CBD For Metabolic Health: What You Need To Know

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Do you suffer from chronic health problems? Have trouble reaching your goal weight?

If so, you might have a very basic biological imbalance: chronic inflammation. 

It’s true — whether we’re talking about sleep problems, brain fog, or even your risk or cancer, it all goes back to inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to virtually anything, including metabolic problems!

WHY INFLAMMATION EQUALS HEALTH PROBLEMS

According to a study entitled Cannabidiol as an Emergent Therapeutic Strategy, inflammation can be a direct cause of Metabolic Syndrome. 

Among other things, there’s the danger of metabolic syndrome. “Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disturbances including central obesity, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia that increases the risk for developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.” [1] 

In metabolic syndrome, new fat cells overwhelm one’s metabolism so much that the immune system starts viewing them as an invader. Oxidants like ROS are produced, as are inflammatory molecules called cytokines.

Unfortunately, this inner attempt at course correction often fails. Inflammation interferes with the hormone insulin, which would normally help regulate hunger and blood sugar levels. Full-fledged insulin resistance, a disease that can lead to obesity and type II diabetes, is often the result. [2] 

It’s a cascade of hormonal reactions as insulin resistance spreads:

“The chronic inflammatory state compromises the ability of adipose tissue to absorb incoming fat leading to fat build-up in other organs, including liver, heart, and skeletal muscle, and creating a local inflammatory state that progresses to insulin resistance in those organs as well.”

CBD EQUAL HOMEOSTASIS?

Ultimately, metabolic syndrome reflects a body that’s unable to accurately measure its own metabolic needs. It’s a loss of energy homeostasis. And these types of energy mismatches often lead to premature aging and predisposition to age-related diseases. 

Energy homeostasis — does that sound familiar? If not, maybe it should. Homeostasis is exactly what CBD may help induce. 

Not through promoting perfect inner balance, though. CBD’s mode of action is more regenerative than that. CBD may be able to help you process carbohydrates efficiently enough to not get ‘locked out of fat-burning mode.

CBD: THE ANTIDOTE TO AN UNHEALTHY DIET?

It gets better. CBD may promote regulate a hormone that’s even more important than insulin: leptin. Leptin can be thought of as the master regulator of weight and body composition.  If a person becomes leptin resistant, their body loses control of its own weight entirely. Unfortunately, the standard American diet (SAD) makes getting into this theoretical state surprisingly easy. 

But CBD may counter this aspect of metabolic syndrome, too. A recent study out of Japan found that cannabidiol even made fat cells more metabolically active (and leptin sensitive).

Another new — and very advanced — area of study has found that CBD benefits the body’s “nuclear receptors” (PPAR) to shift the body away from weight-related inflammation. CBD isn’t just for the endocannabinoid system anymore; some research indicates it may activate PPAR directly! [3] 

CBD FOR WEIGHT LOSS

CBD’s impact on metabolic hormones has several potential side effects, notably weight loss. 

While it would be an exaggeration to claim that CBD can rev up your metabolism or help you effortlessly shed fat, the compound may help you achieve your healthy weight. 

CBD may also be helpful when it comes to developing new habits. That can be credited to its neuroplastic effects, the same ones that benefit learning and general mental function. CBD might just help dieters retrain their brains to a new mindset towards food — one that’s realistic, natural, and in tune with the body.

CBD FOR MINDLESS EATING

On the flip side of this is a more difficult topic: food addiction. Sugar has been found to be 10 times more addictive than cocaine, and processed foods are filled with it in order to target our brain’s most vulnerable pleasure centers. No wonder starting a new (sugar-fee) diet is so hard! [4] 

In light of all this, it’s safe to say that the newly health-conscious need all the help they can get. If you’re among them, consider using CBD in order to help your brain rewire itself and form new thought patterns. 

As if all this weren’t enough, CBD seems to favorably impact energy-related longevity markers like mTOR. Have you ever heard that occasional fasting is good for health and longevity? [5] 

It’s true — and mTOR-inhibition is a major conduit. 

Normally some degree of calorie restriction is needed to reduce mTOR and increase cellular cleansing, but this may not be the case with CBD. That’s just one more way the plant compound is so unique.