CBD or Cannabidiol, derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant, is known to have many therapeutic benefits and reducing anxiety is one of them. Since CBD has powerful pharmacological benefits, its application in the medicine industry is diverse. Whether you’re dealing with general anxiety, PTSD or sexual anxiety, CBD products could be the solution to your problems.
What Effects Does CBD Have on Your Sex Life?
Having sexual anxiety or performance anxiety can make your sex life difficult. Numerous men and women may struggle to achieve the big-O and enjoy sex due to their bedroom anxiety. One way you can overcome your sexual performance anxiety is through CBD.
While CBD can help reduce general anxiety, it can also aid people in overcoming their bedroom anxiety. Here’s how CBD can potentially improve your sex life:
CBD for Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction or ED varies in different people. It can be short-term or long-term and can happen only occasionally or always. ED is a vast term used to describe the many problems of getting a penis hard. While many people believe that changes in their lifestyle and oral medications can help with erectile dysfunction, others believe CBD oil can also help treat this issue.
CBD oil can be beneficial in treating the underlying conditions that usually cause ED. Though no research shows the benefits of using CBD for erectile dysfunction, a 2014 study states that cannabis was recommended by Ayurveda practitioners for many years as an erectile dysfunction antidote.
CBD can help reduce anxiety and stress which are the primary causes of ED in most males. It also shows potential for overcoming depression. Since anxiety, stress and depression are the known causes of decreasing libido that can increase the risk of ED, CBD can help improve libido by keeping stress levels under control, thus helping with ED.
Moreover, CBD oil can also help lower blood pressure and improve circulation in the body. Improved blood circulation facilitates better blood flow to the penis and helps in getting an erection by relaxing the blood vessels.
Treating Low Sex Drive
A 2017 study suggests that cannabis (CBD + THC) can help activate the sexual arousal areas of the brain and thus help revive the low sex drive in people. CBD can affect the balance of your hormone levels in the body. The relationship of CBD with our hormones and reproductive health is multifaceted. Balancing the hormone levels helps increase the sex drive, hence CBD oil can potentially treat the low sex drive in some people.
CBD for Lubrication
If you feel very dry and uncomfortable during sex, it’s probably due to a lack of lubrication. Our bodies naturally produce lubricant when aroused to aid in penetration. When the body does not produce enough lube, sex can become painful and uncomfortable. Lack of natural lubrication can also occur due to stress or sexual performance anxiety.
CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties make it a good lubricant. Many CBD manufacturers produce CBD lubes that can help enhance sexual pleasure by getting rid of the dryness and uneasy sensations. Using CBD lubricants in the bedroom can improve sexual performance by increasing sensations and blood flow.
Pain-relieving Properties
One of the most popular uses of CBD is as an analgesic, meaning used to relieve pain. CBD has natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can be very useful in the bedroom, especially for women. Approximately 10-20% of women in the US suffer from Dyspareunia, a blanket term used to describe painful intercourse. Painful sex causes a barrier that restricts people from enjoying and experiencing pleasure. CBD can help such cases in several ways.
CBD oil and lubricants can help increase libido and enhance pleasure by increasing the blood flow to the genitals, which results in increased sensation and lubrication, easing tension and relaxing smooth muscle tissues. The anti-inflammatory properties help relax the muscles and alleviate Dyspareunia.
Your body’s endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating various functions like appetite, pain, sleep and immune system response. CBD alleviates pain and inflammation by affecting the Endocannabinoid system. It reduces pain by:
- Eliminating inflammation
- Interacting with neurotransmitters
- Increasing the activity of endocannabinoid receptors
Lesser Stress, Higher Libido
The stress hormone is known as Cortisol. When the levels of Cortisol in your body increase, it can lower your libido and cause problems in the bedroom. Sex is probably the last thing on your mind when you feel anxious or stressed. Changing lifestyles and increased competition has further contributed to these increased stress levels.
A study shows that sexual performance anxiety and general anxiety significantly limit a woman’s sexual arousal. Lack of sexual arousal and lower libido can cause problems, such as vaginal dryness and painful sex. CBD oil can help lower the Cortisol levels in your body and activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which lets you relax before the action. For many people, CBD can help get rid of any mental blocks or nervousness and ease that stage fright.
The effect of CBD on men’s libido still needs to be backed by some research. As far as women are concerned, if anxiety and stress are getting in the way of your sexual activities, CBD’s anxiolytic benefits can go a long way in this situation and help you improve your libido by reducing stress.
Things to Know Before Using CBD in the Bedroom
If you are interested in using CBD in your sex life, here are a few things you need to keep in mind:
Use CBD Before the Act
If you think you’ll use CBD while you’re in the bedroom with your partner, you are wrong. CBD products need some time to kick in and show their effect. Whether you’re planning to consume it orally or use it as a lubricant, you need to plan ahead and take it before going to the bedroom. You should take or apply CBD around 30 to 60 minutes before having sex, so it can show its effect on time and help you combat bedroom anxiety while increasing your sex drive.
Find Your Dose
CBD dosage will probably be different for everyone, and no evidence states the exact amount of CBD someone should take to experience certain effects or health benefits. The best thing you can do is go slow and then gradually increase the dosage to get the results you want.
Start slow for a couple of days and if you keep getting the desired results with increased benefits, keep going. If increased dosage makes you feel worse or you don’t feel better, go back to the earlier dosage.
Always Buy Quality CBD Product
Experimenting with low-priced or cheap quality CBD products is never a good idea. Before purchasing CBD products, conduct your research and read the reviews about the product. Check whether the product is verified and backed by an independent laboratory. Taking time to know more about the quality of the product will help you assess whether the product is suitable for your use.
You should be aware that some CBD products may also contain some THC content as CBD can be derived from marijuana or hemp. Be sure to check the product composition and know its ingredients before purchasing.
CBD and Anxiety Support
Years of research have concluded that CBD can help in reducing anxiety for some people. It has the potential to treat various anxiety-related disorders. A 2015 review shows that CBD is known to interact with the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, the Cannabinoid Type 1 receptor (CB1R) and other brain receptors, which are responsible for regulating fear and anxiety-induced behaviors.
There is preclinical and clinical evidence that shows that CBD is an effective treatment for several types of anxiety disorders like:
Generalized Anxiety
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that CBD has the potential to reduce stress in animals. In humans, CBD mostly interacts with the receptors found in our peripheral nervous system and central nervous system. It alters the Serotonin signals and thus helps overcome general anxiety, typically caused by lower Serotonin levels. People using CBD for treating general anxiety observed that their physiological symptoms, like higher heart rate, also improved significantly.
Other Forms of Anxiety
CBD can be beneficial for people with other forms of anxiety and anxiety-induced insomnia. A 2011 research studied the effects of CBD on people with SAD. The participants were given a dose of 400 mg CBD orally. The study concluded that those who consumed CBD experienced reduced anxiety levels.
CBD is also known to help with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms like replaying negative memories and having nightmares. These studies looked at CBD as:
- A supplement with traditional medicines and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) for treating PTSD
- As a standalone treatment for PTSD
While more research and evidence are required to support that CBD can be an effective treatment for anxiety and anxiety-induced problems, the current studies support that the natural properties of CBD can potentially help with several forms of anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), specific phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD).
