Ease Menopause Symptoms Naturally with CBD: Find Out How

Plant-Powered Relief

For those going through menopause, up to 90% of women experience unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, weight gain, and more. Many are turning to natural remedies to ease into this next chapter of life — and one of the most sought-after remedies is CBD. Here’s why.

Is CBD Legal?

While strides have been taken by several states to legalize marijuana, it is still considered a schedule one drug by the federal government. For our purposes here, we are focusing on hemp-derived products that have a THC content of less than 0.3%. These products do not have the same psychoactive properties of marijuana and are considered legal by the federal government under the 2018 Farm Bill. But it is always wise to check your state’s legislation regarding CBD products.

Endocannabinoid System and Menopause

A collection of cell receptors in the body, the endocannabinoid system is found in the brain, tissues, and organs. It is involved in mood regulation, immunity, pain, sleep, memory, and temperature regulation. When a woman enters perimenopause and menopause, the delicate balance of this system becomes disrupted as these receptors are found in the female reproductive system. Because of this, many have found relief from uncomfortable symptoms by using CBD products as they interact with these cell receptors.

While there isn’t research to date on how CBD can help specifically with menopausal symptoms, several studies have explored how this natural remedy addresses pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and bone loss — all of which women can experience with menopause.

Boosting Quality of Life With CBD

A fascinating review in 2020 found that CBD was effective in relieving chronic pain, supporting healthy sleep patterns, and reducing inflammation.¹ While the researchers were observing the impacts of the compound on other health conditions and not menopause, anecdotal evidence has established menopausal women have found relief using CBD because it addresses many of these same symptoms.

Animal studies have established CBD may help reduce the impacts of depression and anxiety — two common symptoms during the hormonal shift of menopause.² Sleep disruption is another widely experienced symptom of menopause, which can stem from hot flashes, pain, and disturbances of the endocannabinoid system.³ In fact, research in 2019 found “[m]any of the reviewed studies suggested that cannabinoids could improve sleep quality, decrease sleep disturbances, and decrease sleep onset latency.”⁶ What’s more, the results of a Harvard survey of perimenopausal and menopausal women found:

“The vast majority (86%) were current cannabis users. Participants were split on whether they used cannabis for medical reasons, recreational purposes, or both. Nearly 79% endorsed it to alleviate menopause-related symptoms. Of those, 67% said cannabis helps with sleep disturbance, while 46% reported it helps improve mood and anxiety.”^7,8

One of the more concerning aspects of menopause is the risk of osteoporosis, which impacts one in four women over the age of sixty-five.⁴ A promising study in 2008 using animal models found that CBD directly interacts with the cannabinoid receptor involved in bone density loss and may help to prevent it.⁵

What about hot flashes? CBD is not effective for reducing hot flashes as those are regulated by the hippocampus region of the brain, which isn’t involved in the endocannabinoid system. Instead, I recommend black cohosh – it is included in my effective Menopause Blend. Visit the apothecary to learn more. ​. This herb helps to balance hormones, reduce moodiness, calm night sweats, address vaginal dryness, and clear mental fog. It works best when taken consistently and it can take up to a month to see results. If you have any of the following conditions, do not use black cohosh: history of seizures; blood clots, stroke, or an allergy to aspirin; endometriosis, uterine or breast cancer, or pregnant/breastfeeding. You can learn more about this herb and many others in my book, “The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies“.

My Favorite Hemp Product for Sleep

I have partnered with Metolius Hemp Company to bring you the best of CBD + CBG and traditional botanicals to support deep, restful sleep during the transition of menopause and more. This potent blend is formulated with sustainably sourced extracts of valerian root, German chamomile, passion flower, and hops strobile, along with magnesium and CBD/CBG. You cannot find a more effective formulation for promoting quality sleep. Looking for sleep help without CBD? Find it here.

The chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and bone loss of menopause are also addressed due to the concentrated CBD and CBG extracts found in this blend. Simply put, if you are struggling with menopausal symptoms, River Source Sleep is an outstanding, full-spectrum choice.

I chose their product over the many other options on the market because it has the highest quality isolate and contains a greater amount of cannabinoids and terpenes. This creates a synergy that helps to boost the efficacy of each bioactive compound.

If you would like an all-in-one formulation with added CBD, this is for you. Better yet, my friends at the Metolius Hemp Company are giving you a generous discount so you can try these exciting products for yourself!

Use the coupon code “Nicole” for 30% off your entire order (except the already discounted CannaClubs).

Visit Metolius Hemp Company today and experience what a difference their products can make!

Nicole Apelian

Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post

References

1. Argueta, D. A., Ventura, C. M., Kiven, S., Sagi, V., & Gupta, K. (2020). A Balanced Approach for Cannabidiol Use in Chronic Pain. Frontiers in pharmacology, 11, 561. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00561
2. de Mello Schier, A. R., de Oliveira Ribeiro, N. P., Coutinho, D. S., Machado, S., Arias-Carrión, O., Crippa, J. A., Zuardi, A. W., Nardi, A. E., & Silva, A. C. (2014). Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of cannabidiol: a chemical compound of Cannabis sativa. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets, 13(6), 953–960. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527313666140612114838
3. Oberbarnscheidt, T., & Miller, N. S. (2020). The Impact of Cannabidiol on Psychiatric and Medical Conditions. Journal of clinical medicine research, 12(7), 393–403. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4159
4. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Office on Women’s Health, “Osteoporosis”. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/osteoporosis
5. McHugh, D., Tanner, C., Mechoulam, R., Pertwee, R. G., & Ross, R. A. (2008). Inhibition of human neutrophil chemotaxis by endogenous cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids: evidence for a site distinct from CB1 and CB2. Molecular pharmacology, 73(2), 441–450. https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.107.041863
6. Kuhathasan, N., Dufort, A., MacKillop, J., Gottschalk, R., Minuzzi, L., & Frey, B. N. (2019). The use of cannabinoids for sleep: A critical review on clinical trials. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 27(4), 383–401. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000285
7. Dahlgren, M. K., El-Abboud, C., Lambros, A. M., Sagar, K. A., Smith, R. T., & Gruber, S. A. (2022). A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 29(9), 1028–1036. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002018
8. “Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief?” by Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women’s Health Watch, October 7, 2022. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/are-women-turning-to-cannabis-for-menopause-symptom-relief-202210242837