Best CBD Oil for ADHD

Before buying CBD Oil for ADHD, you need to know what it is, how it works, and how it will help kids who are suffering from ADHD. We have put together a compact yet comprehensive buying guide for you. 

Let’s get started!

What is CBD Oil?

Cannabidiol, usually abbreviated as CBD, is an active compound of a very notorious plant, Cannabis. Cannabis plants and its extracts have a very negative stigma due to the marijuana being one of its extracts.

Marijuana is very well known to have a recreational effect and its abuse to get “euphoria” or “high.” This high sensation is due to an active chemical present in it, known as THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. How THC works are by attaching itself to the cannabinoid receptors already present on the brain. 

This binding leads to over-exaggeration of the sensation of pleasure, movement, thinking, and coordination. It creates a sense of disconnection between reality and fantasy. Rather than over stimulating the feelings, CBD works by creating a balance between the body and mind. 

CBD encourages the body to produce the endocannabinoids that reduce anxiety, inflammation, and pain in some people, without creating a euphoric effect. However, both THC and CBD come from the same plant. Both have drastically different working mechanisms and effects. 

Cannabis, being the plant of origin, has given CBD so much attention in the research field. CBD is more of a therapeutic compound that has slowly but readily been accepted in the medical field. There is still a long way to observe the full potential of CBD and its effects on different diseases.

What does it do?

There has been much research and trial work done on THC, but not so much on CBD. But several reported cases have shown that CBD does have some type of anti-inflammation and pain-relieving effect on the brain and even can manipulate protein accumulation and production in the body.

Both THC and CBD are extracts of the same plant, and both are cannabinoids. Despite these similarities, both compounds have slightly different modes of action and medicinal effects. CBD works by encouraging the body’s natural endocannabinoid system.  

This system is responsible for producing natural Cannabis like molecules that account for the innate wakefulness, activeness, and health of the body. This also helps to reduce stress, anxiety, inflammation, and pain. 

CBD is also seen to have relieving effects on the central nervous system, which means that it has relaxing or calming effects. This is because CBD doesn’t add more cannabinoid in the body; neither does it affect the cannabinoid receptors (i-e CB1 and CB2) in the brain. 

CBD acts as an instigator to help with the body’s own endocannabinoid system and boost the formation of cannabinoids. This excess cannabinoid has proven to be relieving for some people.  

Effects on ADHD 

ADHD or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a mental health disorder. This disorder deals with the ongoing patterns of impulsive behavior and the inability to focus on one thing for a more extended period. This includes being unable to sit still for a more extended time. This disorder can occur in both children and adults. However, it is a lot difficult to diagnose in children as they are already inherently hyperactive and have a shorter attention span. ADHD is usually diagnosed in either of the 3 categories. 

• Inattentive type
• Impulsive type
• Combination of both types

Unlike most mental diseases, the diagnosis of ADHD happens for 6 months. The symptoms vary from type to type. Cause of this disorder is not clearly known, but genetics is seen to have a hand in these diseases’ onset.

CBD oils don’t correctly cure the disease, but they help in relaxing the symptoms. People who suffer from ADHD usually also show signs of anxiety.

CBD has been studied to ease the symptoms of anxiety. Since CBD often deals with relaxing and aids in hypersensitivity, they are thought to be more helpful for impulsive type rather than inattentive type. CBD oil also helps in inattentive type by triggering a reaction from dopamine receptors. 

Dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter and is mainly responsible for memory and focus. Lack of attentive behavior can lead all the way back to a lack of neurotransmitters. This can lead to a higher attention span and proper focus.

Medicinal treatments of ADHD depend on the type of ADHD being dealt with. There are stimulant pills for inattentive type and non-stimulant pills for impulsive nature. While CBD cannot wholly replace these medicines or their placebos, they can help in symptoms relieving. 

How does it work?

Despite less research on the effects of CBD on ADHD patients, whatever tests are done usually yield, positive results are obtained. Almost all the tests that have been done have concluded that CBD oils do have a calming effect that can remedy anxiety and stress symptoms of ADHD and help calm the nervous system that can help in the betterment of several other disorders such as insomnia. 

One of the few things science is sure about CBD is that it does not deteriorate the existing condition. CBD oil was tested to see if they’d hurt patients dealing with ADHD or depression. Both showed negative results, making it safe for use.

In 2016, an experiment was conducted that showed mild improvement in the symptoms of ADHD in patients when treated with CBD oil in a study group. Not only ADHD but several other symptoms from disorders like ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and CD (Conduct disorder). 

In another study, almost 2000 cannabis users who had ADHD were observed. Those that used Cannabis in a moderate amount showed positive outcomes.

There needs to be valid research regarding all the positive effects and the side effects of the Cannabis plant and its cannabinoid. This will help provide perspective to all the kids, teens, and young adults who may be tempted to try to self-medicate to know all the outcomes of this plant’s usage.

Side Effects

All in all, CBD has its cons and side effects as well, just like any other therapeutic compound. The side effects are thankfully very mild, and light and nothing serious ever really occurs. Some of these side effects include

• Weight loss
• Weight gain
• Change in appetite
• Fatigue 
• Nausea 
• Headaches
• Digestive issues 
• Vomiting 

Scientists have been unable to predict the aftereffects of long term usage of CBD. CBD is also checked to have shown interaction with other medicinal drugs taken by the person. In this regard, several researchers and doctors believe that it is better to get in touch with your doctor and talk about your drugs beforehand, so there are no cases of a severe harmful interaction.

For instance, CBD can also affect the metabolism of some of the drugs in the liver. CBD can either cause the liver to metabolize some drugs way quicker than needed. This will render the drug useless. It can also cause the medicines not to metabolize at all. 

This will force the drug to remain in the body for a more extended time than needed. Citalopram, cilostazol, and warfarin are known drugs to interact with CBD and should not be used simultaneously as CBD.

Researchers have also shown concern that CBD may have some type of link to hormone imbalance. This may become a more significant issue in young teens and kids who are at a growing age. 

Legality 

Cannabis is banned in several countries. Mostly due to their abuse and misuse for recreational purposes. This has created a stigma around the plant that everything coming from the plant has to have some sort of psychoactive compound that will create a “high” effect. 

Unlike cannabis THC, CBD is not classified as a schedule 1 drug either.  This means that they can easily be bought online or any other retail store and used. Laws vary from state to state, so it is better to make sure that the product you’re using or thinking of using doesn’t have an illegal ingredient in your country. One should check the local rules of possession and regulations that apply for the drug’s medicinal uses.

As you should with any other medicinal drug, check. Check and research everything about the drug, from the ingredients to the retailers, to the purity. You should do your proper research. We would advise you to check the product if it was tested for purity and safety. 

Most medicinal drugs are tested by the manufacturing company themselves; they are also sent for testing to a third party. This is done to ensure that the product, in fact, is entirely safe and in its pure form.

One drawback of this CBD oil is that it does come out as marijuana in a drug test. It is advised to either keep a prescription close by when you’re driving. 

Precautions

Other than legality, you should consider a few other points as well. You need to make sure that there is more good being done rather than harm. For instance,

• Make sure that the plant used to extract CBD was organic and completely GMO-free. How do we know that? Check the packaging for a certified stamp from the US department of agriculture.
• Ensure that the product is tested for residual content of herbicides and pesticides to make sure there are no harmful chemicals present in the oil itself. 
• Ensure that the manufacturing process is approved by the FDA to make sure that there are no chances of contamination.

When given a choice, it is usually better to opt for European-based products to ensure that the product is safe from contamination. Europe has a much better and much more well-established system for the regulation of medicinal drugs like CBD. 

They have a 0.2% THC content in their CBD oils, while the US has 0.3%. Although it is not much of a difference, it is better to opt for a better option and be safe.   

How to use CBD Oil for ADHD

Parents usually hesitate to opt for herbs based oils and drugs due to the stigma surrounding its use and the plants itself. The use of herbs for treatment without proper knowledge is generally discouraged, especially by people in the medical field. 

In 2013, a Facebook poll was created to see the level of satisfaction parents had towards their kids’ conditions after CBD. Almost 117 of the parents showed a positive response, saying that their child has improved symptoms such as more wakefulness, regular mood balances. 

There is no prescribed dose of CBD again due to a lack of research. Especially for ADHD patients. CBD oil is given in 2 ways. 

• Ingesting 

Oral administration of CBD is thought to have fewer side effects and is usually advised to beginners. The patient can take 1 to 2 drops under their tongue. There are also CBD infused tablets for picky kids and even CBD capsules available.

• Inhaling

Inhaling CBD will help these active compounds in the CBD oil to reach your bloodstream faster and show effects quicker. This is the most effective way yet, but the involvement of taking in smoke or vaping again has created harmful air around the use of inhalable CBD. 

Scientists and researchers are still unclear whether vaping is safe or not as it’s aftereffects are not well known yet. We advise starting with the smallest dose to be safe and always keep the patient under the radar to notice any side effect quickly before it gets more serious. 

Testimonials

Several people having ADHD have shared their experience as a CBD user. There are also a few study trials available with positive outcomes. A blogger who has two sons suffering from ADHD writes that their 6-year-old and 3 years old have been able to sleep better, have balanced moods, and have been able to focus more, and even fewer tantrums followed by quick de-escalation. 

They also reported good appetites and stable moods throughout the day. Blogger’s oldest son was also on medication at that time, and the results are due to both the drugs and the CBD oil, while her youngest, with no medicines and just CBD oil, has shown massive improvement in his behavior. 

An adult, Brett Bartel, suffering from ADHD, has also shared his experience. Using CBD oil has helped him stay more alert and focused throughout the day. According to the patient himself, he has seen a remarkable change in himself and his ability to stay focused for a prolonged period has really changed his outlook on life.