CBD to Combat Oxidative Stress

As we live in an increasingly polluted environment, the need to protect our health has never been greater. However, this pollution—which affects not only the air we breathe but also the food we eat—contributes to oxidative stress. 

Oxidative stress is different from stress in the traditional sense—such as the stress we feel before an important deadline. In fact, it is a physiological mechanism underlying cellular aging and the premature degeneration of the body. To combat this phenomenon of oxidative stress, a diet rich in antioxidants is particularly important. Some research highlights the antioxidant effects of CBD. It may therefore be an effective way to delay the effects of aging.

Oxidative stress has nothing to do with stress itself—such as the stress felt before an exam, for example. It is a physiological mechanism responsible for cellular aging and the degeneration of the body.
 

When tissues use oxygen to break down food and convert it into energy, waste products are produced. These are unstable molecules called free radicals.

Every free radical has an unpaired electron. This negatively charged electron does not like to be isolated. It therefore seeks out another electron to form a pair, thereby ensuring the free radical’s stability. To do this, it moves through the body, colliding with healthy cells to steal an electron from them. It is this loss of electrons that damages the affected cell and accelerates its aging.

This process of scavenging electrons damages healthy cells and can even alter their DNA. In fact, every cell in the body contains DNA that encodes its function. It is this change that may be the cause of certain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.
 

These free radicals can also be triggered by stress and exposure to toxic environmental substances such as cigarette smoke, asbestos, or pollution.

Fatigue, circulatory problems, vision problems, skin diseases—including cancer—and effects on the nervous system… Oxidative stress is responsible for many diseases. It may even exacerbate neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other conditions such as AIDS or kidney failure.

The cardiovascular system is also affected: arteries, veins, the heart… Free radicals reach these parts of the body and cause diseases that can even affect the legs, such as atherosclerosis.

Scientists at the Sorbonne have hypothesized that free radicals may be responsible for severe cases of coronavirus. Since some patients have too few antioxidants to combat free radicals, their bodies may be unable to defend themselves. This could lead to more severe cases than we have seen so far.

When oxidative stress occurs, the skin can also be affected. Oxidative stress can cause a variety of types of damage: 

• premature aging, 
• a different skin texture, 
• the onset of acne, 
• Skin sagging caused by the breakdown of the proteins that hold the skin together. 

Oxidative stress affects collagen and skin cells and contributes to skin diseases such as cancer. By damaging cells, it can also lead to other diseases and cause wrinkles and dark spots to appear.

The appearance of white or gray hair, as well as alopecia and hair loss, are partly due to oxidative stress.

Free radicals play a very important role during pregnancy: it is thanks to their presence that the placenta can form and the embryo can develop. However, an excessive amount can quickly lead to complications during pregnancy, such as a miscarriage or premature birth.

Oxidative stress also affects fertility in both men and women. It can therefore lead to infertility.

Prolonged, repeated, and intense exertion: this is the daily reality for athletes. Since oxidation is caused by activities such as sports, oxidative stress can actually benefit athletes.

Oxidative stress can cause joint and muscle damage that causes athletes to tire more quickly and may be accompanied by digestive problems that could jeopardize an athlete's career.

In general, to reduce oxidative stress, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the presence of free radicals in the body. This involves minimizing sources of stress, eating a balanced diet, and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. A healthy diet that helps combat oxidative stress should be rich in antioxidants.

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of trapping and stabilizing free radicals. Whether endogenous or exogenous, it transfers an electron, thereby combining with the free radical’s unpaired electron. Thus, when the pair is (re)formed, it is stabilized, and there is no longer any risk of damaging the DNA of neighboring healthy cells, since the free radical no longer needs to steal an electron. Some antioxidants are produced naturally by the body, but generally, they are not sufficient to combat oxidation. It is therefore advisable to eat a diet rich in antioxidants to inhibit oxidative stress and thereby delay aging or the onset of certain diseases.

There is a scale for measuring the antioxidant potential of foods: ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity), expressed in units per 100 g. Researchers recommend consuming 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day. Some foods have remarkable antioxidant power, such as goji berries (ORAC score of 3,290 per 100 g), turmeric (127,068 per 100 g), cranberries (9,090 per 100 g), dark chocolate (20,816 per 100 g), walnuts (13,541/100 g), thyme (157,380/100 g), and pomegranates (4,479/100 g). Foods rich in vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and beta-carotene are also highly effective against aging.

The body itself produces antioxidants and enzymes that are believed to neutralize and prevent an excess of free radicals. Some of these antioxidants have the ability to stabilize free radicals by providing them with the electron they desperately seek.
 

The problem is that sometimes our body is overwhelmed and its defense system becomes inadequate.

In the 1990s, numerous studies were conducted on the health effects of antioxidants. At the time, some promising observations led to somewhat hasty claims… In particular, the dietary supplement industry used certain theories to tout the benefits of foods rich in polyphenols, whose antioxidant properties have been demonstrated in vitro but remain unproven in vivo. 

When people say that certain foods are good for your health because they contain antioxidants, it’s important to remember that these are just theories! In fact, there is no evidence that exogenous antioxidant molecules (such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, CoQ10, carotenoids, and polyphenols) found in certain foods actually fight cancer and other chronic diseases.

CBD (cannabidiol) is a phytocannabinoid naturally produced by the cannabis plant. Its antioxidant potential has been demonstrated in scientific studies conducted in recent years.
 

A study published in 1998 in the United States highlighted the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of CBD. The researchers concluded that cannabidiol, THC, and several synthetic cannabinoids were shown to be antioxidants using cyclic voltammetry. This is a procedure that measures a compound’s ability to accept or donate electrons at a variable voltage. Cannabidiol provided greater protection against glutamate neurotoxicity than ascorbate or alpha-tocopherol. This means it is a powerful antioxidant. Since then, the danger posed by synthetic cannabinoids has been scientifically identified. In fact, they alone are capable of causing death by cannabinoid overdose. Consequently, they are no longer recommended.

In another study published in 2019 by Polish researchers, the effectiveness of CBD against oxidative stress is explained precisely by several physiological mechanisms.

On the one hand, CBD inhibits the formation of ROS (reactive oxygen species, which include free radicals) through:

• inhibition of pro-oxidant enzyme activity;
• and the interruption of free-radical chain reactions.

In addition, CBD also promotes antioxidant defense. This is made possible by:

• Zinc and selenium, which support antioxidant activity;
• an increase in the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants;
• the inhibition of oxidative changes in lipids, proteins, and DNA, thereby enhancing antioxidant enzymatic activity.
   

But CBD isn’t the only antioxidant. Terpenes and flavonoids—active compounds also synthesized by cannabis—have beneficial properties in combating cellular aging. The terpene beta-caryophyllene, in addition to its anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing effects, is considered a highly effective antioxidant. It is also found in black pepper, hops, basil, cloves, and oregano. Finally, hemp seeds also have strong antioxidant potential due to their high concentration of carotene.
 

In summary, oxidative stress is a natural, inevitable phenomenon that causes cellular aging. Antioxidants help slow down and combat this degeneration. Although they are naturally present in the body, it is advisable to boost their levels with foods high in ORAC value and dietary supplements. To take full advantage of the antioxidant properties of all plant-based active ingredients—and cannabis in particular—broad-spectrum extracts are recommended because they provide the entourage effect.