Health Benefits of Hemp Oil. Are they Real or Wishful Thinking?

Besides the important medical benefits offered by hemp oil via its nutritional qualities — hemp seeds are a leading source of most of the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids your body needs every day — research is accumulating that points to the value of hemp oil as a treatment to actual medical conditions like cancer and epilepsy. Specifically, it’s the cannabinoid CBD, which is found in hemp (as opposed to THC, which is found more commonly in marijuana) that’s believed to have these properties.

And plenty of research backs up this belief. Any online search will yield hundreds of studies on CBD’s medical benefits. Here are just a few examples.

A 2013 study published in the medical journal Epilepsy & Behavior is typical of recent findings. Among a group of pediatric patients, it triggered a reduction in seizure frequency in 84 percent of the total. “Of these, two (11%) reported complete seizure freedom, eight (42%) reported a greater than 80% reduction in seizure frequency, and six (32%) reported a 25-60% seizure reduction.”

Anxiety. A 2004 study from the pages of the medical journal Neuropsychopharmacology found that CBD has anxiolytic ]anti-anxiety] properties. When administered to patients, CBD “significantly decreased subjective anxiety and increased mental sedation, while placebo did not induce significant changes.”

Cancer. In 2012, a study published in the FASEB Journal — that’s the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology — found that CBD (and THC) “inhibit cancer cell invasion” by increasing the ability of tissue to inhibit growth. The study was among many recent ones showing a potentially strong cancer deterrent property among not just CBD but THC, as well.

The medical benefits of hemp oil also extend to more cosmetic functions, namely, human skin. “Hemp oil can penetrate the skin quickly compared to other oils,” explains SeedGuides.info. “This helps in preventing skin from sagging due to aging as essential fatty acids completely penetrate the outer skin layer, thereby, encouraging healthy moist skin.”

As the medical research accumulates, the outcry grows demanding the widespread legalization of hemp in all its forms to help treat those suffering from these medical conditions. And with the U.S. Senate’s recent vote to end the federal government’s cannabis ban, that day is suddenly looking, somewhat surprisingly, close at hand.