The nonprofit Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the leading research and educational resource for the global wellness industry, has added evidence-based medical research about CBD to its WellnessEvidence.com platform. Other new additions include psilocybin, halotherapy and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for cancer.
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WellnessEvidence.com provides free and easy access to studies on wellness approaches from sources of evidence-based medicine, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed and the TRIP Database. The site also provides summaries of representative studies, as well as the current clinical trials underway for that wellness approach. The CBD data on the platform answers some commonly asked questions about CBD.
Does CBD improve sleep?
A small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 2022 study tested medicinal cannabis oil containing THC and CBD and found that it improved sleep quality and quantity, increasing levels of the sleep hormone melatonin by 30%; while a larger 2023 study from UCLA and Scripps Clinic Sleep Center found that low doses of CBD improved sleep quality in patients with a history of sleep disturbances.
Does CBD help with pain relief?
A large 2017 report concluded that substantial evidence exists for cannabis plus cannabinoid treatment for three conditions: chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced vomiting and muscle spasms; however, CBD alone may not be as effective in pain treatment, with a separate 2022 study finding that 28 days of CBD oil application did not reduce symptoms of distress and pain for patients with advanced cancer.
Can CBD help with anxiety and other mental health conditions?
A 2019 metareview indicates that there is a promising, yet unproven, role for CBD in managing anxiety disorders; while a much larger metareview that is also from 2019 looked at ways CBD impacts a number of mental health conditions – including depression, anxiety, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, PTSD and psychosis – finding scarce evidence.
“CBD, a non-psychoactive part of the cannabis sativa plant, has recently soared in popularity and has seen a lot of marketing hype as a cure-all," said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of the GWI. "While studies are increasing, unlike the overwhelmingly positive evidence for approaches such as exercise or healthy sleep, the evidence around CBD can be complex and confusing. There are too many small trials with conflicting results as well as trials and metareviews that too often include THC/CBD compounds rather than studying just pure CBD. WellnessEvidence.com is a ‘spin-free’ research zone where you can research studies for CBD, whether positive or negative. Because more knowledge always means more empowerment.”
