Can CBD Help Depression?

The Green Dragon CBD

Can CBD Help Depression?

Among the many potential benefits of CBD, one of the top ones people ask about is, “Can CBD help depression?”  Depression could be something someone has struggled with for a long time or maybe the winter months with the early darkness and bad weather have left them feeling down.  CBD has many potential benefits, but let’s explore the facts and experiences people have had in using CBD for depression.

The short answer to, "Can CBD help depression?", is that there are many early scientific indicators of the powerful impact CBD can have on mood, depression and anxiety. There are a growing number of studies that will provide more scientific proof and specifics on the "how it happens" and "how much it helps". As we learn more from the scientific community, we also rely on experiences of people and learn from their successes.

For those new to CBD, CBD is one of more than 100 compounds called cannabinoids. These occur naturally in the cannabis plant and interact with your natural endocannabinoid system (ECS) in your body. For more information about CBD, read about CBD Basics - CBD 101.

CBD for Depression –  Anxiety and Depression Association of America

According to the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), “The range of conditions for which CBD has been assessed is diverse, consistent with its neuroprotective, antiepileptic, hypoxia-ischemia, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, and antitumor properties.”  They also state that “For most indications [areas of benefit], there is only pre-clinical evidence, while for some there is a combination of pre-clinical and limited clinical evidence.”

What does all that mean?  It means there are a lot of signals that CBD does have a positive impact on mood and depression, based on initial pre-clinical evidence and anecdotal experience. We are all anxious for more clinical studies, one of which we have highlighted below.

CBD FOR DEPRESSION - OTHER MEDICAL AUTHORITIES

In addition, as written in Medical News Today, "CBD has shown promise in initial studies as a treatment for both depression and anxiety, and it may cause fewer side effects in some people."

Research going all the way back to 2014 indicates that in most studies, CBD appears to have a positive interaction with serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin impacts a range of functions in the body, including a person's emotional state and feelings of well-being or happiness. Keeping serotonin levels balanced is often a key therapy for people with depression.

Clearly there is a positive impact and many studies are underway to put more science behind it. At The Green Dragon CBD, we looked at one recent study as an example that we thought was interesting. You can incorporate it as a part of your growing knowledge base about CBD.

Clinical Study – Endocannabinoids Linked to Improved Mood from Exercise

Every day there is new information emerging.  We have some great news, check out this latest clinical study (2019) with some interesting, positive results for CBD users!  We have tried to keep the scientific jargon to a minimum, forgive us. There is a link to the study summary at the end of this article. This study has been published in Medical Science Sports Exercise journal.

The study was conducted with 17 women who had MDD (Major Depressive Disorder, also known as depression).  The trial was designed to see the connection between specific endocannabinoids (eCBs) and mood states like depression.  The method used was to have the women conduct moderate exercise. Then they measured changes in those specific eCBs along with changes in the mood states of depression, anxiety, confusion, fatigue and others.

Clinical Study Results

The results were fairly dramatic, the two primary endocannabinoids (eCBs) being measured saw significant elevations after the exercise and the mood states were much improved.  Remember CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids, and many products contain many of these. In the typical cautious scientific language of the study “it is plausible that the eCB system contributes to the mood-enhancing effects of prescribed acute exercise...”. 

Of course, exercise improves mood in other ways as well, through the release of endorphins for example.  But what the study showed is that the endocannabinoids increased as well, and likely contribute to the effect of mood improvement.   

The next step in that logic to be explored in other studies is that if you take CBD and other cannabinoids to stimulate your natural ECS and improve cannabinoid levels, it can have a positive impact on mood.

Using CBD for Depression

Taking CBD and other cannabinoids found in CBD products stimulates the neurons of your ECS. This helps it carry out it’s role in balancing the systems of the body.  There are many pre-clinical and clinical studies underway to demonstrate the specific benefits for various conditions. 

There is no shortage of anecdotal evidence that CBD helps people with depression, anxiety and other disorders, but we are anxious to see results from the on-going studies. Check back for the latest news and subscribe to our updates. You can also do your own testing at home. Read our blog post Is My CBD Working? 5 Steps to Measure CBD Benefits, that helps you figure out how much you need to take to feel the full experience of CBD.

At The Green Dragon CBD we are dedicated to the cause of helping people through CBD education and access to top quality, tested products.  A few of the products you might consider for daily use:

Additional Resources

June 2019, Can CBD Help with My Anxiety and Depression?, ADAA.org

2019, Serum Endocannabinoid and Mood Changes after Exercise in Major Depressive Disorder, Cannibis-med.org,

March 2019, Medical News Today,

Can CBD Help Depression?
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Can CBD help depression? Read about results from a clinical study involving women with depression, exercise and endocannibinoids.
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Can CBD Help Depression?
February 16, 2024
CBD Education