How CBD can help with IBS, anxiety and pain
My huge regret when I had IBS was taking anti depressants. It eventually made my symptoms worse and threw my gut into a deeper state of disrepair.
Anti depressants act on serotonin, which is primarily made in the gut. But serotonin production is often impaired in people with IBS.
This is one of the main reasons why IBS can also increase issues with depression and/or anxiety massively. These emotional issues are debilitating on their own.
Because most doctors have no viable solutions for IBS, many prescribe anti depressants to ease patient suffering and symptoms. Serotonin is an important signalling molecule involved in regulating peristalsis. The gut is known to have at least seven different serotonin receptors.
Antidepressants can work for some people by addressing serotonin deficiency in the gut. This can improve pain tolerance and obsessive/anxious reactions to symptoms and potential triggers. This muffling of physical and emotional pain can ease some of the suffering of IBS, which is helpful.
But it’s definitely not a satisfying solution that digs deep to find and fix digestive imbalances.
The other problem with antidepressants is their side effects. Of course there’s potential weight gain or sexual dysfunction, but from a gut health perspective, anti depressants throw off bacterial balance (which can cause inflammation) and clog the liver (which can cause digestive, physical, hormonal and mood problems).
There is a more natural way to ease and support pain, mood and inflammatory symptoms with little side effects. While this too is not a solution, it can bring the same or a better relief without doing more harm in the process.
What is CBD oil?
CBD is a non-psychoactive compound derived from hemp. Hemp is a relative of marijuana (cannabis), but isn’t marijuana. CBD-rich hemp oil is made from hemp cultivated to have higher amounts of CBD.
CBD is only one of 85 different cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, one of which is THC (the one that makes you high). Typically recreational cannabis is cultivated to have much higher THC levels than CBD.
Unlike cannabis or THC, CBD DOES NOT GET YOU HIGH and is not addictive. You can’t over dose on it. It is the medicinal part of the hemp/marijuana plant, used for centuries to address pain and discomfort before pharmaceuticals were invented.
The benefit of CBD oil
CBD can help with mild to moderate depression and anxiety by influencing serotonin regulation in the gut and lowering inflammation.
IBS has an emotional component. When stress, upset, sleep deprivation, travel or anxiety occurs, symptoms tend to flare. Flares create more stress, which creates a vicious cycle of physical and emotional suffering.
CBD can help interrupt that cycle.
CBD infused hemp oil is a natural way to address mild to medium mood issues like anxiety, depression, stress, overwhelm and the physical side effects of trauma. It’s also a great way to induce a state of relaxation and manage pain (like the joint or back pain associated with IBS).
In addition, it mediates the production of several hormones including oxytocin (associated with love and affection) and the inhibits cortisol, which is correlated with stress.
By antagonizing serotonin receptors, CBD has the same effect as actual serotonin molecules. This is understood to be one of the main mechanisms of CBD’s anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects. Additionally, CBD increases the synthesis and release of serotonin.
One of the receptors through which CBD’s activity is mediated is the serotonin 5-HT1a receptor, which inhibits the fear and anxiety response.
CBD is legal in all of the United States and Puerto Rico, and is not considered a drug when made from hemp. It’s a healthier, non-adictive alternative to sleeping pills due to their ability to promote relaxation and deeper sleep. It also helps with motion sickness and relieves nausea.
CBD is also a great alternative to over the counter pain meds like Ibiprofen (and other NSAIDs) that can assault and damage the gut lining, causing issues with food and environmental allergies.
It can be a natural alternative to many medications in your cabinet (pain pills, sleeping pills, nausea meds, antidepressants, anti inflammatory drugs, etc.)
Because it’s so supportive for the immune system, CBD can be beneficial for autoimmune conditions.
CBD is not a medicine, it’s an herbal antioxidant that has a healing effect on the body. I love how natural it is and how many body systems it helps and supports.
Where to buy CBD oil
While there are many brands of CBD to choose from (CBD is exploding in popularity) my favorite brand is pure, non GMO and organic. It has 1500mg of CBD per bottle (50 mg of CBD in every 6 pumps and a light peppermint flavor).
Purium’s CBD Oil is a CO2 extracted, full spectrum oil that is NOT sourced from China. This product is clean and pure, which is extremely important. Many brands use pesticides for cultivation and toxic extraction methods (like ISA, hexane or ethanol, while Purium uses CO2)
The THC amount in this product is extremely low–so low it should not trigger a false positive on a drug test. The most recent batch of their oil tested out at .04% THC.
And there are no pills to swallow. Simply spray into the mouth and hold for 20 seconds before swallowing.
For natural, non toxic relief to physical or emotional pain or discomfort CBD is quite promising.
I use CBD oil for body pain, injuries, cramps or head aches (because I never use pain meds that are terrible for the gut).
I also give CBD oil to my dog for help with anxiety, especially during thunder storms or fireworks. I started giving him CBD oil for a back injury and was amazed at how much it mellowed him out.
If you are currently on anti depressants, talk to your doctor about whether it is safe to use both at the same time to wean yourself from SSRIs. If you are unhappy with the efficacy or side effects of anti depressants discuss CBD oil with your doctor.
If you are considering antidepressants or SSRIs or simply want help with pain, inflammation or mood issues, then give this natural approach a try. You can find my favorite brand of CBD oil here.
Use code ” diyhealth ” to get the greater of $50 or 25% off your first order of $75 or more. One bottle of CBD is is $129 and a 4 pack is $399 before you apply the discount.
You’ll l get 15% off subsequent orders, or even 25% off if you order within 30 days. And there is a 60 day return policy, so you can try it without risk!
*This post is not meant to be medical advice. The decision to get off anti depressants should be between you and your doctor. And should be done slowly to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
I wanted to share my personal negative experience with taking anti depressants while I had IBS. I believe anti depressants are over prescribed for IBS and can cause or worsen other health problems. However, a minority of people truly do need to be on them for chemical imbalances and/or debilitating depression.
This post is meant only for educational purposes. It covers what I wish I knew about anti depressants and the natural alternatives available. My aim is to empower people to make educated decisions that they won’t later regret.
Angela Privin is proof that IBS is NOT an incurable disease, but a cry for help from a gut out of balance. When the body AND mind are complaining, it’s an opportunity to examine what’s not working and change it. After solving her own IBS mystery almost two decades ago, Angela became as a health coach to help others. Angela uses root cause medicine protocols personalized to the individual to solve each IBS mystery. Her tools are lab testing, dietary changes, supplementation, subconscious mind work and nervous system rebalancing . Learn more here.