You will also be interested
[EN VIDÉO] Interview: Cannabis, an anti-carcinogenic substance? In France, the question of cannabis remains sensitive since, according to estimates, more than 4 million people aged 12 to 75 have already used it. This narcotic is the subject of numerous studies with contradictory conclusions. Futura went to meet Paul Hofman, director of the Nice pathology laboratory and pioneer researcher in the detection of lung cancer, to find out more about this substance.
A small pilot study conducted by Orygen, an Australian medical center specializing in the mental health of young people, presents promising results on the effect of CBD to relieve anxiety attacks in patients for whom conventional treatments do not work.
” We see that more and more young adults are experiencing anxiety, it is a form of mental illness in young people and we urgently need therapeutic innovation, explains Professor Patrick McGorry and Executive Director of Orygen. the cannabidiol is a promising option that appears safe and effective. We need scientific research to confirm this and explore its interest “.
CBD decreases the severity of anxiety attacks
The group of volunteers was made up of 31 adolescents and young adults, aged 12 to 25, diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and who could not be treated with therapies behavioral cognitions. They took a 200mg CBD capsule daily for the first week, then a 400mg capsule for the following weeks. Those who saw no benefit were able to take doses up to a maximum of 800mg. The treatment lasted 12 weeks during which the participants were also able to participate in cognitive behavioral therapies. At the end of this program, participants reported that their crisis of anguish were 42.6% less severe.
” Our pilot study concludes that cannabidiol not only helps reduce symptoms of anxiety but is also well tolerated — the most common side effects were mild fatigue and feeling of sedation, but these appeared at the time where the doses were increased and disappeared within a few days. We haven’t seen any side effects like suicidal thoughtsirritability and sleep problems, which are common in people taking SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) commented Professor Patrick McGorry.
Placebo or therapeutic effect?
While the results are encouraging, they are not sufficient to confirm the positive effect of CBD on anxiety. Indeed, the structure of this small, open-label trial, i.e. doctors and patients knew respectively that they were giving and receiving CBD, does not make it possible to distinguish between a real effect of CBD and the placebo effect. Orygen doctors have already announced that they plan to launch a double-blind trial in a group of 200-250 young adults in the hope that it will confirm the therapeutic effect of CBD on anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are very common in young adults. In France, Public Health France has counted between 500 and 600 visits to the emergency room for anxiety attacks since the beginning of the year. This is less than the previous three years, however mood disorders and suicidal gestures exploded in 2022.
CBD: proven beneficial effects in anxiety and sleep problems?
Article published on February 22, 2022 by Stéphanie Le Guillou
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a substance derived from cannabis. It has recently been available over the counter in France in specialized shops. The motivations of consumers are diverse. A new study would support its reputation as an anxiolytic substance.
Cannabis contains many substances cannabinoids the two best known of which are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While THC has psychoactive properties and is addictive to the consumer, this is not the case with CBD. Recently, this one is free sale in France in specialized shops that are springing up everywhere. CBD is available there in cartridge form for electronic cigaretteoils, herbal teas, cakes…
CBD is reputed to have anxiolytic properties, anti-inflammatories and painkillers. Even if elements from fundamental research support these hypotheses, there is no or very little clinical data to confirm or invalidate them. This is the purpose of the test Advancing CBD Education and Science (ACES).
A new kind of test
L’studypublished by Medscape, took place in real life, like a phase IV trial. It’s a randomized trial controlled, 100% virtual and open. It included 2,704 participants, aged 21 or older, with anxiety, sleeping troubles or of pains chronicles. Fourteen groups were formed: 13 groups of 208 individuals each received one of the 13 oral CBD extracts available for sale and the 14e group was a control group (n=296).
The primary endpoint was ” a distinct and palpable improvement in quality of life “.
The secondary endpoints were:
- improvement in sleep assessed using the Promised Sleep Abbreviated Form,
- a decrease in anxiety assessed from the Promis Anxiety Scale and the General Scale General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7).
The intermediate results are encouraging:
- consumers reported an improvement in their well-being of 71% on average,
- 63% reported feeling a decrease in their anxiety,
- 61% had an improvement in their sleep.
Regarding pain, less than half of the participants experienced an improvement related to the consumption of CBD (47%).
A placebo effect?
In a double-blind trial, neither the patient nor the doctor knows what drug the patient is receiving. This makes it possible to obtain a maximum level of proof. This is not the case here where the patients know the content of the treatment. In addition, the craze for CBD is currently very important. It has an excellent reputation among consumers, which can distort people’s feelings. Nevertheless, in view of these data, this substance deserves that one or more trials scrupulously following the recommendations of good practice be carried out.
Interested in what you just read?