Women suffering from mood swings, skin problems, irregular periods to insomnia are all symptoms of irregular hormonal balance and you might be wondering does CBD help with hormonal imbalance? Keep reading this article to find out!
Our endocrine system is very complex and that’s what regulates most of our hormones. Hormonal imbalance can cause serious health complications, so it is crucial to properly understand the endocrine’s role, bring awareness, and address the root cause.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers sent from an endocrine muscle gland to a receptor site in the organs and tissues. Once these messages are sent, changes take place. This process is essential for all bodily functions. Hormones may be small but have a significant impact if a slight excess or deficiency can cause a slew of effects on a person’s well-being.
Everyone can suffer from hormonal imbalance, but most likely, women can be affected by hormonal fluctuations that naturally occur during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. However, hormone imbalances happen outside of these periods. If dysfunction of an endocrine gland happens, it can trigger serious health issues such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, Addison’s disease, and PCOS.
Hormone imbalance affects
Statistic shows that up to 80% of women suffer from hormone imbalance and I was one of then. I have suffered from hormonal imbalances and PCOS in the recently years. Unfortunately, my hormonal imbalances were so off balance that I had a menstrual cycle for six months. Yes, I said it, six months. I had hemorrhaging issues which caused me to require blood transfusions once a month because I lost so much blood. I was referred to a gynecologist. She recommended hormonal options to decrease menstrual bleeding. Sadly, with my family history, deep vein thrombosis which is where blood clots form deep in your veins was common, so hormonal birth control was not an option. As a result, I was lethargic and fatigued for six months straight.
I was overwhelmed with the less availability of medications, so I tried to research on my own about PCOS. I noticed millions of women were suffering along with me with the same problem. I decided to go a holistic and integrative health route because I had exhausted all my options. Even iron supplements only made me constipated.
One day, I decided to go to a local herb pharmacy store in my city of Memphis, TN. The store was called Dr. Champion Herb and Pharmacy. This pharmacy is a staple in my neighborhood in the South Memphis area. Dr. Champion is the first black pharmacist to open up his pharmacy in Memphis. I walked in and was greeted by him and his daughters, who are pharmacists. I told them about my issue and was given a herb tincture tea for my heavy bleeding and CBD oil for my anxiety. After taking these holistic options consistently and incorporating a more serious healthier lifestyle for thirty 30 days, I saw a drastic improvement. My periods were regular, and I was finally ovulating. After seeing this success, my interest started to peak in holistic options, especially cannabidiols.
Understanding the endocannabinoid system and hormone imbalance
Although some of the causes of women’s hormonal imbalance have medical reasonings. Other women, such as myself, were faced with no conventional medication options and only could think of holistic options. In addition, some women only want holistic products to subside their symptoms and pain. These unbalanced hormones can be Polyovarian Cyst Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Menopause, and much more. The endocannabinoid system of CB1 and CB2 are the two main fundamental components. These components ensure the hormones receive proper signals that produce expected production levels.
Every human body has an endocannabinoid system with two cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors deal with the brain by mediating the psychoactive effects of cannabinoids, whereas CB2 receptors act on the immune system with anti-inflammatory properties. Research studies state that dysfunction in the endocannabinoid stimulates androgens hormones within the human body. Therefore, it is crucial to find a treatment plan that can help stabilize this system.
How does CBD work in the body?
Cannabidiol (CBD) has been thought to help with hormonal regulation and keeping the body in balance. Many women are increasing their usage of cannabidiol without the feeling of being “high.” CBD not only gives the comfort of feeling at ease and calm, but this can help women with many things, such as better mood and sleep and creating a sense of balance in the body. Women with hormonal imbalances can benefit particularly from their stress levels, which can help them feel calmer and sleep better.
If you gladly decide to include this fantastic natural product in your treatment plan. Within Dr. Peace Lily website, there is a wide variety of CBD options for relief.
Why should I listen to you, and Why now?
As a woman, who went through unbalanced hormones which resulted in prolonged cycles, stress, and premenopausal symptoms, I personally turned to holistic options such as herbs and CBD. Since the journey of my diagnosis, I have improved my diet and incorporated integrative health such as staying consistent with Dr. Peace Lily products.
References:
- Adrenal Glands. Hopkinsmedicine.org. Published August 8, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2022.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/adrenal-glands
- Ashton JC, Glass M. The cannabinoid CB2 receptor as a target for inflammation-dependent neurodegeneration. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2007;5(2):73-80. doi:10.2174/157015907780866884
- Feintuch S. CBD for Women: What Are Women Using CBD For? HealthyWomen. Published August 2019. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/cbd-women-what-are-women-using-cbd
This article was written by Dr. Peace Lily Scientific Communications Intern, A’lexxuis Combs, Doctorate of Pharmacy Candidate 2023, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and edited by Dr. Najifa Choudhury, PharmD.