Renewed Focus In Self-care Sees Rise In Cbd Use - As One In Seven Now Buying It For Anxiety
The number of Brits using CBD products has risen from 7.8 million to 8.4 million adults (16%) in the past year, with one in seven (14%) now buying it to relieve anxiety and stress[1], according to research commissioned by alphagreen.io, Europe’s leading CBD marketplace.
The pandemic’s impact on access to GP care and supportive therapies, the associated epidemic of anxiety, depression and insomnia, as well as a renewed focus on self-care and wellbeing, has seen CBD sales skyrocketing.
Before the pandemic, NHS England estimated that around one in six adults (17%) suffered from clinical anxiety,[2] and the number of people experiencing issues had been rising steadily. But anxiety has surged during the pandemic.
Office of National Statistics data states that 37% of adults experienced high levels of anxiety during the first lockdowns in April and May,[3] and although this began to ease as restrictions were lifted, researchers at University College London found that anxiety levels are still well above average, particularly among younger adults.
Pain specialist, Dr Attam Singh from Alphagreen’s advisory panel, explains: “Cannabis receptors are widely distributed throughout the brain and body, so it’s not surprising that CBD has a broad spectrum of health and wellness benefits.
“Patients are looking towards natural remedies to mitigate and soothe symptoms of common conditions such as anxiety, as well as other mental and physical health concerns.”
Alphagreen surveyed 5,000 UK adults to capture their views and understanding of CBD products — and provide the most detailed view available of the UK CBD market.
Action on anxiety
The Alphagreen research, borne out of real world data, found that more than a third (37%) of those using CBD for anxiety said they felt calmer after taking it. One in seven (15%) said they were less irritable and 13% reported an improvement in their mental health and ability to get things done. Anxiety scores were almost halved, from an average of 7.3/10 before using CBD to an average of 3.5/10 after using it.
Dr Leon Barron, GP from Alphagreen’s advisory panel, says: “There has been a lot of research into the use of CBD for anxiety, and good evidence of benefits. We also have some clear pointers to the mode of action — CBD has been shown to interact with several receptors which regulate fear and anxiety-related behaviours, including serotonin receptors.”
This has been demonstrated in a number of clinical trials, with one study reporting a 78% improvement in anxiety after two months, with most seeing benefits with a daily dose of 25mg.
Indeed, a double-blind placebo trial in the Journal of Psychopharmacology involved patients with social anxiety disorder. It reported significant benefits and showed that CBD has a direct impact on the limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain — which are involved in processing our emotions and behavioural responses.
Additionally, a study by the University of New York Medical School concluded: “CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders.”
Alphagreen’s data shows that the most popular products being bought were oils, which had been used by 39% of CBD consumers in the previous six months.
While there has been a lack of regulation and widely varying quality of CBD products in the past, the situation is changing as, with all CBD products now classified as ‘novel food’ and regulated by the Food Standards Agency, and producers like Alphagreen are paving the way to deliver enhanced product purity and consumer confidence.
Alphagreen CEO Alexej Pikovsky explains: “Until March 2021, the CBD market was largely unregulated and, as a result, consumers faced a bewildering array of therapeutic claims, a wide range of strengths and formulations, and massive variations in price and quality.”
Pure and potent CBD products
After testing hundreds of CBD oils, and harnessing its knowledge of CBD science, market trends and consumer preferences, alphagreen.io is launching its own brand of high potency CBD oil and gummies. Both are made using CBD isolate, which is processed to remove all terpenes and non-CBD cannabinoids and compounds, to leave only pure CBD.
