Hemp cbd oil prostate cancer
Cannabidiol CBD has developed a dedicated following thanks to its perceived effectiveness against anxiety, epilepsy, localized pain, and other conditions. Using CBD oil for issues such as an enlarged prostate is fairly common place, and although research is still limited and much of the evidence for its efficacy is anecdotal the popularity of this compound continues to grow. Some researchers are examining cannabidiol and other cannabinoids as part of a larger treatment for common prostate issues, including prostate cancer and prostate enlargement. Little is known for certain at this point, but researchers have uncovered some intriguing findings.
Pot for the prostate?
Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death in Canada for men. In fact, prostate cancer deaths make up 10 percent of all cancer deaths across the country. Roughly one in seven Canadian men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Someone you know and love, a brother, father, cousin, may develop prostate cancer in the next few years.
On the bright side - prostate cancer is very treatable, and according to the latest statistics from the Canadian Cancer Society , it has a 95 percent five-year net survival rate. But, if you know anyone who has gone through any cancer treatment protocols, you know it's a battle. The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation are not pleasant, nor are they pretty.
As cannabis research progresses, we are finding out that cannabis might do much more than just sooth the severe side effects of chemotherapy. Cannabis has a long history of co-treatment with conventional cancer treatments. Chemotherapy comes with a host of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, blisters, hair loss, appetite loss, and more. Treatment with cannabis during chemo might not help with hair loss, but it does help with the effects associated with sickness.
Cannabis can be highly effective for reducing nausea and vomiting as well as improving appetite, as outlined in a great review on Cancer. Cannabis and Chemotherapy compared the effects of the plant and a drug called Prochlorperazine a commonly used med in the treatment of chemotherapy effects in regards to chemotherapy side effects. During their research, they admitted patients with a diversity of cancers and undergoing a variety of treatments. Patients received either THC or Prochlorperazine.
The researchers measured the severity of the side effects and recorded patient preference. At the end of the study, the researchers noted THC and Prochlorperazine were equally beneficial for reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. Furthermore, any side effects from the THC presumably the 'high' did not influence patient preference.
Other older studies from as far back as the s found patients frequently preferred cannabis over conventional Prochlorperazine. Cannabis has also been found useful for improving appetite and weight during treatment. In addition, cancer patients widely use cannabis for cancer-related pain. There are several small, but nevertheless valuable, studies showing how effective cannabis is for cancer-related pain.
Chronic cancer-related pain is often resistant to opioid medications but receptive to cannabinoids. Two studies on cancer-pain and cannabis are worth highlighting. The first, called " Analgesic effect of deltatetrahydrocannabinol " gave different doses of oral THC to patients suffering from cancer pain. The authors concluded, "Pain relief significantly superior to placebo was demonstrated at high dose levels 15 and 20 mg.
The second study a follow-up compared oral cannabis in 10 mg doses to a comparable pain reliever - codeine. These studies found that 10 mg of THC was equivalent to 60 mg of codeine, and 20 mg of THC equal to mg of codeine.
It's important to note there are no clinical studies to date showing these antitumor effects, but many studies based on animal or in Petri dishes.
In these preliminary studies , cannabis has demonstrated its "antitumor effects by various mechanisms, including induction of cell death, inhibition of cell growth, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis invasion and metastasis.
Unlike chemotherapy, cannabis targets cancer cells but protects the surrounding healthy tissue. Many patients have begun incorporating cannabis into their treatment protocols as a way to combat the many side effects of conventional cancer treatment. At the time of writing, the National Cancer Institute had only one clinical trial listed, but it was for the effects of radiation , not as antitumor research.
Everyone is waiting for robust clinical studies on cannabis and cancer, including, of course, on prostate cancer specifically. Until then, we can look at the current theories and discussion points. Is cannabis a value-added option for men with prostate cancer?
In some of the most extensive literature to date, " The role of cannabinoids in prostate cancer: Basic science perspective and potential clinical applications ," from the Indian Journal of Urology, the authors examined cannabis for prostate cancer treatment. The information contained in this publication outlines a compelling argument for further research. As the authors explain, cannabinoids are very intriguing because of their ability to agonize meaning activate both CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Both receptors are part of our endocannabinoid system. Why does this matter for prostate cancer treatment? Earlier research has demonstrated that cultured prostate cancer cells have much higher concentrations of both CB1 and CB2 receptors compared to healthy surrounding tissues. This high concentration of receptors in those cells means that prostate cancer would be highly receptive to cannabinoid therapy. When treated with another type of agonist called WIN, researchers have measured a "dose and time-dependent decrease in cell viability", also known as survival rate.
Furthermore, the cannabinoid reduced the expression of something called "prostate-specific antigen". This is a substance secreted by prostate glands, and physicians use it as a screening tool for prostate cancer. Higher levels of prostate-specific antigen predict prostate cancer. Early studies have discovered that cannabinoid activating chemicals, similar to those found in cannabis, reduce the level of measurable prostate-specific antigen, and its expression.
Confused yet? Essentially scientists theorize that cannabinoids may reduce the levels of this antigen, possibly reducing the risk of or expression of prostate cancer. While still early days, there is a lot of evidence paving the way for further research.
It hasn't stopped many people from combining cannabis oil with their chemotherapy treatment. At the very least, it may help with nausea, vomiting, and cancer-related pain. At best, it might also combat the cancer cells themselves. Because there are no clinical trials, and no regulation on cannabis for cancer, nobody can say for sure what method works best for treating prostate cancer. Proper cannabis dosing for any medical condition is something best left to discuss with your doctor.
This is of the utmost importance when combining with other medications like you would during chemo. With that warning aside, we know everyone turns to Dr.
Google these days before heading to the doctors. What does the internet say about dosing cannabis for cancer? If you noticed above, one scientific study found 10 mg and 20 mg of oral THC worked for reducing cancer-related pain.
However, it's worth noting that they also found 20 mg doses came with higher adverse reaction strong intoxication. If you want to use higher potency preparations, as done in this study, you'll want to move away from smokables and vaped products.
Try oral preparations like tinctures, concentrates, homemade edibles, and capsules. Rick Simpson , the Canadian grandfather of medicinal cannabis, is well known for his story of curing cancer with cannabis. He has been traveling the world, teaching people about his experience and practices for well over a decade. Although not a doctor, he recommends treating cancer with up to one gram 1 milliliter of highly concentrated cannabis oil with a ratio of THC:CBD dependent on your tolerance per day.
He proposes taking three to five weeks to increase a small dose up to this high amount. He also suggests splitting the dose up into three smaller doses a day. Notably, he takes his daily dose in a Rick Simpson Oil format, which is made-at-home concentrated cannabis oil.
For prostate cancer, suppositories of cannabis oil may also be of value. We might sound like a broken record, but there are no clinical studies on cannabis for treating cancer, let alone specifically for prostate cancer. Cannabis is recognized in many medical circles as an effective co-therapy for cancer pain, nausea, and appetite - but you should always work with your doctor before jumping into it head first.
Medical cannabis advocates respect folks like Rick Simpson, but he is also not a doctor. Take what you will from his recommendations but take those recommendations to your doctor first. It does look like there is a big future for cannabinoids like THC and CBD in cancer treatments, but clinical results are a long way off. When medical cannabis is used in its whole form the benefits are greater than when the individual parts are used separately, we explain this theory and how to use it to heal faster.
Cannabis is a known pain reliever and can be used to treat symptoms of intense surgery, but what are the pros and cons? Is cannabis safe before and after surgery?
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[52] Cannabidiol (CBD), another major constituent of the Cannabis sativa plant, has the same therapeutic effects of THC (analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and others). In our hospital we notice the popular use of cannabis oil in prostate cancer (PCa) patients, they even replace standard treatment with the use of cannabis oil.
Long before scientists learned to manufacture synthetic medications, folk healers relied on natural compounds derived from plants. Even today, herbal compounds are heavily promoted as "dietary supplements" and are widely used in various forms of alternative, or complementary, medicine. Although scientific studies that demonstrate benefit for plant-based supplements are few and far between, some compounds have become the building blocks of important mainstream medications. One example is acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin; it's a synthetic chemical patterned after the salicylates in the extract of willow bark used by Hippocrates to treat pain and fever, some 2, years ago.
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Cannabis is helping untold numbers of Americans find real relief from many previously untreatable symptoms and chronic conditions, and we at Vireo Health firmly believe that current research will unlock many other valid and medically useful roles for cannabis to play in our health and well-being. The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system.
Can You Take CBD Oil for Enlarged Prostate & Other Prostate Issues?
Cannabis oil has been on the minds of men with prostate cancer. It seems that many people want to know if cannabis oil can cure prostate cancer. If you ask any man who has used cannabis oil for prostate cancer and had his cancer go in remission, the answer is yes. If you ask a scientist, the answer will be that there is not a lot of data on the medical uses of cannabis oil. Read on to learn more about this alternative treatment for prostate cancer.
Can Cannabis Oil Cure Prostate Cancer?
Updated on April 1, Medical content reviewed by Dr. Joseph Rosado , MD, M. A, Chief Medical Officer. Cancer is one of the most talked-about diseases of our time. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. It is a small, round gland that is located in front of the rectum at the base of the bladder. Its primary function is to release fluid into the urethra during ejaculation. During ejaculation, sperm travels from the testicle through tubes called the vas deferens.
Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death in Canada for men. In fact, prostate cancer deaths make up 10 percent of all cancer deaths across the country.
Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system.
News and Special Updates
Prostate cancer is a global public health problem, and it is the most common cancer in American men and the second cause for cancer-related death. Experimental evidence shows that prostate tissue possesses cannabinoid receptors and their stimulation results in anti-androgenic effects. To review currently relevant findings related to effects of cannabinoid receptors in prostate cancer. Articles identified were screened for their relevance to the field of prostate cancer and interest to both urologist and pain specialists. Prostate cancer cells possess increased expression of both cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors, and stimulation of these results in decrease in cell viability, increased apoptosis, and decreased androgen receptor expression and prostate-specific antigen excretion. It would be of interest to conduct clinical studies utilizing cannabinoids for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, taking advantage not only of its beneficial effects on prostate cancer but also of their analgesic properties for bone metastatic cancer pain. Prostate cancer is an established public health concern in modern society and has been for decades. It is the most common cancer in men asides from non-melanoma skin cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Cannabis and cannabinoids have often been an issue of much polemics in the realm of science, but since the discovery of cannabinoid receptors in rat brain in the late s,[ 3 ] there has been a growing interest in the research of these compounds and our knowledge continues to expand. There has been experimental evidence that cannabinoids possess anti-androgenic proprieties; the purpose of this review is to describe in detail the effects, characteristics, and possible role of cannabis and cannabinoids in the subject of prostate cancer. Articles identified were screened for their relevance to the field of prostate cancer and likely interest to both urologist and pain specialists. This review article focuses on the effects of cannabinoids in the realm of prostate cancer pathophysiology and their potential uses.
‘Can CBD oil treat prostate cancer?' and other questions from Bill Turnbull's documentary
The marijuana enthusiast and stoner comedian says he's treating his recently diagnosed prostate cancer with cannabis. But what does the research say? He blames his time there, he told Lemon, for his current prostate problems. Chong was on air to discuss decriminalizing marijuana, which he says is now a personal health issue for him. Spanish scientists from the University of Alcala in Madrid tested the effects of cannabinoids on human cell lines and found that the chemicals work in conjunction with specific molecules called CB2 receptors to stop the spread of prostate cancer. Any real cannabis-based cancer treatment would probably involve isolating and synthesizing the active chemicals in the plant and using them to engineer a drug — pharmaceutical, not recreational — that could attack the abnormal cells directly. Some research suggests that the active ingredients in medical marijuana , namely deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC and cannabidiol, can improve a patient's appetite and sense of taste, relieve symptoms of pain and nausea, and even reduce anxiety. Clearly, scientists have more work to do.
