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It’s Rheumatoid Arthritis Week - a week dedicated to raising awareness for one of the most common types of arthritis. With this chronic condition holding the potential to significantly impact quality of life, patients are on the constant lookout for ways to manage their symptoms, from prescribed medications to alternative therapies.
In this article, we’re taking a look at the growing body of evidence around the potential of cannabidiol (CBD) for arthritis, and how consumers are turning to this popular wellness ingredient for their symptoms.
This year, Rheumatoid Awareness Week will run from the 15th-19th September. It marks the 13th annual campaign, established by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society to raise public awareness of this chronic condition, its symptoms, and its impact on the lives of patients and their families.
Arthritis refers to a range of conditions that affect the joints. There are over 100 such conditions, of which the primary symptoms are pain, inflammation, and stiffness around joints such as the knees, wrists, elbows, and fingers. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ arthritis. The second most common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue around the joints. It is thought to affect around 1% of the population and is more common in women than men. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects the body symmetrically, meaning that if one knee is affected, the other is likely to be affected too, and so on.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, treatments focus on making symptoms more manageable and slowing disease progression. Common treatments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other painkillers, steroids, and biological treatments. In some cases, surgery, such as joint replacements, may be necessary. However, a growing number of people are becoming interested in alternative options to manage their arthritis symptoms. For some, this includes over-the-counter CBD products.
A recent survey of CBD consumers in the United States found that arthritis/joint pain was one of the top three medical conditions for which CBD was used. But is there any evidence that CBD could be beneficial for arthritis? Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
CBD is one of the most abundant cannabinoids - a category of compounds produced exclusively by the cannabis plant. Along with other compounds in this family, including the psychoactive cannabinoid THC, CBD has increasingly been assessed for its therapeutic potential in a range of settings. In recent years, researchers have aimed to understand whether the anti-inflammatory potential of CBD could be useful in the treatment of arthritis.
So, what were the findings of these studies?
A recent study, published in 2022, aimed to explore patients’ perceived effects of CBD on symptoms of arthritis. The researchers distributed a questionnaire to participants with arthritis, of whom 428 were included in the final analysis. From this sample, 83% reported that CBD use was associated with improvements in pain, while 66% said it helped with physical function and sleep quality. The majority of participants also reported a reduction or cessation of other medications after CBD use.
Another study, a randomised controlled trial also published in 2022, tested the effects of topical CBD products in the treatment of pain associated with thumb basal joint arthritis. Eighteen participants were enrolled in the study, which compared CBD with shea butter to shea butter alone. The study indicated that topical CBD administration resulted in improvements in patient-reported outcome measures, including pain, range of motion, grip, and pinch strength.
CBD has become an incredibly popular ingredient in the health and wellness world. From CBD oils to CBD skincare, consumers are embracing the cannabinoid in a range of product forms. These products can be bought online, at specialist health stores, and even your local supermarket. But shoul you consider giving them a go if you have arthritis?
Well, the important thing to remember is that consumer CBD products are not manufactured or intended to be used as medicinal products. Moreover, there remains a lack of high-quality clinical data to fully support the potential of CBD as a therapy for arthritis.
To conclude, more evidence is needed to fully understand the relationship between CBD and arthritis. However, as a safe and widely available ingredient, CBD - and in particular, CBD skincare - is only growing in popularity among consumers with and without arthritis. If you’d like to discover the benefits for yourself, browse our full range of high-quality, organic CBD products.
