Asthma is a chronic lung condition that’s caused by inflammation of the airways with flare-ups that cause breathing problems like coughing and wheezing. And when you can’t catch your breath, it can be scary. Like so many conditions, there are differing levels of severity and some are more manageable than others. There are a variety of things that can irritate asthma – physical activities, pollen, dust, animal dander, and so on. The more irritants you’re exposed to (either type or quantity), the more severe a flare-up can be. While there are many treatment options, people are wondering if CBD can play a role in treating asthma.
CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. CBD is also a bronchodilator, which means that it relaxes the muscle bands that tighten around your airways (think rescue inhaler). This lets your airways open and lets more air move in and out of your lungs, and when you’re fighting to breathe, all you really want is more air. There’s also research that indicates it may provide more neuroprotective benefits than Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
CBD oil can also decrease hyperresponsiveness in your airways, which means that your lungs may become less sensitive to asthma triggers, which can also lead to fewer flare-ups and symptoms like coughing and wheezing. A 2019 study found that CBD decreased airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in mice that were induced with allergic asthma. More research needs to be done on humans to determine whether or not CBD is an effective treatment for allergy-induced asthma, but we’re optimistically crossing our fingers.
Incorporating CBD Into Your Treatment Regimen
You’re probably asking yourself, so how does it work? How do I take CBD for asthma? Our answer is just like you would for any other condition. Tinctures or gummies – whatever your preferred delivery method is. The nice thing about a tincture is that you can always incorporate it with your food or just drop it down the back of your throat and chase it with your favorite juice, coffee, or other beverage. If you prefer a gummy, that will work just fine as well. We find that taking CBD by mouth, rather than smoking or vaping CBD oil, is more effective, particularly for asthma because the smoke can irritate the airways.
As always, you know your body best. You know how mild or severe your asthma is. We do NOT recommend replacing CBD with an existing treatment method, but it may be wise to supplement your existing treatment(s) with it, particularly if you’re looking for a natural way to treat this condition.
As always, here are a few things we think you should consider before starting your CBD journey:
- Speak to your health expert before starting a CBD regimen
- Bring information on the specific product(s) you’re considering, including product description, strength and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
- Ask about possible interactions between CBD and any medications you’re taking
- Take your weight, body mass, and metabolism into consideration – these determine how quickly you will metabolize the CBD
- Check the potency of the CBD products you’re considering trying – stronger products mean you won’t have to take as much
- Make sure the products are verified by a third-party lab
- Record your response to each amount of CBD you take so you can make adjustments
To determine an appropriate dose, we recommend consulting our “CBD Dosing – How Do I Know How Much to Take?” post for where to begin.
As always, we want you to live your happiest, healthiest life and if CBD can help you do that, then we’ve done our job. As always, consult your medical expert before trying anything new. We hope this information is helpful and we wish you good health. Still have questions? Ask us in the comments and we’ll do our best to find you the answer.
