Hemp Seed Oil vs. CBD Oil
Hemp seed oil and CBD oil are two products that promote a naturally healthy lifestyle. As they are both derived from the hemp plant, some people use the names interchangeably. In fact, there are major distinctions that impact their uses and benefits. We will discuss the major differences in hemp seed oil vs. CBD oil here.
What is Hemp seed oil?
Hemp is a family of flowering plants, one of which is cannabis. Hemp seed oil is usually derived from the seeds of the hemp plant. These seeds are rich in a number of nutrients, including antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids. However, the seeds only contain trace amounts of CBD.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. The substance is present in all types of cannabis, but it is just one type of active cannabinoid. It is possible to make CBD oil from various parts of cannabis plants, including leaves, flowers, and stalks.
Like hemp oil, CBD contains just trace amounts of THC — the psychoactive chemical responsible for the high from marijuana. This means you will experience no sense of euphoria or high when you use CBD oil, but you will gain a number of other benefits.
CBD oil most often will contain a carrier oil similar to essential oils. The amount of CBD concentrate is so small that without this carrie oil it would be hard to administer. Most commonly you will find MCT oil, hemp seed oil and Olive oil as the main carrier oil.
Uses of Hemp seed Oil
For a long time, hemp has been available in a variety of products sold in health food stores. It is widely considered a superfood, mainly due to its high content of fatty acids. As an oil, it has a range of applications for humans as well as pets.
1. Act as a Moisturizer
Hemp oil moisturizes skin, hair, and nails by acting just like the body’s natural lipids. With a comedogenic rating of zero, it moisturizes without clogging pores.
2. Improve Heart Health
The fatty acids in hemp oil lower bad cholesterol and increases metabolism by speeding up the rate the body burns fat.
3. Prevent Damage to Nerve Cells
When nerve cells become damaged, nerve impulses slow or stop entirely. This can lead to neurological problems. Hemp oil helps you avoid such conditions by protecting the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells.
4. Treat Psoriasis
Gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a type of omega-6 fatty acid in hemp oil, helps fight the auto-immune disease psoriasis. This improves the appearance of skin and eases the itchy sensation.
5. Avoid a GLA Deficiency
Humans and dogs alike can be deficient in GLA, particularly if they are eating a diet high in refined grains. Ensuring you receive enough GLA can help with:
- Managing arthritic pain and inflammation
- Improving skin condition
- Weight management
6. Treat Cancer
GLA can also inhibit the development of certain types of cancers, kill cancer cells, and limit the side effects of some cancer treatments. Plus, in addition to GLA, hemp oil contains high quantities of antioxidants. These prevent damage from free radicals, which can cause cell mutations that may ultimately turn to cancer.
Uses of CBD Oil
There are even more ways to use CBD oil than hemp oil. Best of all, it is completely safe for humans and pets.
1. Stimulate Natural Receptors in the Body
CBD stimulates several natural receptors, including:
- Cannabinoid receptors — This improves the function of the endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in a variety of processes, including fertility, appetite, mood, and memory.
- Opioid receptors — To modulate pain.
- Dopamine receptors — These contribute to motivation and reward-seeking behaviors as well as cognition.
- Serotonin receptors — Another type of receptors with a wide range of functions, these contribute to learning, anxiety, and thermoregulation.
2. Provide Anxiety Relief
CBD oil has a calming effect on the body. In fact, extensive research has shown that CBD reduces anxiety caused by anything from panic attacks, anxiety disorders, and PTSD to public speaking. In dogs, the oil can also be useful for treating separation anxiety and noise phobias.
3. Treat Seizures
Many people find that conventional drugs are unable to treat thier seizures effectively. The situation is even worse for dogs, as some of the most common medications (like phenobarbital and potassium bromide) can cause irreparable damage to the liver and other organs. In contrast, CBD is highly effective and has no unpleasant side effects.
4. Natural Analgesic
CBD can also work better than other medications for pain relief. Again, this is especially important for dogs, as traditional drugs can be dangerous for them. CBD oil is a useful analgesic for arthritis and neuropathic conditions, pain in the muscles and joints, and for headaches.
7. Reduce Inflammation
By restoring normal gut motility, CBD is able to reduce the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It also works as an anti-inflammatory in cases of allergies, hypersensitivities, autoimmune conditions, and chronic inflammation.
8. Help with Skin Conditions
Eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, sunburn, and insect bites are all treatable with CBD oil. Plus, the oil reduces the lipid product from sebaceous glands to prevent acne.
9. Increase Appetite
When poor appetite is due to vomiting or nausea, CBD oil can help. It can even prevent vomiting as a side effect of medication.
10. Fight Cancer
Some of the same substances found in hemp oil are also present in CBD oil. For this reason, CBD is effective at fighting cancer in a few ways. First, it kills current cancer cells by preventing them from producing energy. Second, it slows the growth of tumors. Third, it boosts the immune system to enhance the function of natural killer cells. All this helps improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
Purchasing the Right Oil
If you are looking to gain specific benefits, it is important to understand the difference between hemp oil vs. CBD oil. Whereas either will promote good health, they have completely different applications. This means that if get them mixed up, there’s a good chance you won’t see the results you were hoping for.
Furthermore, it is essential that you buy from a reputable brand. It is no good paying for what you think is CBD oil only to find out that product actually contains a substitute that lacks many of the qualities of CBD. Look for products clearly labeled as having CBD and not hemp oil as many manufactures have done.
Be careful of brands with essential oils in them. While you can safely use CBD oil in higher doses, formulas with essential oils in them may have side effects at higher doses depending on the essential oil used. If essential oils are included make sure to clarify the max dosage with the manufacturer.
We also advise staying away from Amazon which limits the information a company can report on their labels and product description. For the best CBD oil for dogs and humans, we recommend our line of premium hemp CBD oils from All Paws Essentials. They are all safe for oral and topical use on pets and humans. You can trust you’re getting exactly what is listed on the labels. They guarantee it or your money back.
