoms of chronic fatigue [5].

Among such is 15-year-old Tom Bethell from Norfolk, Great Britain.  For 8 years, Tom could not go to school due to his chronic fatigue [6].  According to the teenager's mom, her son was so weak that he would fall over 20-30 times a day.  Tom's memory also deteriorated, even breathing became complicated.  Doctors prescribed Tom antidepressant medication, which did not help.

It was Tom's grandmother who recommended trying CBD — cannabidiol helped the woman to treat her Crohn's disease.  According to the family, CBD reduced Tom's symptoms of CFS and completely changed his life.  The boy's physical growth accelerated: in nine months he shot up 28 cm [6]. Using CBD improved the young man's memory, now he could study better and began preparing for exams.  Previously, the boy had difficulty finding words for a simple conversation, now, thanks to CBD, Tom no longer needs round-the-clock care [6].

How can CBD help with chronic fatigue?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a safe and therapeutic component of cannabis, which moderately affects a lot of biologic reactions in the body [7].  Among the effects of CBD are:

• reduced inflammation
• improved sleep
• pain relief
• improved function of the nervous system.

Particularly, therapeutic effects of CBD can alleviate symptoms of exhaustion and chronic fatigue [8].  CBD has a well-studied anti-inflammatory effect, thus using CBD daily might help with insomnia and muscle pain. Other symptoms of CFS, such as constant fatigue and slow recovery, might be reduced by CBD's effects on the body's endocannabinoid system [9]. Daily CBD increases the amount of endogenous cannabinoids — molecules that activate cannabinoid receptors and regulate numerous processes in the body, including finctioning of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems [10].

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