What?! CBD against menstruation pain?

It keeps popping up every month: the red party week! Thankfully, there are a lot of women+ who make it out of this week unscathed, but sadly enough there are just as many women+ who truly struggle with it. They suffer from headaches or menstruation cramps. They feel like they’re fully bleeding out. Their energy levels take a nosedive, and it doesn’t take much for them to end up in a hormone-induced mental breakdown. Not fun. Not for the people around you, and certainly not for you.

What do you do against the slump?

What can you do about it? Do you face it head-on and patiently wait until you can put away the decorations for another few weeks? Do you throw back a handful of ibuprofen? Do you opt for an IUD? Hideaway in bed with a heat pack? Can you do anything else? Anything that works better?! Ideally, you’d get through these days without any chemical aids, if possible. We all prefer to use pure and natural products, right? Good! Because as it turns out, there’s something that seems like it helps!

Cannabis

Yes, you’re reading it correctly CANNABIS. The plant that, when dried, can put you in high spirits with just a few puffs. Cannabis is hot in the natural health industry! But slow your horses before you sprint off to the nearest coffee shop: it isn’t as simple as it sounds, so be sure to read on.

ECS

Our endocannabinoid system - ECS for short - plays an important part in our general health and balance. This system is influential to our appetite, memory, sleep, fertility, pain, interaction with sex hormones, and cell migration. The ECS was named after the plant that made its discovery possible, the cannabis plant. Research has shown that the chemicals THC and CBD found in the cannabis plant are of influence on our ECS system, which gives it a therapeutic effect.

Difference between CBD and THC

The cannabis plant contains a lot of active substances, and a single flower, on average, has between 30 to 50 active parts. Research has shown that CBD is a substance that works as a painkiller, has a calming effect, and is anti-inflammatory. This substance is 100% plant-based, and not addictive, which is quite important. Plus, it doesn’t get you high. That is because it is the substance THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) that gets you high. That is the main difference between CBD oil and THC oil. Minor detail. CBD oil is legal and can be bought over the counter at health stores and chemists. THC oil cannot be bought legally in the Netherlands. However, it is possible to be prescribed it by a doctor.

Why is there such a hype around these oils?

Using cannabis to treat gynecological complaints is an old tradition. It isn’t new. Many women claim to benefit from using it, but it is important to research whether or not the products are truly safe to use. Your vagina is the most absorbent spot in your body, so take care of it! Many of the products available now haven’t been properly tested for safety and potentially harmful substances.

Fortunately, there are lots of scientific and clinical studies underway to determine whether these types of complaints are reduced with the use of these oils, or if they may even be a solution for conditions such as endometriosis, heavy blood loss, and certain pregnancy complaints. In these studies, there’s a specific focus on the composition and the proportions of the parts of the cannabis plant. Apparently, every part has a different therapeutic effect. So, it isn’t all that simple.

Worth a try?

Although the success of CBD or parts thereof has not yet been scientifically and clinically proven to be effective, there are women who claim to have been helped by CBD oil with regard to PMS complaints, menstrual complaints, or other complaints related to their menstruation cycle.

If you’re considering giving CBD oil a try for menstruation pain, it is wise to be well-informed by sales staff or experienced experts. There are so many available brands and forms. We advise you to always discuss this with your GP in advance and not just try them out on your own. It’s important to note that CBD can have an impact on other medications and that we don’t advise you to use it during pregnancy or while trying to conceive.