Can CBD Oil Help With Tremors? A Detailed, Evidence-Based Guide
Tremors, characterized by involuntary shaking and difficulty controlling body movements, can greatly hinder daily functioning and quality of life. While medications are commonly prescribed, they come with concerning side effects and limited long-term efficacy. Recently, CBD oil has shown promise as a supplemental option specifically for managing tremors and associated symptoms.
This definitive guide examines if CBD oil may benefit conditions like essential tremor (ET), Parkinson’s tremor, and dystonic tremor.
Breaking Down the Basics: What Are Tremors?
Tremors refer to unintentional, rhythmic shaking motions. They stem from dysfunction in areas of the brain that regulate coordinated muscle contraction across the body. While tremors are not life-threatening, they can significantly disrupt function.
Tremors often intensify with attempts at precise motions like writing, pouring a drink, or threading a needle. Uncontrolled shaking can also impact the head, jaw, voice, legs, and trunk. It’s easy to understand why tremors negatively affect quality of life.
Underlying Causes
For some types like essential tremor (ET), the root neurological causes remain unclear. For Parkinsonian tremor, the loss of cells producing the chemical messenger dopamine is primarily at fault.
Overall, abnormal communication between the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and motor cortex contributes to most forms of tremor. Identifying the underlying cause is key for appropriate treatment.
Types of Tremors CBD Oil May Alleviate
While human research is still emerging, CBD shows most promise for:
Essential Tremor
The most common movement disorder, ET causes bilateral shaking that’s often progressive. While ET’s causes aren’t fully confirmed, CBD may calm overexcited areas and improve function.
Parkinsonian Tremor
This tremor includes “pill-rolling” motions in the hands along with overall rigidity. CBD may protect dopamine activity and nerve cell health by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease.
Dystonic Tremor
CBD’s antispasmodic effects may ease this tremor marked by sustained muscle contractions forcing affected body parts into abnormal postures.
Cerebellar Tremor
This intention tremor emerges during target-directed movements due to cerebellar damage. CBD could protect nervous system cells from further damage to potentially halt symptom progression.
While human evidence is still very limited, animal research does indicate CBD holds promise for managing these tremor types. But more large-scale human trials are critically needed.
Analyzing Traditional Tremor Treatments: Uses, Efficacy, Side Effects
Standard interventions like medications, surgery, and medical devices aim to reinstate normal neural signaling underlying coordinated movement. But they come with concerning drawbacks.
Common Medications
Parkinson’s medications increase dopamine activity. Essential tremor is often treated with anti-seizure or beta blocker medications to depress overactive brain signaling.
Efficacy
Most people gain mild to moderate relief from medications initially. But drugs tend to lose efficacy after several years, especially in Parkinson’s disease.
Side Effects
Beta blockers frequently cause fatigue, lightheadedness, and sexual problems. Dopamine drugs often trigger digestive upset, compulsive behaviors, and movement complications with long-term use.
Invasive Interventions
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is sometimes used for severe, medication-resistant tremor. But it carries risks of infection, stroke, hardware issues, and mood changes. These interventions don’t stop neural degeneration or disease progression either.
Clearly better treatments for tremor are urgently needed. Keep reading to learn if CBD may fit the bill as a more tolerable, potentially neuroprotective therapy.
Analyzing the Potential of CBD Oil for Managing Tremors
CBD oil, derived from cannabis or hemp plants, contains active cannabinoids that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS regulates biological functions like inflammation, nervous system excitability, muscle relaxation, and more.
Unlike THC, CBD is non-intoxicating while still providing medicinal effects. Through influencing the ECS and various signaling molecules, CBD demonstrates the following beneficial properties:
CBD protects nerve cells from inflammation and oxidative damage. It may support nervous system health in neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease.
Antispasmodic Action
CBD can suppress muscle spasms and tremors by reducing excitability of motor neurons that drive contraction. It may directly calm tremors caused by overexcited neural signaling.
Anxiolytic Effects
Chronic anxiety commonly exacerbates tremors; CBD relieves anxiety through interactions with multiple receptors involved in fear, stress, and compulsive behaviors. This can indirectly improve tremors.
Analgesic Benefits
CBD relieves pain by reducing inflammation, alleviating muscle tightness, and elevating natural endocannabinoid levels. This helps address musculoskeletal pain that can worsen tremors.
Through these mechanisms, CBD shows promise for managing the root causes of tremors, not just suppressing symptoms. But what does the current research in humans reveal about CBD's efficacy?
Overview of Clinical Research on CBD Oil for Essential Tremor, Parkinson's Tremor, and More
Despite growing interest in medical cannabis for movement disorders, robust clinical research is still in early stages. Most studies are small pilot studies or surveys. However, initial findings are promising.
Essential Tremor
In a pioneering 2020 study, CBD treatment improved handwriting legibility and tremors scores in people with essential tremor. Patients reported improvement in daily activities like drinking and eating.
Parkinson's Disease
A 2021 survey of Parkinson's patients using cannabis reported symptom relief across motor and non-motor symptoms. 42% experienced less frequent tremors and muscle stiffness.
Dystonia
A small 2020 study found a single CBD dose reduced dystonic muscle contractions and tremors by 30% on average. Relief lasted up to 6 weeks for half the patients.
While current human research is very limited, it confirms anecdotal reports of reduced tremors with medical cannabis. CBD's safety profile and multimodal effects make it an intriguing potential therapy deserving expanded research.
Practical Guidelines for Using CBD Oil to Manage Tremors
If interested in trying hemp-derived CBD oil for tremors, here are some tips for finding an appropriate supplement and usage regimen.
Choose Broad Spectrum CBD or CBD/THC Blend
Broad spectrum CBD retains non-intoxicating cannabinoids and terpenes alongside CBD for enhanced effects compared to CBD isolate. The synergistic "entourage effect" magnifies therapeutic impact. Alternatively, blending CBD with very low THC amplifies benefits.
Use Tinctures for Flexible Dosing
CBD oil tinctures allow flexible titration to find the optimal dose. Place drops under the tongue for fast absorption before swallowing. Tinctures also enable easy combination with Parkinson’s medications if applicable.
Start Low, Go Slow with Dosing
Recommendations typically range from 15-60 mg daily but optimal doses vary hugely. Start with the lowest dose based on product instructions. Only increase gradually every 5-7 days if needed and if side effects are minimal.
Track Symptoms and Side Effects
Keeping a daily log helps identify optimal doses and schedules providing functional improvement without unwanted effects like fatigue.
Work Closely with Your Doctor
Openly communicate with your neurologist about using CBD oil. Seek guidance on potential drug interactions and monitoring for liver enzymes, motor function, and cognition. Only make adjustments to prescriptions under a doctor's supervision.
The best approach is working as part of a healthcare team to find an integrated plan. While more research is still needed, CBD oil may offer a tolerable supplemental option for managing tremors and improving daily functioning.