How To Take Cbd Oil For Parkinsons Disease
Patients of Parkinsons disease may take CBD in various ways. These include:
- CBD oils and tinctures These may be applied under the tongue for more efficacy. These formats are best for PD patients who have difficulty swallowing.
- CBD capsules
- CBD edibles, like gummies
- CBD lotions and creams are best used during massages to relax stiff joints and painful body parts
- CBD vape pens The inhalation of CBD gives almost instantaneous effects. However, vaping is not recommended for PD patients because the method may damage the lungs.
Medical Marijuana Is A Different Medicine
This delicacy of the neurotransmitter balance makes doctors cautious about medical marijuana. A factor in this may be that almost all of our medical education about cannabis was about abuse of recreational marijuana by adolescents. Medical cannabis is a different medicineit contains only the cannabinoids, the active ingredients of marijuana. And, of course, Parkinsons patients are a different population. The average age of onset of Parkinsons is 60.
In the later stages of Parkinsons, patients need support for other symptoms which can dominate their lives and cause great disability: pain, paralysis, bowel problems, mental health problems, weight loss and so on.
The miracle drug for Parkinsons patients
Levo-dopa has been the miracle drug for Parkinsons patients. Levo-dopa acts as a pre-cursor for dopamine in the brain. For some patients, it increases their fluidity of movement and allows them to move unselfish-consciously. For others, levo-dopa is the medicine that makes any movement at all possible. They become frozen without it.
Unfortunately, there is a limit to how long levo-dopa worksthe brain loses its capacity over time to store and use dopamine that comes from it. There are unwanted effects from using it in large doses after many years.
Partly for these reasons, medical marijuana must never be used as a replacement for dopaminergic or other Parkinsons meds.
How To Choose The Right Cbd For Parkinsons Disease
The use of CBD oil may be helpful in the treatment of Parkinsons disease. There are three types to choose from, namely, full-spectrum CBD oil, broad-spectrum, and isolates.
Full-spectrum CBD oil is the most recommended, as its use of all the ingredients of the cannabis plant is believed to produce an entourage effect.
The entourage effect is the synergy of the trace amounts of THC, flavonoids, fatty acids, and essential oils. These active ingredients work together to give maximum therapeutic benefits to users.
THC may cause a high on users. Drug tests can also detect it. Patients who want to avoid this risk may use broad-spectrum CBD oils. This type of oil contains all the ingredients of a full-spectrum oil except for THC.
PD patients who want to use pure isolated cannabidiol may avail of CBD isolates.
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What Is Parkinsons Disease And How Does It Affect Those With It
An estimated 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD each year, and nearly one million Americans will have Parkinsons by 2020 .
Parkinsons disease is a neurological disorder which affects your motor system. Its believed to be caused by a severe drop in dopamine levels in your brain.
Since the nerve cells responsible for producing dopamine get destroyed in PD, your brain loses its ability to produce this essential neurotransmitter.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger which helps your nerve cells talk to each other. Low levels mean messages from your brain dont quite reach your muscles as they should.
Over the long term, this is thought to lead to cognitive decline and symptoms such as:
- Tremors and shaking
- Muscle rigidity and stiffness of limbs
- Bradykinesia, or slowness of movement
- Impaired balance and coordination loss
Theres no known cure for PD, and since the disease is progressive, it can also get worse over time.
Medications have been shown to slightly improve a few of these symptoms, though not without their unpleasant side effects.Since several studies show your bodys natural endocannabinoid system is involved in certain neurodegenerative processes, cannabinoids found in medical marijuana may be worth exploring for PD symptoms.
Cannabis For Parkinsons Pain Management
Many PD patients report either musculoskeletal pain and/or central nerve pain.
In one study, researchers watched 2,736 patients over the age of 65?begin medical cannabis treatment. Over 65% of the participants were using medical marijuana for pain management.
After six months of medical cannabis treatments :
- 93.7% of participants reported improvement in their condition
- On a 0-10 scale, the median level of reported pain went from an eight to a four.
- More than 18% of patients either reduced or stopped taking their opioids for pain in lieu of the medical marijuana treatments.
Though studies like this demonstrate therapeutic uses of medical cannabis are safe and effective and can reduce opioid dependency there still needs to be more research done to improve the quality of life of people with PD.
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Can A Daily Dose Of Cbd Help With Parkinsons Disease
- CBD may have therapeutic effects on Parkinsons disease , especially on the non-motor symptoms associated with the neurodegenerative disease.
- A study in 2009 has found that CBD improved psychosis and decreased delusions, hallucinations, and sleep disturbances in Parkinsons disease patients.
- A study published in The International Journal of Neuroscience reported CBDs positive effects on motor symptoms, such as tremors, of the test subjects with Parkinsons disease.
- A study published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology suggests that CBD may be a useful preventive therapy for Parkinsons disease. However, the researchers acknowledge that it is challenging to diagnose PD in its early stages.
- Current research shows that CBD has great potential in the treatment of Parkinsons disease. However, further studies need to be done to establish CBDs benefits for Parkinsons disease.
Cannabis Shown To Relieve Parkinson Disease Symptoms
A recent survey found that patients experienced relief of certain motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson disease from using cannabis.
A recent survey on community perceptions of cannabis use in patients with Parkinson disease found that patients reported cannabis to be effective at reducing symptom severity.
Results also show a lack of knowledge on the different types and administration routes among patients. Researchers said that this is the largest study analyzing the view of patients on cannabis therapy in PD.
The study, published in Journal of Parkinsons Disease, took place in Germany, which in 2017 approved medical cannabis as a therapy for patients with severe symptoms of PD when other therapies were unsuccessful or not tolerable. MC is eligible for reimbursement in these cases.
Although many cannabis products and formulations are available to patients, there is a lack of controlled clinical studies addressing MC effectiveness on PD symptoms. Its also unclear which PD symptoms would be best treated with MC, whether certain cannabis formulations are more effective, or which routes of administration patients would prefer most. Further, the prevalence of MC use and patient opinion on its use for PD symptoms relief are unknowns.
Cannabis users made up 15% of participants, of which 13.9% were regular users, 32.2% were occasional users, and 42.6% had tried it once 11.4% did not answer. Users were on average 5.6 years younger than nonusers.
Reference
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The Pros And Cons Of Cbd Oil For Parkinsons Disease
The Pros
- Preclinical trials, observational studies, and clinical trials on human and animal models have revealed CBDs therapeutic effects on Parkinsons disease.
- Compared to the usual medications for PD like levodopa, CBD has a more favorable safety profile.
- To date, there is no recorded case of CBD dependence in humans. Hence, it is not a substance that has the potential for abuse.
The Cons
- Further research needs to be made on CBD use, especially as a preventive therapy for Parkinsons disease.
- CBD use also has side effects, such as diarrhea, tiredness, and changes in weight or appetite.
- The United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of CBD in treating Parkinsons disease.
- Due to the lack of FDA regulation, incidences of mislabeled CBD products are prevalent, especially products that are sold online.
Causes Of Parkinsons Disease
People suffering from Parkinsons disease are not able to produce enough chemical dopamine. The reason behind this is that some of the nerve cells that produce it have died. These cells stop working correctly and eventually become lost. The fall of dopamine levels results in abnormal brain activity. And this further causes symptoms of Parkinsons.
But, there are also some factors involved in this. These include genetics, toxins, gender, age, and Lewy bodies.
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How Does Medical Marijuana Affect The Body
Marijuana affects the body through neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers of the nervous system.
Various factors can stimulate neurotransmitter activity, initiating a set of physiological responses. In cannabis, it is mainly THC or CBD binding to endocannabinoid receptors that produce new physiological reactions in the body.
The endocannabinoid system is one of the most important neurotransmitter systems in the body. It utilizes cannabinoid receptors located throughout the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system . Cannabis works to turn on endocannabinoid neurotransmitters through activity at these receptors.
Parkinsons Disease And Cbmps
The survey, conducted among members of the German Parkinson Association , assessed patient perceptions of medicinal cannabis and evaluated the experiences of patients already using cannabis products.
Over 1,300 responses to the survey were analysed by the team, which found that interest in the Parkinsons Disease community in medical cannabis was high, but knowledge about different types of products was limited. 51% of respondents were aware of the legality of medicinal cannabis in Germany, and 28% were aware of the various routes of administration , but only 9% were aware of the difference between THC and CBD.
Dr Carsten Buhmann, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, said: Medical cannabis was legally approved in Germany in 2017 when approval was given for therapy-resistant symptoms in severely affected patients independent of diagnosis and without clinical evidence-based data.
PD patients fulfilling these criteria are entitled to be prescribed medical cannabis, but there are few data about which type of cannabinoid and which route of administration might be promising for which PD patient and which symptoms. We also lack information about the extent to which the PD community is informed about medicinal cannabis and whether they have tried cannabis and, if so, with what result.
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Florida Medical Marijuana For Parkinsons
Florida medical marijuana can be a great alternative or addition to the medication routine for someone who has Parkinsons disease. Unfortunately, many of the traditional medications prescribed for a Parkinsons patient may come with negative side-effects that are not present in cannabis. Medical marijuana provides a combination of anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and pain relief. The active ingredients in marijuana are cannabinoids. Depending on the strain and variety of cannabis, there can be 60 different kinds of cannabinoids present. The most known compound is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. These cannabinoids are not just limited to marijuana. The brain itself can produce these compounds and contains them in the endocannabinoid system. This system has receptors that connect to cannabinoids. When this connection occurs, it can affect the levels of brain chemicals such as dopamine.
In some cases, cannabinoids can act as dopamine agonists. This means they imitate the chemicals, then connect to the same receptors and can create the same results as natural dopamine. The basal ganglia, the area of the brain that controls your movements, contains a vast number of cannabinoid receptors. People who have Parkinsons often have fewer cannabinoid receptors than people without the disease.
Should I Use Medical Marijuana If I Have Parkinsons
As more states have signed up to legalize medical cannabis, patients have increasingly been exploring it as a way to treat their Parkinsons symptoms. Some who may have found standard drugs to be insufficient turn to marijuana to help sleep, lower anxiety, or reduce tremors, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Robert Duarte, MD, director of Northwell Health’s Pain Center in Great Neck, New York, treats several patients with Parkinsons who have tried medical cannabis to alleviate pain-related problems.
I have also seen it work on insomnia and anxiety, he says. If youre sleeping better and have less anxiety, there is definitely a relationship between that and improving your tremor.
But marijuana doesnt work for everyone, and doctors have to rely on educated guesswork to recommend cannabis-based products.
The problem is there are no standards for dosing or manufacturing different forms of medical cannabis, says James Beck, PhD, chief scientific officer with the Parkinsons Foundation. Some people equate access to efficacy. Just because you can gain access to medical marijuana through legalization changes in different states doesnt mean that its effective for a disease.
Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, chief scientific officer for the American Parkinson Disease Association in New York City, knows many Parkinsons patients who have experimented with medical cannabis and had mixed results.
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Parkinson’s Disease And Medical Marijuana Programs
Studies are still being conducted to discover just how beneficial cannabis may or may not be for Parkinson’s patients. According to MichaelJFox.org, pre-clinical work and several studies funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation show that cannabinoids may protect brain cells through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.
Michael J. Fox is an incredibly big star, but his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 1991 at the age of 29 changed his life forever. He did not formally announce he had Parkinson’s until 1998. It was then that he committed himself to campaign for an increase in Parkinson’s research. The Michael J. Fox Foundation was created in 2000. It has raised more than 650 million for PD research. The actor has been a strong supporter of cannabis access so that more studies can be conducted.
Currently, 35 states have medical marijuana programs. However, at this time, only 13 of those states have Parkinson’s disease listed as a qualifying condition for cannabis use. Those states include Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and New York.
New Consensus Statement Helps Guide Physicians And Patients
byJudy George, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today September 22, 2020
Cannabis use can raise complex issues for Parkinson’s disease patients, including possible adverse effects, toxicity, and drug-drug interactions.
Few studies have shown the benefits or harms of medical cannabis in Parkinson’s disease, said Benzi Kluger, MD, MS, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.
Four small randomized trials of cannabinoids have been conducted in Parkinson’s patients with mixed results. “These trials were small, short, and had other shortcomings that make it safer to call them inconclusive rather than negative,” Kluger said.
“We do know of some side effects — such as hypotension, apathy, and confusion — but do not know if there are any long-term effects,” he added.
But knowledge about the basic science of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system is expanding, Kluger noted. “The literature strongly supports a role for the endocannabinoid system in normal movement and a potential role in many movement disorders.”
“There is some data in animal models and uncontrolled case series in people to support the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in Parkinson’s disease, but we currently have no randomized clinical trials supporting their efficacy for motor or non-motor symptoms in people living with Parkinson’s,” he said.
Cannabis Use Common in Parkinson’s
A New Consensus Statement
- Start at low doses and increase gradually
Disclosures
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Medical Marijuana As A Treatment For Parkinsons Symptoms
Parkinsons disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes tremors, slow movement, stiffness, and loss of balance. Because marijuana directly affects the central and peripheral nervous systems, scientists have studied the effect of marijuana as a treatment for Parkinsons symptoms.
A 2020 review of 14 different studies acknowledged evidence that medical marijuana provides a reduction in anxiety, tremors, and involuntary or erratic movements. However, the researchers concluded that there is insufficient evidence to recommend medical marijuana use as part of Parkinson’s treatment.
A 2017 study with patients who used medical marijuana over three months to manage Parkinson’s symptoms found that the treatment improved their symptoms and did not cause major adverse effects.
Other research has shown that medical marijuana may be able to help with some Parkinsons disease symptoms, including:
- Smoking
Side Effects Of Parkinson’s Disease Medications
As with many medications used to treat diseases, there are often side effects. Common side-effects of Levodopa are vomiting, nausea, and irregular heartbeat rhythms. Sinemet it can raise the odds for some long-term problems like involuntary movements. With Safinamide, the side effects can include falling asleep and staying asleep, falls, nausea, and uncontrollable involuntary movements.
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Sticking To The Management Plan
Regardless of the studys findings, Mullen and Preusser said they plan to keep doing the things that help them live productively with Parkinsons disease. For Mullen, that includes stretching, walking, acupuncture, regular pool and gym work, and attention to diet, especially cutting down on sugar.
Preusser said he exercises at least 45 minutes a day and walks regularly, sometimes several miles. His weekly schedule always includes one adventure, rain or shine, winter or summer, such as a lengthy hike or skiing he still hits the slopes at Loveland Basin.
Whatever the outcome of Leeheys trial, Preusser advised others with Parkinsons disease to have as many tools as possible to mitigate the symptoms and lead a healthy life.
Find what works and stick to it, he said. I didnt go into the trial with the idea that its a magic bullet. If not for me, there is still something for research to gain from the study.