CBD Science

Clinical trials are research investigations in which volunteers test new treatments and medications as a means to manage medical conditions. Whilst the popularity of CBD is growing in many countries as an alternative therapeutic product, there are still plenty of places which are conducting further clinical trials to establish its efficacy.

Firstly, What is CBD? CBD is short for cannabidiol and is an active ingredient in cannabis which is derived from the hemp plant. It is associated with helping to improve a variety of health issues. Alleviating anxiety is typically one of the primary purposes that people might seek out CBD for consumption. CBD is not addictive and does not give you a high.

Current Clinical Trials

The Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics is currently undergoing a number of clinical trials in conjunction with the University of Sydney. CANRUN 2 is a trial which is measuring the impact of CBD on exercise enjoyment and exercise tolerance. Findings have suggested that CBD may increase feelings of pleasure during exercise, altering physiological processes to improve exercise tolerance. Participants of the study are males and females with endurance training who are being tested over a 60 minute running exercise on a treadmill, a 30 minute period of rest and an incremental run to exhaustion. The effects of the CBD intake will allow for appropriate assessments for the general population.

Another study the Lambert Initiative is doing is the CUPID study. This is looking at the impacts that CBD has on people suffering with insomnia disorder. The study is seeking to determine how CBD affects the sleep architecture of the patients and their next day function. Patients are being subjected to four overnight studies with either a low dosage or high dosage of CBD.

The NSW Government has funded a clinical trial involving medicinal cannabis as an effective treatment for symptoms of nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy. There is still a prevalence of patients who experience these symptoms despite the use of antiemetic medical treatments. The trial is utilising a pharmaceutical grade capsule of plant derived CBD developed by a Canadian cannabis medicine company. These capsules also feature THC as a part of the consistent ratio formula. The outcomes of the trial will involve free access to further cannabis medicine for patients who experience positive effects.

Proposed Clinical Trials

The University of Sydney is proposing to conduct a clinical trial on CBD as an adjunct for the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa in young people. Anorexia nervosa is characterised by a severe aversion to weight gain from eating food which manifests with an extreme level of anxiety. It has a very high rate of mortality with low treatment success rates. Given CBD’s well known influence on tempering anxiety, the study will look to use CBD as a means of helping patients with their food related anxiety in an attempt to help them gain weight.

Medlab Clinical Ltd is seeking to conduct an experiment involving CBD as an observational study on the safety, tolerability and efficacy of CBD when administered as an Oro-Buccal spray. The outcomes of the trial are to determine how the CBD impacts the treatment of pain and stress. The study is to be non-interventional across a multitude of sites around Australia using botanical extract CBD as well as a synthetic CBD.

The University of Queensland is looking to conduct a clinical trial using CBD as a means of improving the health outcomes of people with Clozapine Refractory Schizophrenia. The trial is proposed to be conducted over a twelve week period in an effort to see an improvement in the scores of the patient’s Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). It is hypothesised that patients using the CBD will have a difference of up to 5 units on the scale over the twelve week period. The PANSS scale is a measure of the treatment of antipsychotic therapy with patients being tested in outcomes such as delusions, hostility, emotional withdrawal and difficulty in abstract thinking.

Clinical trials are an important stage of the process in making CBD more widely accepted as a therapeutic treatment for many different conditions and disorders. These institutions are making excellent progress in helping CBD become more commonly available.

CBD is increasingly becoming popular as an aid for alleviating stress and anxiety, minimising symptoms associated with diseases such as PTSD, epilepsy and opioid addiction as well as a range of other benefits. As a result of the surge in popularity, scientists are conducting experiments to determine the effectiveness of these treatments as well as in other areas such benefits to sleep.

First, a refresher. What is CBD? CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is the non psycho-active compound found in the cannabis sativa plant. CBD is primarily extracted as an oil and mixed with an inert carrier oil such as hemp seed oil to make it more readily consumable. CBD can be found as an oil, in topical creams, in gummy lollies or inhaled as a smoke. CBD works by interacting with neurotransmitters in the endocannabinoid system. It causes cells to send signals to one another to help regulate movement, the immune system, mood and homeostasis.

The Cannabis Sleep Study

The National Institute of Integrative Medicine is conducting The Cannabis Sleep Study which is the second if its kind. Known as the CANN Sleep Study, researchers are looking for people suffering from insomnia to undergo a clinical trial across a ten week period. They are looking for people with typical symptoms of insomnia including trouble falling asleep at night, waking up frequently throughout the night and subsequently finding it difficult to return to sleep. These sleep disturbances will be explored and the impact of CBD on improving these symptoms examined. The trial is seeking to include over 400 healthy adults between the ages of 18-65 across 4 different locations in Australia. The first CBD Sleep Study which was conducted between May 2020 and May 2021 is currently being peer reviewed for publication in a medical journal.

Further Sleep Studies

There are other institutions conducting their own research into CBD sleep studies. The Woolcock Institute is testing out a new CBD formulation to see how effective it can combat the symptoms of insomnia. They will be using a medication which also features THC, the psychoactive compound within cannabis which is known to have a sedative effect. There is a ratio of 1:20 THC to CBD in their medication which will also incorporate the use of an Electroencephalogram to help detect the function of brain waves whilst sleeping and awake. Patients’ cognition and driving skills will also be tested as a means of assessing whether brain function is impeded from using the medication. The Woolcock Institute has implemented two CBD sleep studies to find the impacts of CBD on insomnia, the CANRest study which focuses on sleep improvement, and the CUPID study which also analyses daytime function as well as sleep.

University CBD Sleep Studies

Another active CBD Sleep Study in Australia is being conducted by Southern Cross University. In partnership with Ecofibre, an Australian Hemp company, researchers at SCU are looking at the efficacy of over the counter CBD products in improving sleep disturbances in healthy adults. Researchers have stated that up to 33-45% of healthy adults have reported sleep disturbances with Covid lockdowns potentially being an underlying cause. Regardless of the reasons, the study of the low dose botanical CBD soft gel in determining sleep improvement is imperative for potentially improving the lives of thousands of Australians. As researchers have noted, quality sleep is paramount in fighting off infection and improving the immune response. Poor sleep can lead to flare ups of other chronic diseases and illnesses and so determining appropriate doses of CBD for sleep improvement will offer patients, doctors and pharmacists valuable information in making progress in this space.

Swinburne University of technology is another tertiary institution looking into the effectiveness of CBD on improving sleep outcomes. Working with adults between the ages of 18-45 suffering from moderate to severe insomnia, they have conducted a clinical trial across a three week period to examine the effect on mood, cognition and general well-being.

Sleep research into the effectiveness of CBD is prevalent across a number of institutions in Australia. Their findings are important in the body of research to improve the sleep outcomes for people suffering with sleep disturbances.

As CBD becomes a more popular product with greater prevalence of use as a source of alleviating stress and anxiety or improving sleep quality, it is only natural that the body of literature surrounding it begins to grow. There is some informative literature out there on cannabidiol oil and we are going to investigate some of the most useful sources currently available.

Before we do, we answer one of the most common questions surrounding CBD, that being, What is CBD?

CBD is short for cannabidiol and is derived from the hemp plant, being an active ingredient in cannabis. CBD is not addictive and does not give you a high, unlike THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. It is associated with helping to improve a variety of health issues. CBD can be found as an oil, in topical creams, in gummy lollies or inhaled as a smoke although its most common form is as CBD Oil. The CBD is extracted as an oil from the cannabis sativa plant and mixed with an inert carrier oil such as hemp seed oil to make it more readily digestible.

CBD: What You Need to Know (2nd Edition)

A great place to start when searching for sources of information on CBD is a book by Gregory L. Smith (MD, MPH) entitled: CBD: What You Need to Know (2nd Edition). It is a very useful guide for people looking to expand their CBD oil knowledge. It focuses on how CBD affects the body, discussing issues such as efficacy, safety and history of CBD oil use.

CBD: The Hemp Miracle: How One Miraculous Plant is Healing the Planet and Its People

Another excellent book is Carol Merlo’s ‘CBD: The Hemp Miracle: How One Miraculous Plant is Healing the Planet and Its People’. This resource provides information on a wide range of topics relating to CBD including what to look for in a CBD product, use of CBD oil, how hemp is a superfood, it functions as a dietary supplement, how cannabinoids impact the body, CBD history and how it is being used to change the world.

CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis

Scientists Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz have written ‘CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis’, which is an outline of how CBD and THC interact with the body. It’s written in an academic style but one that is approachable to the average reader. It’s a practical guide to CBD dominant cannabis use, with a focussed design specifically for first time users.

The CBD Oil Miracle

Laura Lagano’s ‘The CBD Oil Miracle’ is another respected piece of CBD literature. Lagano introduces the reader to the concept of ‘nature’s miracle pill’ – cannabidiol, giving a detailed account of the cannabidiol’s medical use in ancient medicine to current common usage. The book is well researched and reviewed, giving readers information on how to dose to help alleviate more than 30 common health conditions, how it might assist calming anxious pets and the benefits of CBD’s anti-aging effects.

A Doctor’s Perspective on CBD Oil: Science, Success Stories and Changed Lives

Dr Mark Lindholm has compiled his research into the book: ‘A Doctor’s Perspective on CBD Oil: Science, Success Stories and Changed Lives’. He argues for alternative therapies to chronic pain, diabetes, seizures or anxiety, championing hemp derived CBD oil. Throughout his work, Lindholm attempts to clear up the misconceptions surrounding CBD oil and aims to teach readers why CBD oil is a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals. It also attempts to enlighten you on how CBD oil might free you from chronic pain and how to enhance your body’s natural abilities using CBD oil.

The Athlete’s Guide to CBD: Treat Pain and Inflammation, Maximize Recovery, and Sleep Better Naturally

‘The Athlete’s Guide to CBD: Treat Pain and Inflammation, Maximize Recovery, and Sleep Better Naturally’ by Scott Douglas has a target audience of your fitness enthusiast but would be useful to anyone looking to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. Douglas divulges how CBD may be beneficial for those who are playing sport or training intensely for it. He sources industry analysts and interviews athletes from all levels of competition for their anecdotes of beneficial CBD use. Douglas seeks to answer the most prevalent CBD questions: what method should I take CBD? Where can I buy it? What are things to look out for when making a purchase? His book aims to be helpful for the full range of health conscious individuals.

There is a growing collection of CBD literature being made readily available making it easier to make informed decisions about the advantages of CBD use as a part of a healthy lifestyle.

CBD is short for cannabidiol and is an active ingredient in cannabis which is derived from the hemp plant. CBD is not addictive and does not give you a high. It is associated with helping to improve a variety of health issues.

There have been a number of experiments and anecdotal evidence showing that CBD can help to alleviate anxiety. CBD has also shown to help people with falling asleep and staying asleep, making it a useful treatment for insomnia. CBD has shown to be a source of relief for people with chronic pain as it can be used to help reduce inflammation. CBD has also assisted people with addiction, offering an alternative for people who have cravings for tobacco and even other more addictive substances such as heroin.

Is CBD safe to use? This is a question on the lips of many prospective users. CBD does have some side effects which may include fatigue, irritability and nausea. It can be associated with blood thinning and high doses have been associated with liver abnormalities. It is important to have blood tests done if you are taking high doses of CBD to ensure your organs are functioning properly.

CBD Sleep Study Australia

There is currently a sleep study being conducted in Australia with the use of CBD oil. The National Institute of Integrative Medicine is conducting a trial across four cities to find how cannabidiol can be used to improve the sleep of the participants. An introductory period of two weeks will determine the appropriate dosage and then the trial will proceed for eight weeks. Measurements for sleep quality, well-being, sleep disturbance symptoms and mood will be conducted throughout.

CBD Clinical Trials

The University of Sydney has conducted a number of clinical trials into the use of CBD oil. The Lambert Initiative has investigated in clinical research with collaborators across Australia to the therapeutic use of CBD oil and medicinal cannabis in a range of areas.

Chronic neuropathic pain has been researched alongside CBD oil usage to determine how patients with spinal cord injuries have responded to treatments. Advanced brain imaging assessments have been used to find how 6 weeks of CBD oil treatment have reduced symptoms of chronic pain.

Other clinical trials they have in development include CBD oil impacts on exercise tolerance and enjoyment. How CBD can impact insomnia, anorexia and situational anxiety. Paediatric palliative care and psychosis are other target areas for clinical CBD oil trials.

Cannabidiol Books

There is some informative literature out there on cannabidiol oil. Scientists Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz have written CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis, which is an outline of how CBD and THC interact with the body. It’s written in an academic style but one that is approachable to the average reader.

CBD: What You Need to Know (2nd Edition) is a book by Gregory L. Smith (MD, MPH) which brings a focus on how CBD affects the body. It discusses efficacy, history and safety of CBD oil use, making it a useful guide for people looking to expand their CBD oil knowledge.

Another great resource is Carol Merlo’s CBD: The Hemp Miracle: How One Miraculous Plant is Healing the Planet and Its People. This book offers a wide range of topics on CBD and hemp including history and how it is being used to change the world, how cannabinoids impact the body, how hemp is a superfood and the use of CBD oil, what to look for in a CBD product and how it functions as a dietary supplement.

There is a wealth of information out there and we hope that what we have compiled will be useful to you on your discovery of the benefits of CBD oil.