“Cannabis and CBD can be beneficial for fibromyalgia patients because they address some of the underlying causes of the condition instead of just masking the symptoms. They can help reduce neuropathic and pelvic pain, spasms, headaches, inflammation, and anxiety or stress that can trigger or worsen flares. Cannabis may also improve imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin in fibromyalgia, help enhance mood, and alleviate depression that often accompanies this painful chronic disease with no cure. We’re excited to have a special guest speaker, Dr. Michele N. Ross, Ph.D., MBA, who not only studies fibromyalgia but also recovered from it. Dr Ross is renowned worldwide for her work as a health coach, cannabis expert, author, and neuroscientist. She has developed The BRACE Method to help fibromyalgia patients address the root problems instead of just treating the symptoms.”
There is no evidence that CBD products reduce chronic pain, and taking them is a waste of money and potentially harmful to health, new research finds
There is no evidence that CBD products reduce chronic pain, and taking them is a waste of money and potentially harmful to health, according to new research led by the University of Bath in the UK.
CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of many chemicals found naturally in the cannabis plant. It’s a popular alternative medicine to treat pain and is readily available in shops and online in the form of oils, tinctures, vapes, topical creams, edibles (such as gummy bears) and soft drinks.
However, consumers would do well to steer clear of these products, according to the new study.
“CBD presents consumers with a big problem,” said Professor Chris Eccleston, who led the research from the Centre for Pain Research at Bath. “It’s touted as a cure for all pain but there’s a complete lack of quality evidence that it has any positive effects.”
He added: “It’s almost as if chronic pain patients don’t matter, and that we’re happy for people to trade on hope and despair.”
For their study, published this week in The Journal of Pain, the team – which included researchers from the Universities of Bath, Oxford and Alberta in Canada – examined research relevant to using CBD to treat pain and published in scientific journals up to late 2023.
They found:
CBD products sold direct to consumers contain varying amounts of CBD, from none to much more than advertised.
CBD products sold direct to consumers may contain chemicals other than CBD, some of which may be harmful and some illegal in some jurisdictions. Such chemicals include THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant.
Of the 16 randomised controlled trials that have explored the link between pain and pharmaceutical-grade CBD, 15 have shown no positive results, with CBD being no better than placebo at relieving pain.
A meta-analysis (which combines data from multiple studies and plays a fundamental role in evidence-based healthcare) links CBD to increased rates of serious adverse events, including liver toxicity.
Medical vs non-medical CBD
In the UK, medical cannabis is the only CBD product that is subject to regulatory approval. It’s occasionally prescribed for people with severe forms of epilepsy, adults with chemotherapy-related nausea and people with multiple sclerosis.
Non-medical CBD is freely available in the UK (as well as in the US and many European countries) so long as it contains negligible quantities of THC or none at all. However, CBD products sold on the retail market are not covered by trade standards, meaning there is no requirement for them to be consistent in content or quality.
Most CBD products bought online – including popular CBD oils – are known to contain very small amounts of CBD. Moreover, any given product may be illegal to possess or supply, as there’s a good chance it will contain forbidden quantities of THC.
Chronic pain
An estimated 20% of the adult population lives with chronic pain, and sufferers are often desperate for help to alleviate their symptoms. It’s no surprise then that many people reach for CBD products, despite their high price tag and the lack of evidence of their effectiveness or safety.
Dr Andrew Moore, study co-author and former senior pain researcher in the Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics at the University of Oxford, said: “For too many people with chronic pain, there’s no medicine that manages their pain. Chronic pain can be awful, so people are very motivated to find pain relief by any means. This makes them vulnerable to the wild promises made about CBD.”
He added that healthcare regulators appear reluctant to act against the spurious claims made by some manufacturers of CBD products, possibly because they don’t want to interfere in a booming market (the global CBD product market was estimated at US$3 billion in 2021 or £2.4 billion and is anticipated to reach US$60 billion by 2030 or £48 billion) especially when the product on sale is widely regarded as harmless.
“What this means is that there are no consumer protections,” said Dr Moore. “And without a countervailing body to keep the CBD sellers in check, it’s unlikely that the false promises being made about the analgesic effects of CBD will slow down in the years ahead.”
The study’s authors are calling for chronic pain to be taken more seriously, with consumer protection becoming a priority.
“Untreated chronic pain is known to seriously damage quality of life, and many people live with pain every day and for the rest of their lives,” said Professor Eccleston. “Pain deserves investment in serious science to find serious solutions.”
An orally absorbed tablet containing cannabidiol (CBD) effectively reduces pain after shoulder surgery with no safety concerns, a new study finds.
Led by researchers in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone Health, the study found that the tablet ORAVEXXTM safely managed pain after minimally invasive rotator cuff surgery, and did not produce side effects sometimes associated with CBD use, such as nausea, anxiety, and liver toxicity. The findings were presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon’s (AAOS) 2022 Annual Meeting in Chicago.
“There is an urgent need for viable alternatives for pain management, and our study presents this form of CBD as a promising tool after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair,” says lead investigator Michael J. Alaia, MD, associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone Health. “It could be a new, inexpensive approach for delivering pain relief, and without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs and addiction risks linked to opiates. Additionally, CBD has the benefit of pain relief without the psychotropic effects associated with THC or marijuana.”
The multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial randomly sorted 99 participants across two study sites (NYU Langone Health and Baptist Health/Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute) between the ages of 18 and 75 into a placebo group and a group receiving oral-absorbed CBD. Participants were prescribed a low dose of Percocet, instructed to wean off the narcotic as soon as possible, and to take the placebo/CBD three times a day for 14 days after the surgery.
On the first day after surgery, patients receiving CBD experienced on average 23 percent less pain as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score compared to patients receiving the placebo, highlighting that in patients with moderate pain, CBD may render a significant benefit. On both the first and second days after surgery, patients receiving CBD reported 22 to 25 percent greater satisfaction with pain control compared to those receiving placebo. Further analysis also showed that patients receiving 50 mg of CBD reported lower pain and higher satisfaction with pain control compared to patients receiving placebo. No major side effects were reported.
While the results are promising, Dr. Alaia cautioned consumers against seeking out commercialized CBD products. “Our study is examining a well-designed, carefully scrutinized product under an investigational new drug application sanctioned by the FDA. This is currently still experimental medicine and is not yet available for prescription,” he added.
ORAVEXX™, the buccally absorbed tablet used in this study, is designed and manufactured by Orcosa Inc., a life sciences company. It is a non-addictive, fast-absorbing CBD composition designed to treat pain.
Moving forward, NYU Langone Health has launched a second study looking at whether ORAVEXX™ can specifically treat chronic pain in patients with osteoarthritis. Multiple Phase 2 studies also are planned to evaluate the drug’s efficacy for other acute and chronic pain management issues and assess the role of CBD on inflammation.
Seventy-two percent of patients with chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia were able to use CBD to reduce their use of pain medications including narcotics. This the conclusion from a University of Michigan study that reviewed records of 878 fibromyalgia patients who tried CBD as a part of their therapeutic regimen. CBD took the place of NSAIDS in 59%, opioids in 53%, gabapentanoids in 35% and benzodiazepines in 23%. In most cases, this substitution permitted complete discontinuation of these drugs and improved sleep patterns and memory. This is one of the first studies that shows the chronic pain of fibromyalgia may be controlled with the plant-based CBD in place of sometimes more dangerous medications.
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