CBD, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, and Triglycerides
Nothing makes me more excited than covering a different topic that discusses another benefit that can be expected while utilizing CBD. I find it so interesting because the additional benefits that CBD brings to the table can help address things that we are currently looking for an answer in conventional medicine. Maybe the answer is there, we are looking in the wrong place…
The fact that we can improve our day-to-day life by addressing something like pain, inflammation, anxiety, mood, sleep, etc. all while giving us additional health benefits is nothing short of amazing. It is the true definition of medicine. Herbal medicine, including cannabis, has been used for thousands of years, it is nothing new. I am just re-introducing it to you and showing you the medicinal benefits that can be expected with cannabinoid medicine.
One of the growing problems that we face here in America is Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases that is characterized by chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) caused by defects in insulin secretion or caused by insulin resistance (1). Whether it is diabetes type I, type II, or gestational diabetes, regulating blood sugar is important for our health and wellness, especially when discussing longevity.
Another benefit of including CBD in our daily routine is the impact that these cannabinoids have on our blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Of course, there are a few underlying concerns that need to be discussed when it comes to those topics including diet, physical activity, lipid metabolism, protein metabolism, as well as managing inflammation, but the use of CBD seems promising. Check this out.
CBD was shown to improve fasting blood glucose levels, lower hemoglobin A1C levels (HbA1C), improve oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT), lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels (3). Although I wouldn’t depend on CBD alone to address these issues (lifestyle factors need to be addressed first), it is nice to know the additional benefits that can be expected while using your CBD oil, gummies, or capsules. I mean, this is just another huge plus!
Inflammation is an area of concern when discussing chronic inflammatory diseases, including high blood glucose levels and diabetes, which I will discuss more in next weeks topic.
I think the most disturbing thing I came across is on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) website where they stated there is no noticeable effect of CBD and its impact on blood glucose levels and then went on to state that there are side effects that can be expected from using CBD (2). The fact that the ADA stated CBD doesn’t have any noticeable effects on blood glucose levels, left it at that, then mentioned it has side effects seems shady. What is even more suspect is the study they got that conclusion from was sponsored by themselves, the American Diabetes Association (4). Go figure.
Other medical researchers from around the world are putting on placebo controlled, double-blind studies (the gold standard compared to any other type of study) that also concluded that CBD was shown to improve fasting blood glucose levels, HbA1C, and glucose tolerance testing, all while lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides (3).
The ADA seems to be doing sketchy “science” for the benefit of suppressing a potentially benefiting herb to help those that struggle with regulating their blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Am I making myself a target by exposing what seems to be some shady health advice from the ADA? Sure. BUT it is time that we stand up to those giving health advice that benefit financially from our health problems.
One amazing herb with seemingly endless benefits.
Bee Well,
Brandon Farless
References
- Kharroubi, A. T., & Darwish, H. M. (2015). Diabetes mellitus: The epidemic of the century. World journal of diabetes, 6(6), 850–867. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v6.i6.850
- Afshar, S., Khalili, S., Amin, G., & Abbasinazari, M. (2023). A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study on Efficacy and Safety Profile of a Sublingually Administered Cannabidiol /Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (10: 1) Regimen in Diabetes Type 2 Patients. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR, 21(1), e132647. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr-132647
- Mattes, R. G., Espinosa, M. L., Oh, S. S., Anatrella, E. M., & Urteaga, E. M. (2021). Cannabidiol (CBD) Use in Type 2 Diabetes: A Case Report. Diabetes spectrum : a publication of the American Diabetes Association, 34(2), 198–201. https://doi.org/10.2337/ds20-0023
