Can CBD help with menopause?

Menopause, or the point in time when the menstrual cycle ceases, is inevitable for women past a certain age. But the symptoms that come with this hormonal change don’t have to be.

Enter: CBD, an extract of hemp plants that’s gained significant popularity over the past few years for its ability to curb anxiety, insomnia, and pain, common symptoms associated with menopause.

Might CBD be a viable treatment for the physical side effects often coupled with menopause? Here’s how to find out.

First things first: What exactly happens to the body during menopause? The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as a “point in time 12 months after a woman's last period.” However, women often experience hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms in the years leading up to that point, even with their monthly cycles.

During this period, the body begins to produce estrogen and progesterone differently, often resulting in things like weight gain and reduced bone density. Menopause can also be triggered by a hysterectomy or surgical removal of the ovaries.

The restructuring of hormones in the body can also result in symptoms most commonly associated with menopause, like mood swings, vaginal dryness, and hot flashes.

How does CBD work? Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound produced by hemp plants that’s made into an oil and used as a health supplement. It comes in a variety of forms, such as capsules and tinctures you swallow, creams and balms you apply to your skin, and others.

Here’s how it works: Your body has a built-in self-regulator known as the “endocannabinoid” system. It’s composed of both a network of receptors at key spots throughout your body, and endocannabinoids, which are molecules that attach to those receptors and trigger your responses to internal challenges.

For instance, if you were to start to overheat from a hot flash, the system turns on your sweat glands. Your endocannabinoid system helps manage your hormone levels, which include estrogen, a key factor in your body’s reactions to menopause.

CBD is a phytocannabinoid (meaning it comes from a plant) that acts much like the endocannabinoids your body produces. And since you don’t store cannabinoids, taking CBD can supplement your natural production when it is overburdened by symptoms.

How can CBD help menopause symptoms? The uses of CBD are a recent discovery, so scientists have just begun to study them. Clinical and laboratory research so far has shown that CBD supplements help relieve symptoms often associated with menopause, including inflammation and pain, nausea, insomnia, and anxiety.

Another common by-product of menopause, loss of bone mass, was the subject of a study published in the scientific journal Current Neuropharmacology. “There is a steadily growing body of evidence suggesting that the skeletal endocannabinoid system plays an important role in the regulation of bone mass,” the researchers report. Their findings indicate that osteoporosis may be linked to cannabinoid deficiency.

While the medical testing continues, some women take CBD as an adjunct to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) when menopause hits. Others have turned to CBD as a natural alternative to HRT and traditional medical treatments.         

Is it safe to take? CBD is primarily marketed and sold as a dietary supplement (as opposed to a medication). However, under FDA rules, this is illegal. But while the FDA has sent warning letters to the companies that have done that and made those health claims, they don’t go after individuals.

Although the FDA doesn’t normally regulate the safety and quality of those supplements, the 2018 Farm Bill does allow for the FDA to monitor products with CBD in it. CBD is considered a drug, and the only legal use for it is in the FDA-approved epilepsy drug, Epidiolex.

Although hemp plants are related to the strains of cannabis grown as marijuana, CBD doesn’t cause you to feel “high” or intoxicated. However, while CBD may be tolerated well by some people, there are the potential side effects of a dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, fatigue, nausea, and irritability. Additionally, it can interact with other medications you’re taking, including blood thinners, possibly raising the levels of the meds in your blood.        

What’s the best way to take it? CBD enters your system fastest when you vape it, and the next fastest is by taking a few drops of the oil (or tincture) under your tongue. These may be the right choices when you want quick relief from immediate symptoms associated with menopause, such as trouble sleeping or nausea. Topical creams and balms deliver CBD directly to your joints and other spots where you are feeling pain. Capsules, chewable supplements, and skin patches give you a steady supply of CBD that is gradually released as needed throughout the day.

There is no medically-approved dosage of CBD. While experienced users recommend that you start with about 25 milligrams at a time, it depends on the potency of the CBD and your weight. You can adjust the amount as you find out how your body reacts to it.

CBD products are available in many drugstores and health-food shops, as well as online. However, before you buy, take the time to learn about the brand. You want to look for brands that provide lab reports detailing how much CBD is in each item (with less scrupulous companies, who generally don’t provide such reports, sometimes the product contains only negligible amounts of CBD), and what other ingredients are included. CBD may help ease the discomforts of menopause, but you need to be an informed consumer to get the products that are right for your needs.