CBD Oil For Menopause Symptoms (Should You Try It?

Some may think that menopause is just about hot flashes. But for women in their 40s and 50s, the end of menstruation is a bit more complicated. Menopause takes an emotional and physical toll on the body, which is why some women are using CBD oil for menopause symptoms like mood swings, inflammation, and insomnia. 

Cannabis may help alleviate some of the harsher symptoms of menopause and lead to more mainstream conversations about women’s hormonal health. After all, the dreaded M-word isn’t something to feel ashamed about, considering what we know about CBD and menopause.

Does CBD oil for menopause symptoms work?

CBD (cannabidiol) oil, if you don’t know, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Not to be confused with THC, CBD has a non-psychoactive effect on the mind. That means you won’t feel high on CBD like you would on THC. 

CBD has a therapeutic influence on the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). We rely on the ECS to regulate many processes related to sleep, pain, stress, memory, and more.   

Studies have already praised CBD for its ability to help with anxiety and depression. For women going through menopause, CBD might be able to regulate hormonal imbalances in the mind and body. Even though we don’t know if CBD oil for menopause works for sure, we can still go off of preliminary CBD studies and anecdotal evidence.

How CBD may help your menopause symptoms 

Inflammation

You might first notice soreness in your hands, then the creepy feeling that you’ve aged ten years overnight. Inflammation in your joints and general achiness are physical symptoms of menopause. Instead of panicking, you can try applying a lavender and eucalyptus CBD salve, such as NYOS, onto the area.

There’s research to suggest that CBD has a localized effect on reducing inflammation, which is why CBD topicals could provide menopausal women some much-needed relief. 

Mood and Depression 

When describing menopause, mood swings tend to stand out as one of the more ruthless symptoms. You may find yourself crying for no reason or suddenly pent up with anger. This is, of course, your body’s natural reaction to not producing as much estrogen. 

Although we need more clinical trials to know if CBD is an effective treatment for depression and anxiety, CBD does have a calming effect based on its interaction with the ECS. If you’re feeling out of control and starting to question your sanity—don’t worry, menopause does that— CBD might help turn your mood around.

Sleep

Not sleeping is another common symptom of menopause. Waking up drenched in the middle of the night or stuck with racing thoughts doesn’t help the situation either. If you’re not getting the rest you should, you can try a CBD nighttime supplement to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

Menopause is already difficult on its own. Calming your mind before bed with CBD is a potential remedy for stressed-out insomniacs. Initial studies highlight the ability of CBD to improve insomnia and anxiety, so hemp might help menopausal women sleep more soundly. 

Pain

Before menopause, you may notice heavier, more irregular periods. That time of month brings its own set of aches and pains, but even when your periods stop altogether, post-menopause pain is still a reality. 

Estrogen reduces inflammation, but when you don’t produce enough, old injuries and sensitive body parts can cause flare-ups. You might benefit from CBD oil, as it has anti-inflammatory properties for arthritis-like symptoms. CBD oil with added curcumin (for pain relief) can be even more helpful!

Immune system

If you’re going through menopause, you may feel constantly stressed and worried. This has to do with your hormones. It’s a known fact that the loss of estrogen affects your immune function.

Your endocannabinoid system (ECS) goes haywire because of menopause. To stay ahead of fatigue, stress, and memory problems during menopause, you can try adding plant-based cannabinoids, such as NYOS’ CBD pills, to your daily routine.

Temperature regulation 

It’s no secret that menopause makes you sweat. Some women call them hot flashes, others call them power surges. 

While there’s no evidence to say that CBD oil stops them from happening, you may find you’re less prone to anxiety-induced hot flashes with CBD. There are also CBD topicals that feature cooling ingredients like menthol which could help your hot flashes. 

Vaginal Dryness

For some women, intimacy changes with menopause. It all ties back to the ECS, as endocannabinoids impact the female reproductive system. In place of natural estrogen, CBD lubricants might offset the lack of blood flow and dryness you’re experiencing down there.

The beautiful part about CBD is that it binds to receptors in the ECS to stabilize your body. 

Whether you use CBD oil as a pill, tincture, or topical, you can rest easy knowing it’s helping your ECS in the long run.

FAQs

• Does CBD oil help with menopausal hot flashes?

For now, there’s too little research to say for sure. Remember that clinical trials are still far and few in between for medicinal cannabis. 

• Is CBD oil beneficial for menopause?

It’s promising, yes! Based on what we know about CBD oil for anxiety, pain, and sleep, menopausal women could certainly benefit from all of the above.  

• Does CBD oil help balance hormones?

The mutual relationship between cannabinoids like CBD and endocannabinoids in the ECS seems to suggest so. Scientists don’t know exactly how it works, but CBD oil triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, two “feel good” hormones in your brain. 

• Does CBD oil affect estrogen levels?

CBD oil won’t replace the estrogen you’re losing during menopause. It can, however, alleviate some of the negative symptoms women experience because of estrogen loss. 

To sum it up

Menopause isn’t the easiest change to adapt to, but there are plant-based supplements to help you get through it. CBD oil for menopause needs more attention from researchers, but it’s safe to say that cannabis is definitely something worth trying. 

As always, keep the conversation open with your doctor. They’ll be able to guide you best based on your health needs.