Will CBN rival melatonin?

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.

Melatonin is one of the most commonly used dietary supplements worldwide. It is an over-the-counter dietary supplement that adults rely on to treat insomnia.

Melatonin is natural because it is a hormone that the body already produces when we are exposed to darkness. It helps regulate circadian rhythms to ensure we sleep properly, and is effective even in small doses to help you close your eyes a little.

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Taking melatonin also has many benefits. Aside from being accessible and affordable, this popular sleep aid also has antioxidant properties, may help reduce production of cortisol — the stress hormone — regulate blood pressure, and boost the immune system.

However, many people have experienced relief from the use of cannabis. There are numerous cannabinoids in the cannabis plant that offer the same benefits as melatonin, and some even more. Enter CBN.

Meet CBN – Cannabinol

CBN is one of the newer cannabinoid compounds derived from cannabis, although it’s lesser known compared to its other relatives, CBD, CBG, and of course THC. However, recently it has attracted some attention due to its ability to induce sleep and relaxation. This is possible because it is created when delta 9 THC is broken down, which can be done in the lab.

CBN also forms naturally when THC is exposed to light and heat because it naturally oxidizes in these situations. So if you’ve left your weed outside or exposed to air for a long time, you may not get as high as you wanted, although it can make you sleepy – because the THC has already turned into CBN.

Once we consume CBN, it binds to the CB1 receptor, although not as tightly as THC. For this reason, CBN is often referred to as THC, but without the high.

RELATED: Is CBN a Controlled Substance? Yes. no, maybe

While CBD is relaxing, it is not as potent as taking CBN. There are already CBN supplements on the market designed to help consumers fall asleep or relax faster, with effects lasting an hour or less. There are numerous anecdotal reports of CBN helping people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, although there are very few studies to support its ability to do so. But that hasn’t stopped people from trying and buying CBN supplements.

pain relief

Aside from sleep, CBN also shows promise on other fronts such as: B. Pain relief. There was a 2019 animal study that showed that consuming both CBN and CBD was effective in reducing myofascial pain in rat subjects; They also found that using both cannabinoids together was more effective than using them alone. This can be explained by the widely studied entourage effect of cannabinoids, where it has been shown that the presence of other cannabinoids enhances the other’s therapeutic effects.

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inflammation

There are also some studies showing that CBN has some anti-inflammatory properties. In the study, the researchers discovered that it effectively relieves the pain caused by arthritis caused by inflammation in the joints.

Skin and Bone Health

Some studies suggest that CBN has the potential to help form new bone cells by activating stem cells and promoting new bone growth. It can also help minimize bone loss while helping to treat fractures. Additionally, CBN has been shown to help reduce skin cell overgrowth when applied topically and may help treat psoriasis.

Antibacterial

CBN consumption has been shown to be effective in fighting bacteria, even bacteria that resist traditional antibiotics like MRSA.

anti-cancer

Most of the research into using CBN to fight cancer is still in its early stages, but what scientists have found so far is that CBN could show promise due to its ability to slow down the spread of cancer cells. Additionally, it was one of many cannabinoids found to be successful in reducing the growth of lung cancer tumors.

CBD vs CBN: What’s the difference?

Although cannabidiol (CBD) is far more popular compared to CBN, they have unique properties that can be beneficial for many people. They are found in different amounts in the cannabis plant and also respond in different ways to the endocannabinoid system.

There are some key differences between the two star cannabinoids that will help first-time users learn more about them. For one thing, there is more evidence that CBD may be beneficial for anxiety when compared to CBN. Another reason is that while both are effective for sleep, CBN has been shown to be more potent at inducing ocular arrest.

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What you should know before taking CBN

Usually in oil form, CBN is widely available and has such a loyal following, especially among people who are struggling to get some rest. Since it has no known side effects, just like other cannabinoids, you can keep experimenting and see if it actually works better than melatonin.

RELATED: CBD might not make you fail a drug test, but CBN might

Keep in mind that just like other cannabis products, start small and work slowly until you are confident of the expected effects you will have from consuming CBN. In addition, you should not take it unless your doctor has given you permission to mix it if you are already taking any medicines.

While there are no side effects from taking cannabinoids alone, there can be several side effects when you combine them with drugs. It can also unexpectedly weaken the effects of drugs, make drugs useless in your body or increase them, so mixing cannabinoids with pharmaceutical drugs is never recommended.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.