Get the latest 411 on all the cutting edge research available on CBD, hemp oil and medical marijuana. In this hot topic episode, we are combining the knowledge and expertise of co-hosts Dr. Bryan Joseph and Dr. Jason Hamed with that of Dr. Olivia Joseph. They are ready to shed light and break the stigmas that are currently surrounding, CBD, hemp oil and marijuana!
Table Of Contents
- Is It Pot or Not? An Introduction
- The Stigma Running Aroud CBD
- The Role of Endocannabinoid System
- Other CBD Products and Is It Effective?
- A Gift From Dr. Olivia
- Closing Thoughts
Is It Pot or Not? An Introduction
Dr, Bryan: What we are going to do for this episode of the Wellness Connection Show is really spend a little time providing some of the latest cutting edge research on the topic of CBD, hemp oil, and medical marijuana. So I am sure, if it hasn’t already come to your particular area, it’s a matter of time before it shows up. And as it does, you may be wondering the same thing that so many people are wondering: Is this for real? Is this legitimate? Is this really healthy? Is it all marketing? What is this?
Dr. Jason: Will I get high if I use it?
Dr, Bryan: Yeah, all those wonderful questions that are probably going through your head. Where do you get it are? Is it all created equally? We don’t have all the answers, but we’re going to do our best to lean on some of the research that’s been provided to us and share with you what we know on this topic. So here we go. Wellness Connection Show, episode 35.
Dr, Bryan: So Dr. Olivia, I know that you’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the research institutions that are putting a lot of money behind trying to figure out what works and doesn’t work with this industry. So if you don’t mind, why don’t you lead the discussion a little bit in regards to what they’ve shared with you, what you know.
Dr. Olivia: Sure.
Dr, Bryan: And take it from there.
The Stigma Running Aroud CBD
Dr. Olivia: I think that, like most people, I was skeptical. But I also didn’t understand what peoples’ resistance was to CBD or hemp oil. And I think that that’s where I started looking at science initially and research initially, is I think there’s this stigma that CBD oil contains THC, which is what will make you high or make you fail a drug test. And properly regulated CBD oil will not do that. Another concern a lot of people have is you’re concentrating a plant. So what are the growth practices? Are you using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides? The answer is yes. So when you’re concentrating something, you do have to be careful of potential toxins and things of that nature, as well.
Dr. Olivia: I think a lot of what’s turned people off is a lot of these supplements don’t have labels on them. So have they been tested for potency? How much CBD is in it? There’s this whole vocabulary or glossary of terms like terpenes and cannabis. And what is THC? Marijuana? What’s the difference between hemp and CBD? So we can-
Dr, Bryan: Shed some light on some of this?
Dr. Olivia: We can talk about all of that. But here’s the thing at the end of the day: The controversy is really for no reason, because CBD oil is pot or not going to get you high. For something to be considered CBD, it has to have a very low concentration of THC; less than 0.3% THC. So you’re not going to get high, you’re not going to fail a drug test. Right? It is not marijuana, so to speak.
Why CBD benefits have been hidden for so long
Dr, Bryan: Well before we go real deep on the research and who this would benefit and what conditions we’re seeing with improvement, why has this been hidden for so long? You know? Is this another situation of regulation and money and profit sharing?
Dr. Jason: It has to be. It has to be.
Dr, Bryan: Why is it, all of a sudden, just becoming known or available to us in your opinions?
Dr. Olivia: Right.
Dr. Jason: I mean, I would have to say first and foremost they’re … Okay. This is totally unsubstantiated with doing any research on it, but it’s got to be the fact that the stigma around it, first and foremost, in regards to thinking you’re going to have to get high on those drugs. I mean, if we look in our cultures, from native American cultures, through all different places of the world, they’ve used different types of plants and seeds and herbs that we don’t necessarily think are “appropriate” to treat diseases, and they’ve done this for centuries. All right?
Dr. Jason: And then the second is, I believe until they found a way to actually make money off of it … And why would they put any effort to it? If you got some kids smoking weed in the back or freaking Snoop Dogg doing it, who gives a crap? Right? But now all of a sudden the government found a way to … “Oh wait, hold on. You mean we can actually make some money in this?”
Dr. Jason: So let’s now make it so you can have a distillery, or growing plants legally. Now there’s a way for them to capitalize on it. Now, all of a sudden, it’s found its way here.
Research papers take time
Dr. Olivia: One of these research papers that’s published is in 2001. That’s 18 years ago. Right? This is not new information.
Dr. Jason: Well, I literally just heard on an audio that I was listening to just recently that the average time frame for research to get published-
Dr. Olivia: Yes.
Dr. Jason: Or for clinical data to come to the forefront of American healthcare is, on average, 15 years. So on average, when a new drug is being researched or a new solution that’s available for people, it usually won’t get to the marketplace for at least 15 years. There’s a huge gap, and through all the regulation to make that happen. It’s wild.
Dr, Bryan: Yeah.
Dr. Olivia: That is wild, yeah. No, I do agree with you that I think that part of it was because it wasn’t regulated there wasn’t really a way to, per se, make money. Is it legal? Is it not? The biggest thing is the confusion. Is it pot or is it not? Guys, it is not. Very, very differently. It is defined. They both come from the cannabis plant or the cannabis sativa plant, but marijuana has a higher amount of THC, which gets you high, you fail a drug test. That’s what all the controversy is around. Where, industrial hemp, which is what CBD is made from, does not. And I think that there’s been questions raised as to how these plants are raised and the manufacturing process.
The Role of Endocannabinoid System
Dr, Bryan: Do you happen to know some of the mechanisms of how that works?
Dr. Olivia: So there’s receptors. Right? So how it actually works … So I’m going to talk about stress response. And I hate to just read notes, but let me just give you some of the science and research, because you’re asking me something that’s specific. So the endocannabinoid system, which is like part of our nervous system, it’s part of our body, is both a regulator and a target of stressed induced activation of the HP axis. Under state ready conditions, the ECS constrains HPA axis activity, while exposure to stress induces changes in functional roles of endocannabinoid signaling.
Dr. Olivia: Long story short, there’s actual CB1 receptors that get desensitized if you’re overweight, if you don’t exercise, if you have essential fatty acid deficiency; where, when you do certain things in your diet and lifestyle, which I’ll tell you very specifically, if you do the following, it increases endocannabinoid synthesis without taking CBD. It just improves these receptor sites.
Dr. Olivia: That is meditation, yoga, acupuncture, massage, spinal manipulation, diet, exercise, weight control and increasing your Omega-3 fatty acids. They make this system work better, more sensitive, so when you do implement things like CBD, it’s more effective. Versus just taking CBD, pot or not changing your lifestyle, or vice versa. What this is showing is that living a good healthy lifestyle and making CBD or hemp oil part of that healthy lifestyle just make sense. It’s like eating good without being physically active isn’t as effective as being physically active and having a healthy diet at the same time.
CBD and healthy lifestyle is no-brainer
Dr. Olivia: So what the science is pointing towards is guys, it’s a no-brainer. This is part of being healthy. This is part of a normal stress response, immune response, inflammation response. It takes diet and lifestyle. It’s pot or not just a magic plant that’s going to fix everything.
Dr, Bryan: So if I’m hearing you correctly, and if the body leaves clues for us to follow, that within our nervous system right now, there is already a part of the nervous system that has wired, as you call it, receptors, which means like … We want to have some type of activation with this neurocannaboid-
Dr, Bryan: Now with that being said, other things outside of CBD oil such as chiropractic adjustments, meditation, eating properly, exercise, proper nutrition for your body type also stimulate that same part of the brain and the body. Is that correct?
Dr. Olivia: Exactly.
Dr, Bryan: So then CBD oil is just an adjunct or an amplifier of all the other good things that you’re doing and not a standalone in of itself?
Dr. Olivia: It is. And I think that that’s the most important message we can get across in this podcast episode, is this magic plant. It really is freaking magic, but nothing is magic by itself. Right? Is there a magic pill? A magic workout plan? A magic diet? No such thing exists. It’s really the combination of things and getting these systems working together.
Dr. Olivia: That’s where I think this research is solid, is it’s saying when you use CBD with X, Y, Z lifestyle practices, it’s so effective together, and we see science and research why. It says right here in the research, in human clinical studies, that CBD enhances anti-inflammatory AEA, which is an endocannabinoid.
CBD alone is not enough
Dr, Bryan: So I really just want to make sure that people understand that the real secret is, and the value that we’re seeing in these publications and research is really to make sure that you’re aware that it’s a safe and effective tool to reduce your threshold of stress and reset your nervous system, similarly to what you had mentioned when you talked about other modalities like meditation, adjustments and other things. Using it complementary to those things can only help bring the threshold down even further. R
Dr. Jason: I think the … As you’re saying, Bryan … I hope we didn’t cut you off, but I think the one thing that we see in our culture … And we’ve been doing this long enough, guys where we see this often, where something’s out and it’s new, it’s hot, and everyone thinks that’s the end all be all.
Dr, Bryan: Correct.
Dr. Jason: Like, “If I just go get CBD oil, I can stop getting adjusted. I don’t have to eat right. Screw my nutritional plan. You know what? I’m pot or not even going to counseling anymore. I’m good.”.
Dr. Olivia: Yeah.
Dr. Jason: Like, “I got my CBD, I’m just going to take 17 drops a day and that’s it.” Because that’s our cultural trend. Listen, I’m not here to offend anyone, but let’s just be real. Let’s just talk about the facts. Our western culture is looking for the quick fix. And the reality of it is, this is just a wonderful tool to help navigate through the stress of life. But it is, as you just said, Liv, it is not … Repeat: Not the savior.
Other CBD Products and Is It Effective?
Dr, Bryan: Hey. What about … You know, J, you mentioned this, and maybe Olivia, you can speak on this if you know, but there’s a lot of different forms of this product coming out to the marketplace. I’ve seen medicinal forms which come in edibles. I see people that are taking pill forms. I’m now seeing CBD waters and liquids that people are drinking.
Dr, Bryan: Creams and lotions to absorb. In your opinions, is that a marketing ploy? Or, is there a different style of effectiveness for each way that this is being distributed?
Dr. Olivia: Yes and yes. Yeah, it is. Some of it is marketing. And some of the things you mentioned are pot or not CBD or hemp; they’re actually medical marijuana. So when you’re talking about it in edibles, when you’re talking about it … Those do contain THC. Those do require a medical card and are going to get you high. And the thing with that is, is I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it.
Dr. Olivia: They’re trying to do a lot of research on this in Europe, where they’re using THC for certain cancers: Brain cancer, a female cancer; I think it’s ovarian. Don’t quote me on that. And what they’re finding is some of these cancers, as well as dementia require THC, but one cancer requires different THC than another. Dementia requires different amounts of THC. The thing is, is we don’t have an institution right now that’s really running the research. Instead, we’re running where the money is and where the marketing is, right? Well, our states are going to make money with these dispensaries and things of that nature, but you’re talking about medical marijuana, that’s … Or recreational.
The difference between sublingual CBD & these products
Dr. Jason: So just discuss, really, from your standpoint, the difference between a sublingual CBD; not medical marijuana-
Dr. Jason: Let’s just separate that.
Dr. Jason: A sublingual CBD, and some of the creams that are now out for joint pain, knee pain, etc
Dr. Olivia: That’s the thing, is when you’re ingesting it, it’s going to be regulated differently. And that’s what the research supports. I’m pot or not saying that the other ones aren’t effective, but you’re gonna have a harder time regulating the dosage in something that you’re putting on your skin versus putting in your mouth.
Dr. Olivia: And that’s where I think a lot of this controversy has happened, where this science is supporting CBD and hemp oil in specific dosages, where you can pick up a product and you can actually see it has a label. “Oh, look at this. 75 milligrams of organic broad-based hemp extract.” Not only that, there’s a little scanner code, and I’m going to tell people about these fun little gifts we’re going to give them for listening today. There’s a scanner code where you can see the batch report that tells you how much THC is in this product, and if any pesticides or toxins were detected in the testing of this product.
Dr. Olivia: So you’re not going to get that level of testing in your creams. So when you’re ingesting it, people want to know that it’s organic and pot or not loaded with toxins. People want to know that the dosage is a specific dosage and can be consistent. That’s what people that really understand the benefits of CBD are looking for. The creams, I’m not saying … The creams are not going to have the same science and research to support them.
Research. Ask the experts
Dr, Bryan: Like some of them may have different absorption rates, and then some of them might simply be being used … And I hate to use the word treatment, but for the treatment of certain conditions, they may be more effective than others. Right? So I think if you’re in that spot and you find yourself wondering and asking questions, there are a lot of experts, or people that are becoming more experts on this topic. So it would really behoove you to do some research yourself, if you have a condition that you’re wanting to know if this could benefit. Or, make sure you get in front of somebody that actually can help answer some of these questions for you.
Dr. Jason: Real quick, I just want to add; one thing that we’re getting … I’m getting a lot of questions with patients in this, and I’m very upfront with, “Hey listen, I’m just starting to learn more about this. This is all newer information to me, but I see the validity in it,” because you and I, Dr. Bry, we were at that one research conference and they had a ton of research from geneticists and biophysicists.
Dr. Jason: They were PhDs and they were talking some really good stuff about this. But what I will say is the same thing I would say to any of my family members, any of my friends, or any of my patients is, listen, no disrespect if you own a head shop out there, but if you’re going to a head shop to get your CBD oil, I would be thinking twice. Right?
A Gift From Dr. Olivia
Dr, Bryan: Let’s wrap this episode up with two things. Olivia, you had mentioned something that you were going to share as a gift for the people here.
Dr. Olivia: Right. So I love to give people the science and the research because when we say, “Research this,” or, “Look for this,” I want to point them in the right direction. So I actually have infographics and handouts. One of those handouts is called Hemp Key Terms, so you can understand the language. Right? Another one is a handout on the endocannabinoid system, so you understand what that is with the science. Another one is diet and lifestyle factors that influence the effectiveness of this system. And last but not least is a quality report on one that we actually carry, one that we actually recommend, one that we actually use. So we’re going to give all of those resources as a download.
Dr, Bryan: We’ll make all those available on thewellnessconnection.com/e35, where this episode will sit .and then you’ll be … If you want access to that paperwork or the research, you can find it there.
Closing Thoughts
Dr, Bryan: Hey, final thought. Let’s end on this note. Have either of you, because I’ve had a couple of people share that they’ve had amazing success so far utilizing this. What are some of the conditions, if we were to pick a couple, that you really see that this could be valuable for? I know the topic of seizures and anxiety have been two that have majorly been talked about now. What else are we seeing?
Dr. Olivia: I would say anxiety, insomnia, autoimmune disease, even just overall pain and inflammation.
Dr. Jason: And I was going to say from my standpoint, where I sit in the tables every day, I’m hearing some patients that have had some experience with the creams on their smaller joints like their elbows and their knees, have been very effective with calming some of the arthritic pain or overuse injury pain.
Dr, Bryan: Awesome. Awesome. Well on that note, thank you so much for joining us on this mission of helping people get well and stay well. We’re providing as much cutting edge research and information as we get access to. If you have someone in your mind or your heart that you think would benefit from hearing what we just spoke on, please share this with them. And then also, if there are topics or things that you want us to speak on, or to find out more information or answer questions for you on, please contact us. And you can contact us directly through our website, The Wellness Connection. Until next time, we’re off.
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