Could CBD help with period pains?

Periods. The monthly visitor nobody wants to see. And not just because of the bleeding. For a lot of women, periods come with things like mood swings, emotional rollercoasters, headaches, bloating, breakouts and tiredness to name a few. But one thing most women have commonly faced during their time of the month is period pains. 

What triggers period pains?

Every month, the uterus gets ready for a baby. When it realises there’s no baby, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels fall, which tells the body it’s ready to start menstruation. When the progesterone hormone levels reduce, ‘prostaglandins’ increase. These are inflammatory chemicals that cause things like uterine muscle contractions, inflammation, pain sensitisation, vasoconstriction and heavy bleeding.

How can CBD help? 

If you haven’t read our blog about the endocannabinoid system (ECS), you might not know that it’s one of the body’s largest communication networks that helps maintain balance. It processes things like appetite, hunger, digestion, sleep, motor control, pain, pleasure, immune function, energy balance, temperature, mood, memory, fertility, pregnancy and reproduction. While research into how CBD interacts with the ECS is ongoing, studies have shown it could have an impact on receptor activity, helping with things like pain treatment and management. 

And according to an article by Leafie, ‘because of the high concentration of endocannabinoid receptors found in the female reproductive tract’, experts believe cannabis could help with menstrual pain.

Has CBD helped with your PMS symptoms or cramps? Let us know in the comments.