I’ve had the pleasure over the last few weeks to talk to several people about how using CBD oil has helped them deal with Parkinson’s disease and one who is excited to try it because of all of the good things she’s heard. With all of that buzz I thought I’d write a blog post and explain why it works.
So first of all, what is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease, or PD, is a neurodegenerative disorder. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects your movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes beginning with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. The disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. Less than one percent of people get Parkinson’s. It is more common in men than women.
Parkinson’s Disease is most associated with compromised motor function after the loss of 60-80% of dopamine-producing neurons. As dopaminergic neurons become damaged or die and the brain is less able to produce adequate amounts of dopamine, patients may experience any one or combination of these classic PD motor symptoms: tremor of the hands, arms, legs or jaw; muscle rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowness of movement (bradykinesia); and /or impaired balance and coordination (postural instability).
So where does CBD come in?
CBD activates a G-coupled protein receptor called “GPR6” that is highly expressed in the basal ganglia region of the brain. GPR6 is considered an “orphan receptor” because researchers have yet to find the primary endogenous compound that binds to this receptor.
What?
As Parkinson’s progresses the body losses dopamine producing neurons. With less dopamine in your system the nerves that control your muscles can’t function properly and that’s where CBD comes in. By acting as an “inverse agonist” at the GPR6 receptor, CBD boosts dopamine levels.
CBD is also an anti-inflammatory and as such can reduce other symptoms of Parkinson’s and improve the quality of life in general for people suffering from the disease. Balancing out dopamine levels in your body is only one way as well. CBD has neuro-protective qualities that will help Parkinson’s from worsening and improve basic nervous system function.
Watch how a cannabis oil has helped a woman with Parkinson’s below.
If you have any questions about how CBD can help you contact us today!