Are you considering CBD for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but you aren’t sure how it works or what to try? There are many who are looking for alternative treatments for irritable bowel syndrome like CBD but are unsure about how it works. This article will walk you through how CBD may be effective for you to help with your irritable bowel syndrome.

What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Did you know that roughly 1 out of every 10 people in the developed world have symptoms that are consistent with irritable bowel syndrome? It’s no wonder many people are looking for treatment options.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that effects the large intestine. It has many symptoms including cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you’ll need to manage long term.

Unlike Irritable Bowel Disease, IBS does not cause changes in the tissue in your intestine or increase your risk for developing certain conditions like colorectal cancer.

What Are The Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

To understand how CBD could help with irritable bowel syndrome we need to examine what may be causing the symptoms.  Unfortunately, the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not known, but there are several ideas as to what the underlying factors may be.

It is possible that some people may have longer and more intense contractions in their intestines than others. Contractions of the intestines are normal because this is how food is moved through. However, contractions that are stronger and last longer than normal can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

For others IBS could be the result of abnormalities of the nerves in the intestines. Poorly coordinated signals between the brain and the intestines can cause your body to overreact to changes that normally occur in the digestive process, resulting in pain, diarrhea, or constipation.

While others may be experiencing irritable bowel symptoms because of a recent infection in their digestive system or changes in the bacteria that are a part of all our digestive tracts.

Traditional IBS Treatments

Various medications may be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics and antibiotics may be used to alter the flora, which is the normal bacteria in your digestive system, along your digestive tract.  Medications that alter the intestinal movements may also be prescribed. It is also common for physicians to prescribe antidepressants to help relieve IBS symptoms. Even peppermint has been identified as an option with over the counter solutions.

While many of these treatments help it is not a guarantee that this will work for you or that at some point they could stop working. That is why many people have been exploring other CBD options to help alleviate the symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

What Is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a part of the hemp plant. CBD is one of the more than 100 cannabinoids that are found inside of the plant. You may have heard of another famous cannabinoid found in hemp’s cousin marijuana called THC. THC is the part of the marijuana plant that gives you the euphoric high feeling. Unlike THC, CBD will not give you a high feeling. Instead it has several other properties including pain and inflammation relief. It is also an anti-anxiety, meaning that it gives you a calming sensation.

How Can CBD Help For IBS?

Our bodies have a system in them that helps balance, pain, regulate mood, and inflammation called the endocannabinoid system. This system consists of receptors found all over our brains and in areas such as our digestive system and nervous system. Now, this system is important because IBS sufferers are more likely to suffer from increased mental health issues, as well as pain, and inflammation due to an endocannabinoid deficiency, according to recent research findings.

As we have already seen one of the ways to treat irritable bowel syndrome is with medications that reduce inflammation. Since CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory it can help in that process. It does this by working with the endocannabinoid receptors in the digestive tract.

In addition to helping with inflammation, CBD can also help with pain. Unfortunately, a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome is pain. CBD’s anti-pain properties work in two ways. The first is by reducing inflammation. The second is by inhibiting certain chemicals in that body that are often associated with pain. CBD is also able to do this by its work with the endocannabinoid system by signaling the body to reduce the production of certain neurotransmitters in the body.

Finally, there is evidence that some may experience irritable bowel symptoms from stress and anxiety. While CBD can’t stop you from having stress in your life it can help you better cope with it. It does this by helping lower levels of cortisol in your body, which is often called the stress hormone. If you have lower levels of cortisol you will feel less anxious and less stressed. This reduction of stress and anxiety can help many that have anxiety induced irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

What CDB To Take For Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

With a condition like irritable bowel syndrome you will need to take a form of CBD that has systemic effects. The only way to achieve this with CBD is by utilizing a type of CBD that can work inside of your circulatory system. This would include a CBD oil, CBD gummy, or a smokable hemp product.

CBD oils are a popular way for many to take CBD for irritable bowel syndrome. This is the case for several reasons. The first is because of how it is taken. When you take a CBD oil you take it sublingually meaning that it absorbs in the glands underneath of your tongue. This method allows it to bypass the digestive system and allows for quick absorption. When you take a CBD oil it starts to have an effect within about 30 minutes.

In addition to being relatively fast it is also long lasting. While smoking CBD hemp flower is the fastest way for the CBD to enter your body, it is also one of the shortest lasting methods. It will be in your body immediately in a smokable form, but it will also be out within 1-3 hours. When you take an oil, it can last in your body for anywhere between 4-8 hours. For someone suffering chronic symptoms this longer lasting relief is often preferred.

Conclusion

IBS is a common condition affecting millions of people across the globe. While several conventional treatments for addressing the frustrating symptoms of the condition do exist, their efficacy is limited. At CBD Supply Maryland we are here to guide you through the process of how CBD could be a natural alternative for you to relieve IBS symptoms and pain.

If you have IBS and want to try CBD as a solution to your ongoing battle with IBS we hope you come and talk with us at CBD Supply Maryland to guide you through this process.