Has anyone had positive effects from CBD usage? I used CBD for about 6 mos a few years ago without much effect. Zero sleep benefit. Possible pain lowering. I quit due without regret but am wondering again. I am planning a podcast episode and looking for input. Any thoughts beside boosting rapa?
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I have a friend who has bipolar disorder. Since he started to take CBD he has not had a single episode in 18 months. Truly amazing case. His sleep is very much improved.
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I live in a state where all marijuana products are legal. Because of the hype, I tried many products except smoking or vaping. This was long before I discovered rapamycin. My wife had arthritis and I was having trouble sleeping. We tried CBD oil for several months with no discernable benefits.
For me, it falls into the class of magic oils or supplements that have no results over what is always a placebo benefit of 30%, and since neither of us was very responsive to the placebo effect, we felt no benefit from taking any of the marijuana products.
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I’ve been using various forms of cannabis oils for sleep over the past few years (0.5 ml per night). When it comes to length of sleep, I don’t get much benefit from CBD oil. I get a little added sleep from THC oil. I get a little more added sleep from CBN oil. BUT, after playing around with my FitBit sleep tracker and CBN oil, I can say I get less REM sleep when I take CBN oil. I haven’t tested with THC, but the research out there says it does the same. There is also a rebound effect when you stop using THC and CBN when it comes to length of sleep. I been slowing weening myself off over the past month because of the effect on REM sleep (which is important).
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FYI. I had a surprisingly enjoyable chat with Don Moxley of Longevity Labs. They offer a high dose CBDa plus product (they also have a Spermadine product). Don’s experience in the medical cannabis biz goes way back. Stay tuned…I’ll post the interview here in a week or so. I’m going to give it a try to see if I get any benefit.
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Looking forward to your results. I recently read that CBD with THC designated Delta 8 was beneficial for pain and sleep. I acquired some organic variety of the components in gummy form. Starting with 1/4 then 3/8 of a portion had some mild effect on the symptoms but nothing I would say worthwhile at this point. I titrate up dose and report if any significance.
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I’m working on the episode now. I interviewed Don Moxley of Longevity Labs last week. He’s a sports scientist who has been in the cannabis biz for a while. His company has a high dose (50mg x3) CBDa product that includes a few other ingredients in a capsule. He says CBDa has much higher bio availability than CBD, and the dosage is higher than typical (higher than I tried with CBD a few years ago). You can use discount code wise15 to save 15%, and they offer a $10 sample. I’ll publish the episode tomorrow, and put a link here as well.
Here’s the episode with Don Moxley of Longevity Labs about CBDa for recovery. I don’t know yet if his product is better than the last one I tried that did nothing for me, but it won’t cost much to find out. I’ll report back soon.
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What is the name of the product? I dont see it on their website… thnx!
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HRV+ is the CBD product. The brand is Mode+Method which has its own website. The URL is in the show notes.
I have tried the CBD oils in the past and did not feel any effect.
Recently I have messed around with Charlotte’s Web full spectrum CBD 25 mg and CBN 20 mg. That combined with Slumber ZZZ’s 1/2 gummy for 1.5 mg THC had a noticeable relaxing and sedative effect. I am super sensitive to THC so I micro dose it.
It seems like cannabinoids work better as a combination with some THC. I still cannot wrap my head around endocannabinoid receptors and their effects in our body. But this is a nice alternative to alcohol IMO.
I have a very regular sleep schedule, and I sleep ~7:30 hrs every night. But I don’t always wake up refreshed. Tracking down the cause of this hasn’t been easy. Apparently, the amount of REM sleep has to be balanced with deep non-REM sleep. Deep non-REM sleep is more refreshing than REM sleep. But, we need the REM sleep for processing emotions, cementing memory, yada, yada.
I do think that sometimes I have too much REM sleep. I had to stop taking vitamin B6 before bedtime because it really increased the amount of perceived dreaming.
Tonight I am going to try some sublingual tincture containing THC and CBD.
“Improvements in sleep quality have been reported with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) alone or in combination. However, when taken in combination, CBD is known to attenuate the potential psychotropic effects of THC”
The most recommended dose for sleep improvement when taken before bedtime is 5 - 10 mg/THC
“Products containing both THC and CBD are often reported to be more effective for sleep with fewer side effects than THC alone. CBD may modulate the psychoactive and anxiogenic (anxiety-producing) effects of THC. Many users find a ratio of 1:1 (THC:CBD) or even a CBD-dominant ratio (e.g., 2:1 CBD:THC) to be optimal”
“Tinctures/Oils: Onset is slower (30-90 mins), effects last longer (6-8 hours), and are often preferred for full-night sleep support.”
Sublingual tincture I will be trying:
I have a very regular sleep schedule, and I sleep ~7:30 hrs every night. But I don’t always wake up refreshed. Tracking down the cause of this hasn’t been easy. Apparently, the amount of REM sleep has to be balanced with deep non-REM sleep. Deep non-REM sleep is more refreshing than REM sleep. But, we need the REM sleep for processing emotions, cementing memory, yada, yada.
I do think that sometimes I have too much REM sleep. I had to stop taking vitamin B6 before bedtime because it really increased the amount of perceived dreaming.
Tonight I am going to try some sublingual tincture containing THC and CBD.
“Improvements in sleep quality have been reported with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) alone or in combination. However, when taken in combination, CBD is known to attenuate the potential psychotropic effects of THC”
The most recommended dose for sleep improvement when taken before bedtime is 5 - 10 mg/THC
“Products containing both THC and CBD are often reported to be more effective for sleep with fewer side effects than THC alone. CBD may modulate the psychoactive and anxiogenic (anxiety-producing) effects of THC. Many users find a ratio of 1:1 (THC:CBD) or even a CBD-dominant ratio (e.g., 2:1 CBD:THC) to be optimal”
“Tinctures/Oils: Onset is slower (30-90 mins), effects last longer (6-8 hours), and are often preferred for full-night sleep support.”
Sublingual tincture I will be trying:
There are many papers addressing cannabis and sleep these are just an example.
"Endocannabinoid Signaling Regulates Sleep Stability
Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature - PubMed"
There are many papers addressing cannabis and sleep these are just an example.
“Endocannabinoid Signaling Regulates Sleep Stability
Treating insomnia symptoms with medicinal cannabis: a randomized, crossover trial of the efficacy of a cannabinoid medicine compared with placebo - PMC
Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature - PubMed”
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I hope that’s not the dose per serving.
No, each bottle contains 50, 10 mg servings.
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AI Overview
Current research, primarily in animal models and preclinical studies, suggests that low-dose cannabinoids may have anti-aging effects, potentially supporting healthy aging and longevity
. However, human research is limited and has produced mixed results, with some long-term studies suggesting negative outcomes from chronic high-dose use. Experts emphasize the need for more robust human trials before drawing firm conclusions.
Evidence from preclinical studies
- CBD extends lifespan: In simple organisms like nematodes (C. elegans) and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to increase average lifespan, improve late-life activity, and enhance resistance to stress.
- THC reverses brain aging: Multiple studies in aged mice show that long-term, low-dose tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can reverse age-related cognitive decline by restoring learning, memory, and neural connections.
- Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties: Both CBD and THC demonstrate strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in animal models. This reduces oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, key contributors to the aging process.
- Supports cellular health: Cannabinoids may promote longevity by inducing autophagy, a cellular process that cleans out damaged cell components. Low-dose THC has also been shown to stimulate the protein mTOR in brain tissue, which helps regenerate neural synapses.
Potential age-dependent and dose-specific effects
Research indicates that the effects of cannabinoids vary significantly based on age and dosage.
- Age matters: In mouse studies, low-dose THC enhanced cognitive function in older animals but produced impairment in younger ones. This suggests that cannabinoids interact with the body differently depending on age-related changes to the endocannabinoid system.
- Biphasic effect of THC: Studies in both zebrafish and mice have found that while low doses of THC may have a beneficial effect on survival and cognition, higher doses can produce negative consequences.
Findings from human studies
The limited human research available offers a mixed and complex picture, and it is largely observational rather than controlled.
- Negative cognitive outcomes: Longitudinal studies of long-term, heavy cannabis use that began in adolescence show associations with poorer cognitive function and accelerated biological aging in midlife.
- Potential positive effects in older adults: Observational data on medical cannabis use by older adults often points to improvements in age-related conditions such as chronic pain, sleep problems, and anxiety. One study even found increased functional brain connectivity in older cannabis users.
- Need for controlled research: The data from observational human studies is considered inconsistent, and larger, well-designed clinical trials are necessary to determine the long-term safety, optimal dosages, and efficacy of cannabinoids for longevity.
Conclusion
Preclinical evidence is promising, showing that low-dose THC and CBD can improve markers of healthy aging and extend lifespan in various model organisms through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways. However, the effects appear to be highly dose-dependent and vary by age. Because high-quality human trials are scarce and past observational studies show mixed results, it is currently not possible to confirm that low-dose cannabinoids increase longevity in humans.
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Thank you so much for this, Dr. Bart. I have been using THC gummies, usually 30-40 mg, sometimes 50, for several years. Every single night. Works so well for sleep but have been worried about possible negatives.
Would so appreciate pointers to research that suggest THC is beneficial for older adults.
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This is possibly the same as smoking cigarettes being more dangerous than nicotine gum.
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Whoa, 30-40 mg of THC. I don’t think that is considered a low dose. Not a medical advise, but personally I would keep it under 5 mg and rely more on CBN, CBD, and other means like herbs, low dose melatonin, Mg-glycine, etc. It’s not even clear that low dose THC is all that healthy, however I do believe 2 mg of THC is better than 2 alcoholic drinks with way less sleep disruption.
The gummies that I use are “DELTA THC”. Delta THC is made from hemp, not marijuana, and is much less strong than THC made from marijuana. Would appreciate anyone who has information about Delta THC versus 'conventional" THC to share knowledge about it.
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