So far, cannabidiol has shown that it holds great potential when it comes to improving the health of users. It has assisted older adults in many departments of health such as pain relief. Patients of multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and several other ailments have benefited from hemp use.
However, CBD benefits aren’t just for a particular age bracket. A study released this month has found that CBD can also help children who have a rare type of epilepsy. Let’s dive deeper into this report below.
What Has This Study Revealed?
A recent study presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting found that cannabidiol can help decrease seizures in children who have a rare type of epilepsy known as the Dravet Syndrome.
The study was conducted on 199 children who had tried about 4 different medications for epilepsy but didn’t experience any improvements. At the time of taking these drugs they were consuming an average of 3 different types of additional drugs as well. However, CBD did show to be beneficial which was labeled as a “major victory.”
Participants were divided into three groups. These either received 20 mg of cannabidiol each day, 10 mg of the drug per day or placebo for 14 weeks. Seizures experienced by these patients were recorded 4 weeks before the treatment was initiated as baseline measurement.
The children were on average of 9 years. The research concluded that convulsion-causing seizures were reduced in 46% of the children who took 20 mg of the hemp component while a 49% of decrease was noted in children who received 10 mg of it. A 29% improvement was also noticed in the participants who received placebo.
Meanwhile seizures alone were decreased by 47% in those who received 20 mg of CBD, 56% in those who were given 10 mg per day and 30% in the group that was served placebo. Adverse side effects such as reduced appetite, sleepiness, fever, fatigue, and diarrhea were noted across all three groups.
90% of the participants who received a high dose of the drug experienced side effects of which 25% had serious negative impacts. 7% of these stopped taking CBD due to the adverse side effects that came with it. Of the low dose group, 88% experienced negative side effects and 20% of these had serious side effects.
Children who received placebo 89% of them also had adverse impacts of drug, 15% experienced serious ones. A researcher involved in the study said, “Based on results, dose increases above 10 mg/kg per day should be carefully considered based on the effectiveness and safety for each individual.”
Key Takeaway
A new research has found that children who have Darvet Syndrome can benefit from the use of CBD. Cannabidiol can reduce seizures in these patients of epilepsy. However, adverse side effects do accompany the plant component’s use which is why doctors must cautiously administer the drug.
