You’ve probably heard A LOT about CBD lately. Market Watch recently shared that “Major retail chains like CVS and Walgreens are expected to drive further CBD sales growth this year… By year’s end, the CBD industry is expected to become a $5 billion industry – a 700% year over year increase from 2018. The analysts also expect for the total U.S. CBD industry to be worth $23.7 billion in the next four years.”

CBD is one of over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa. Often used in an oil form, CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant, then diluting it with a carrier oil like coconut or hemp seed oil.

It’s become an appealing, all-natural option for pain relief and it’s proving itself in many different areas of health and wellness, some too large to ignore: anxiety, depression, cancer related symptoms, Alzheimers and others. Health conditions relying on habit-forming medications like opioids are turning to CBD. According to researchers at California’s Salk Institute, their 2017 study has found evidence that cannabinoids such as CBD could help remove dementia from brain cells. The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved Epidiolex, a CBD drug being used for epilepsy. And many more studies are testing it’s effects on cancer and other diseases.

Many confuse CBD with marijuana, but it has none of the mind-altering, psychoactive effects that marijuana or certain pharmaceutical drugs might have. This is because CBD has no Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis/marijuana that causes the sensation of getting “high”. You can learn all about CBD versus THC in this Healthline article.

CBD companies and products are popping up all over the place. Proceed with caution! If you decide to try CBD do your research – nonprescription products aren’t regulated for purity and dosage like other FDA approved medications. The good news is that CBD doesn’t pose significant risks for users, and most topical CBD products don’t enter the bloodstream. Fatigue, diarrhea, changes in appetite and changes in weight are possible side effects. And CBD may interact with certain over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, prescription medications or dietary supplements.