A new study found that taking cannabidiol, the non-intoxicating component of cannabis better known as CBD, can halve the severity of chronic anxiety symptoms in young people.
Adolescents and young adults with treatment-resistant anxiety who received a single daily CBD pill for 12 weeks reported that their symptoms decreased by an average of 43%, Australian youth mental health organization Orygen found in a pilot study The results among the 31 patients were remarkable, said Paul Amminger, an Orygen researcher and professor of youth mental health at the University of Melbourne, who led the study.
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“Young people had fewer panic attacks and were able to do things they couldn’t do before, like leave the house, go to school, participate in social situations, eat at restaurants, take public transportation or go on dates alone,” he said. to say. .
CBD comes from the cannabis sativa plant, but it does not contain THC, the ingredient that gives marijuana users a positive effect. Demand for it has created a multibillion-dollar industry in recent years, with consumers snapping up over-the-counter versions in hopes of improving sleep, treating chronic pain and alleviating a host of other ailments. Orygen researchers began studying it in children after earlier work suggested a benefit in adults.
The pill was well tolerated, with mild sedation and fatigue as the most common side effects, Amminger said. Participants between the ages of 12 and 25 were given an initial dose of one 200-milligram capsule per day, which was doubled after one week. Those who did not show significant improvement increased their dose to 800 mg per day. All were offered fortnightly sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy, even though they had not responded to previous therapy.
The improvement was even greater when the researchers looked at the doctors’ ratings, which showed a 51% decrease in symptoms. Still, the findings need to be confirmed with larger, longer studies, they said.
“Cannabidiol is a promising treatment option that appears to be safe and effective,” said Patrick McGorry, co-investigator of the study and chief executive officer of Orygen. “We need more research to confirm this and explore its value.”
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