The Truth About CBD Oil For Seniors, Health & Wellness In Your Golden Years

Mounting evidence suggests cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant, can offer antioxidant and neuroprotective benefits.

Throughout our lives, our cells are constantly adapting and changing, responding to lifestyle and environmental stressors and changes. For some of us, these changes or responses to stress can cumulatively mount and manifest in our bodies as time passes.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that a fixed concept of “old age” is now outdated. Our understanding of time and aging is shifting: Many of us no longer view aging as a linear process, or an inevitable fact of life. Rather, there’s a collective shift towards aging well and experiencing health, vitality, and energy no matter what our chronological age is. The relatively new field of epigenetics tells us that our lifestyle and lifestyle choices play a potent role in triggering the expression of certain genes (or not).

With all this in mind, there’s growing evidence that CBD may be able to positively impact our bodies as we age. By enhancing and supporting bodily processes with its neuroprotective, antioxidant, analgesic and ant-iinflammatory properties, CBD can support our physical and mental wellbeing throughout our lifespans.

Here are some of the ways that CBD may be able to benefit those who wish to age well.

CBD to support physical mobility, recovery and fitness

Preserving an active, mobile physique throughout our lives represents a top priority for most of us. However, the ongoing wear and tear of our joints resulting in inflammation can impair our movement, as can muscle stiffness and soreness. A cane or walker often becomes synonymous with the elderly, as do conditions such as arthritis and tendonitis. CBD has captured the attention of athletes and those experiencing joint and muscle aches thanks to its analgesic, antiinflammatory properties. CBD interacts with receptors in the body that influence pain and inflammation, affecting how these receptors respond to the signals they receive. As a result, CBD can help to reduce the perception of pain and ease inflammation that can inhibit movement.

A 2022 article exploring the effects of CBD as a treatment for arthritis and joint pain found a link between CBD use and an improvement in symptoms and a reduction in arthritis-associated medications. CBD appeared to help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, allowing those who used the cannabinoid to enjoy movement with greater ease.

Best of all, CBD can be consumed and applied in diverse ways when used to treat muscle and joint pain. Options include administering oil-based tinctures sublingually, consuming gel capsules, or applying salves and balms directly to the area of pain.

CBD for skin and physical appearance

Our skin is our largest organ and a symbolic indicator of our overall youthfulness, health and vitality. As we age, diverse environmental and lifestyle factors can alter the appearance of our skin. Wrinkles, blotching, sunspots, redness, and dryness can all be associated with aging skin.

However, CBD boasts antioxidant properties that may help to address the visible signs of aging with topical use. Antioxidants can address the damage caused by free radicals, helping the skin to self-repair, thus improving its appearance. CBD can also soothe inflammation, which is associated with conditions such as psoriasis or rosacea. When inflammation is diminished, the skin appears healthier and more revitalized. Overall, creams containing CBD can help to treat skin issues associated with dryness and wrinkles, dullness, and red or ruddy skin tone.

Furthermore, research supports these findings. Our skin is modulated by the endocannabinoid system, with numerous endocannabinoid receptors found in our skin contributing to our overall dermatological health and balance. Topical CBD has been found to offer benefits for diverse skin disorders including eczema, psoriasis, pruritus, and inflammatory conditions.

CBD for cognitive function

As the years pass, it can be harder to remember things or absorb new information. Research tells us that this occurs because cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems can degenerate. Age-related cognitive decline is also a symptom of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, we now know that there are measures that we can take to support healthy cognitive function throughout our life span, or help to address neurodegenerative issues as soon as symptoms begin appearing.

CBD has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, all of which have been shown to benefit cognitive function. These properties open up a new horizon of potential preventive treatment for neurological disorders. Research informs us that CBD reduces the build-up of beta-amyloid plaques, which amass in the brain’s of Alzheimer’s patients. This is an important discovery since these proteins are considered the hallmark of the disease. Even a two week dosing regimen of CBD has been found to improve cognition in individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Furthermore, CBD can also help treat other symptoms of the disease such as depression, restlessness, violence, negativism, and sleep disorders. Other studies exploring the cognitive effects of CBD have shown that the cannabinoid improves function in other conditions characterized by cognitive decline. In short, the evidence is mounting that CBD can support healthy brain function.

CBD for healthy vision

Finally, research has revealed that CBD can also support ocular health. According to one UK study, CBD’s antioxidant properties can prevent neuronal death by reducing oxidative stress, in turn reducing the effects of age-related macular degeneration. Other research has found that cannabidiol can regulate the tone of blood vessels, which may inhibit the effects of retinal ischemia and diabetic retinopathy. Overall, CBD appears to support healthy vision through a number of biological mechanisms.

Important facts about CBD

Cannabidiol affects the nervous system indirectly by influencing a number of different bodily systems. Unlike THC, it does not bind directly to the endocannabinoid receptors and therefore does not deliver a feeling of intoxication. This property alone already gives CBD a great advantage among individuals who wish to benefit from the therapeutic properties of cannabis without experiencing a high.

CBD is safe and has not been clinically linked to any serious, ongoing side effects. However, minor side effects may include dryness in the mouth or an upset stomach, which usually subsides several days after the start of treatment.

In considering CBD supplementation for older individuals, there are a number of unique benefits. There’s no upper limit on the quantity of CBD that is consumed on a daily basis, so the body cannot overdose on CBD. Another noteworthy property of this natural compound is that the body does not develop a tolerance to CBD, which means that dosage does not need to be increased over time. Finally, CBD is easy to administer through a variety of delivery methods. Depending on personal preference, CBD can be consumed as drops, capsules, edibles, in a vaporized format, or as a topical or transdermal cream.

If you’re interested in learning more about how this cannabinoid may help address your age-related concerns, speak with a doctor experienced in cannabis medicine or take the Kiara health quiz.