Do you have problems forgetting things like misplacing keys or names of your friends and acquaintances? While occasional forgetfulness is ordinary, loss of memory could be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
AD is one of the most dreaded mental health problems, especially among seniors. Currently, this ailment is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. There are even reports estimating that this killer health problem is the third leading killer, behind heart disease and cancer.
Overview of Alzheimer’s Disease
AD is a progressive mental disorder leading to wasting away and death of brain cells. This illness is the most common type of dementia usually characterized by progressive memory loss. Apart from losing the ability to remember, patients of this disease can also suffer from problems in thinking, behavior, and socialization. At its advanced stage, patients with this disorder may lose their capacity to live independently.
This disease often affects people aged 65 or over, but some people start showing AD symptoms as early as 40 years old. During its early stages, this ailment shows mild and usually unnoticeable signs like occasional problems in recalling new information. The reason is this disease usually begins in the areas of the brain responsible for storing further information.
As the illness progress, patients can have:
- A difficulty with reading, writing, speaking or working with numbers.
- Trouble to organize their thoughts and think in a logical sequence.
- Behavior problems such as improper anger outbursts and loss of impulse control, restlessness, agitation, and anxiety.
- Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, and irritability.
Those in the advanced stages can suffer from a loss of physical functions which can lead to lack of bowel or bladder control, seizures, and difficulty swallowing.
Cannabis for Alzheimer’s Disease
Currently, there is still no known treatment for AD and doctors are only providing medications to delay the progress of the illness. One of the compounds that have shown promising therapeutic results is cannabidiol (CBD), a compound extracted from cannabis.
A body of research has shown the benefits of CBD in fighting Alzheimer’s, such as:
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Removal of Amyloid
Studies have revealed the potency of CBD against the clump of protein amyloid, which doctors say is responsible for AD. In one experiment, a combination of the cannabidiol and THC, another component of marijuana, successfully removed the amyloid from the lab-grown nerve cells. The same result appeared in another test, this time on mice with AD symptoms. While the studies are only carried out in laboratories, researchers are optimistic medical cannabis will someday provide cure to this mind-wasting disorder.
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Fights inflammation
Most neurodegenerative diseases — like AD as well as Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis — often involve swelling of the neural tissues. The swelling of the brain cells increases the adverse impact of AD. The anti-inflammatory property of cannabis oil, as well as CBD oil and THC oil, could help slow down the improvement of the disease. Studies have proven that CBD can reduce or remove the impact of inflammation and brain cell decline. With this quality, patients can have now an alternative medicine.
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Has anti-oxidant properties
The inflammation of brain cells releases oxygen and causes oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induces the production of free radicals, resulting in a massive loss of neurons and synapses within the brain. This reaction leads to memory loss and a spate of other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This mind-damaging reaction can be slowed down by a potent antioxidant like CBD hemp oil.
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Stimulates rebirth of neurons
Cannabis oil has a unique capacity to kick start neurogenesis or the brain’s ability to regenerate neurons. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, neural tissues are on the path of rapid destruction, which results in memory loss, mental impairment, and changes in personality. Through CBD oil, the progression of these devastating effects slows down as it stimulates the production of new neural tissues.
While at present Alzheimer’s disease still has no cure, doctors are positive CBD can slow down its progression. Consult your doctor now to learn how medical cannabis can help AD sufferers overcome their debilitating condition.
