Marijuana comes with a specific chemical called cannabidiol or CBD. According to a scientific study conducted by scientists from the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University in Israel, published in the reputable Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, this substance can accelerate the healing of fractures and once the bones are healed they become even stronger. On top of that, CBD doesn’t provide any psychotropic effects.
According to Yankel Gabet, part of the research team, CBD makes bones much stronger during the healing process by improving the maturation of the so-called collagenous matrix. This structure allows completely new mineralization of bone tissue. Once we use CBD as a treatment, the healed bone will be more stable than ever.
The Bone Contains Cannabinoid Receptors
To test the power of CBD, scientists have caused mild fractures in the femur of rats. After that, they injected some CBD in one group and CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (the substance that produces the effect of being high) in another group. Next, they measured the process of healing in all rats.
They concluded that the rats who received CBD-only treatment experienced the same results as those who used the combination of CBD and THC.
According to Gabet, it turned out that CBD found in marijuana is the only reason why bones heal so fast. In addition, some other scientific studies have confirmed that CBD is a completely safe substance, which only supports the idea of further testing of this substance.
This is the second study of the same team related to marijuana. The first one has proven that the body has special receptors that provide a positive response to cannabinoid substances. It is good to point out that these receptors are not found only in the brain.
This older study has also confirmed that the skeleton comes with cannabinoid receptors that support and enhance the formation of bones and inhibit the loss of bone tissue. The latest study only confirms these results.
The Health Benefits of Marijuana is Unquestionable
This scientific study is only a fracture of the entire number of studies related to the health benefits of marijuana and marijuana substances like CBD. This particular finding should result in further studies focused on treating osteoporosis or other diseases related to human bones.
Gabet claims that the medical potential of cannabinoids and other similar substances found in marijuana is unquestionable. Of course, there is still a lot of time before experts create suitable therapies based on these substances, but the fact is that it is possible to create a marijuana-based therapy that won’t rely on the psychoactive compounds, but only on CBD.
It seems that the list of benefits of medical marijuana is constantly growing. Today, marijuana is mostly used in cases of chronic pain, to fight the side effects of chemotherapy, and to trigger appetite in patients suffering from AIDS. In addition, marijuana has proven to be good for those who need to regulate and balance blood sugar levels and slow down the spread of HIV. Patients with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis have also witnessed some positive results.
Several studies have proven that CBD blocks the metastasis of several different types of cancer, suppresses seizures, and in some cases eliminates leukemia cells.
A study conducted two years ago and published in the Neuropsychopharmacology journal has shown that CBD is equally effective as the widely used antipsychotic drug used for treating paranoia and schizophrenia but without side effects. Some other studies have shown that CBD is a very effective and safe antipsychotic.
Even though marijuana is still illegal in the United States, the use of CBD for limited medical functions and research is allowed in 17 states. On the other hand, the use of medicinal marijuana is allowed in 23 US states.
Interestingly, the federal government is still keeping marijuana under the group of plants that have no accepted medical use. However, things are changing and the FDA has approved CBD extract as a trial treatment for the so-called Dravet syndrome – a type of childhood epilepsy. The results of the use will be announced publicly.
Sources: Science World Report | Medical News Today | DNA India | Huffington Post | Times of Israel | NORML | Natural News