Feeling lacklustre after lockdown? CBD expert Ruby Deevoy is here to explain how you can use CBD to rediscover your energy and feel your best this summer…
As we cautiously emerge from lockdown and dare to hope that life might be returning to some sense of normality, you may find you’re lacking in the energy you need to embrace social activities, work, and everyday trips out that we got used to not having.
This may come as a result of chronic stress impacting your adrenal glands, cortisol levels, and quality of sleep. It could be diet-related, if you’ve been turning to fast-release food, such as refined carbs and sugars, as a means of comfort. It may be a knock-on effect of depression, sparked by isolation. And these are all areas CBD has been shown to help with.
Taking CBD as an energy boost is one of its lesser-known – and lesser-studied – uses but one of my personal favourites. As an exhausted mum of a four-year-old who has still yet to sleep through the night, I often struggle to get through the day without it! And I find it to be so effective that I’ll often opt for a CBD capsule over a coffee. It gives me the same energy, without the jitters!
Different people notice different effects
It’s hard to say what the reason for this is as the cannabis plant is so adaptive by nature. It’s referred to as having a “biphasic effect”, meaning people can notice different effects depending on dosage and what their body needs help with to rebalance.
Because the endocannabinoid system – the physiological system with which cannabinoids interact – is found throughout the body, within all other physiological systems such as the immune system, endocrine system, and central nervous system, its activation, or lack thereof, has an impact on almost all bodily functions.
This includes the regulation of energy metabolism, the regulation of adrenal activity, insulin balance, and the regulation of the wake-sleep cycle – all of which play a crucial role in your energy levels throughout the day.
CBD may increase metabolism
When you eat, you’re giving your body fuel to turn into energy. However, a slow metabolism or consuming more energy than you expend can lead to fat storage – when the body keeps hold of calories rather than turning them into usable energy.
There are now a number of studies looking into CBD as a weight loss aid, as this particular cannabinoid transforms white fat tissue, which stores energy, into brown fat tissue, which burns it. This increases the breakdown of fats and the body’s ability to use them as an energy source. In turn, this increases the energy you have freed up to use in the day!
CBD and your blood sugar levels
As we learn more about the cannabis plant and its potential therapeutic benefits, certain areas of interest come to the forefront. One of these is the effect CBD has on insulin production and blood sugar levels.
There’s now evidence to suggest CBD helps lower blood sugar levels and increases insulin production, particularly when used in combination with another cannabinoid, THCV, which is often found in broad- and full-spectrum CBD products.
This is incredible news for people with Type 2 diabetes, but also relevant when it comes to energy. Cells need insulin to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. If there’s not enough glucose this absorption can’t take place properly, which can result in high blood sugar levels, weakness, and fatigue. It looks as though CBD helps balance this bodily process, which may balance energy levels, too.
CBD and stress
One of the most popular reasons for using CBD is stress relief, which we’ve covered in previous columns. An important factor here is how CBD helps regulate the hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This acts in synergy with your endocannabinoid system to balance a variety of physiological and cognitive processes, including your stress response.
When your stress response is overactive, which can occur because of chronic stress, trauma, lack of sleep, poor diet, or an endocannabinoid deficiency, this increases the release of cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this can result in a stress cascade that may lead to HPA dysfunctions, adrenal fatigue and hormone disruption.
If you’ve ever been stressed (who hasn’t?), you’ll know how exhausting this can be. Chronic stress is chronically exhausting, but CBD can help rebalance the stress response. Then, your body can recharge and put all that energy to good use elsewhere.
CBD and sleep
Finally, CBD helps with pain reduction, stress relief and overall balancing of the body. This can lead to better quality sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re not going to feel energised! But hopefully, with the right CBD product, you’ll manage to catch the ZZZs you need to be fully restored the next day.
Three CBD products to try for an energy boost
Lady A Daily Fix Capsules (£55, mellow.store).
A zesty blend of lemon, orange, matcha green tea and 25mg of CBD per capsule makes this an outstanding pick-me-up. You will not need a morning coffee if you take these – trust me!
Pot Head Coffee CBD Infused Coffee (from £14.95, pothead.coffee).
Not wanting to forgo caffeine? treat yourself to this wonderful small-batch grind, which contains full-spectrum CBD and infused terpenes. It’s delicious, smooth, and jitter-free!
Leafline Gummies (from £19.99, cbdleafline.co.uk).
Got a sweet tooth? These are for you. The sugar in these vegan gummies gives you an instant kick. The 10mg CBD takes effect after half an hour or so.
