Typically affecting women between the age of 45 and 55, the menopause is when periods stop happening and it is no longer possible to get pregnant. It can happen before or after this age range, and if it occurs before the age of 40, it is labelled as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.
Unfortunately, if you’re a woman in this age bracket, there’s no way of entirely avoiding the menopause. However, there are treatments that could ease the process of going through it, and some experts are now suggesting that CBD could be an option to consider.
Is CBD good for menopause?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a collection of receptors in the body. These receptors play a crucial role in many different bodily functions and processes including sleep, memory, pain, mood, reproduction, body temperature and the immune system. Some experts believe that a malfunctioning ECS could be the cause of a number of different health conditions.
Research has suggested that CBD is capable of interacting with some of the receptors in the ECS, resulting in improvement to various functions and processes in the human body. Many of these processes are disrupted by the menopause, such as your mood, ability to fall and stay asleep, and even the density of your bones. As CBD could interact with these functions, it’s possible that it could help to treat and ease symptoms of menopause.
Does CBD oil work for menopause symptoms?
Symptoms of menopause may start weeks, months or even years prior to your final period, and it’s possible that they could continue for as long as four years after it. The most common symptoms include:
- excessive sweating
- low mood and feelings of anxiety
- problems with sleep
- hot flushes
- vaginal dryness
- reduced libido
- aches and pains
- trouble with memory and concentration.
It’s not to say that CBD could treat all of these symptoms, but research suggests that it could be capable of helping with some of them. Despite little to no effect from pharmaceutical medications in relevant studies, research has suggested that CBD could reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and low mood, as well as the standard and duration of sleep. Because anxiety and low mood are commonly associated with menopause, this may give hope to women who are keen to use CBD to treat these symptoms.
Hot flushes could also be treated by the use of CBD. Although research into how CBD could impact this symptom is lacking, the influence it has on serotonin could lead to a positive effect on hot flushes, as it’s capable of activating the body’s 5-HT1A serotonin receptors. Hot flushes are partly neurochemical, and research has suggested that some antidepressants are capable of treating this. As for feelings of pain and discomfort, many studies suggest that CBD can be used for effective pain relief due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
How to take CBD oil for menopause
Due to the range of CBD products, it’s possible to get CBD into your body in a variety of different ways. However, if you’re looking to get it into your system quickly and as a treatment for your entire body, a convenient option is to put CBD oil under your tongue, as you can use a dropper from the container and it will absorb directly through the thin skin tissue in your mouth.
