Part 2 of 3 Life with Moxie: CBD oil, what’s the buzz?(Part II)

Life with Moxie has had the pleasure to sit down with Dr. Kyle Nevius, physician on staff at Physicians Regional Medical Center, expert medical advisor for the State of Florida and consultant to the Agency for Healthcare Administration. We discussed what CBD oil is, what it means to the medical community and more importantly, to those being cared for by the medical community. Dr. Nevius, is part of the Realm of Caring partnership- partnered with Johns Hopkins University, they work with hospitals, doctors, and researchers to stay at the forefront of cannabis science, constantly striving to find new and better treatments and applications for cannabinoid therapies.

In last week’s article , our conversation with Dr. Nevius gave us the foundation for understanding CDB oil, what it is and discussed it’s potential for common medical issues as well as far more significant ones. Successful real-life patient examples from Dr. Nevius range from a stay-at-home mom who is battling opioid addiction and is using CBD oil as a stepping stone to a natural/organic rehabilitation, the businessman who is suffering panic attacks due to family and abruptly occurring financial issues and the family managing a child struggling with ADHD. The majority of patients usually seek treatment for chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety and sleep disruption, as well as assistance with various neurological diseases and post concussive issues. These problems may not be as dramatic as others, they still have a significant impact on the life of the patient and their family.

These, unfortunately, are all very common yet significant issues that affect our daily living, our relationships and our quality of life. Then there are the more profound examples like the decorated war veteran suffering from Parkinson’s, who has dramatically reduced both the intensity and frequency of his tremors, increased his balance and is regaining his coordination when walking. People with Parkinson’s often have an issue where their bodies lean forward (as is normal to walk) but their legs don’t respond to step in time to save them from falling (and they often do), his CBD oil treatment is getting him “back in step” in less than a month. There is a small but rapidly growing body of research looking at the potential role of CBD in Parkinson’s disease (PD) as well as similarly classified Alzheimer’s disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Huntington’s disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS), and Pre-clinical evidence largely shows that CBD can produce beneficial effects across the board.

Then there is a patient who had experienced a stroke, who couldn’t sleep more than two hours at a time since the stroke- seriously disrupting his ability to heal, as sleep is essential- who is now sleeping a full 6-8 hours through the night, after only a couple weeks of treatment. There is a quickly growing body of research here as well, that discusses the regenerative powers of CBD oil specific for stroke victims, noting CBD administration improved neurobehavioral function regarding strength, hemiparesis, coordination and sensorimotor performance. There is so much we are on the verge of learning and all of it to date has been positive.

CBD oil products are sold as nutritional supplements, making them legal to purchase, import, and use by anyone looking to integrate the benefits of CBD into their lives. Charlotte’s Web, the CBD oil brand that Dr. Nevius endorses and sells through his office, is an organic, non-GMO supplement that has little to no side effects and very few contraindications unlike the majority of medications used to treat the same complaints.

In last week’s article, we requested that readers write in with their questions and we are grateful you did! We received several great questions, many in similar windows, reminding us of just how much we are wanting to know about something so easily accessible that can make such a significant difference to so many. Here a few of the questions that came up most often. We sat down with Dr. Nevius to get the answers.

Question:  Can we test positive on a drug test while taking CBD oil?

Dr Nevius: This is a question that I am asked daily and the answer is, it is highly improbable. In other words, is it possible to snow in Naples?  Yes, but it is highly unlikely.

Let me explain, the reality we live in is that drug testing is a way of life, it is mandatory for all federal employees and frequently required in the private sector.

Typically, when drug testing is mandated employers utilize the SAMHSA or NIDA protocol, if they use these guidelines it puts them on firm legal ground.

Testing is a two-part event the first being a general screening test that will test for anywhere from 5 to 10 illicit drugs, if the initial screening test is positive the sample is put through a more specific test, this test is called gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana) is the component that employers are looking for- suggesting marijuana use. However now with CBD oil in the equation there is the concern that a very small possibility exists that a person could test positive.

First of all, it’s important to understand that people using high quality CBD-based oil products are exposed to less than 0.1 mg of THC which can be anywhere from 400 to 600 times less than THC contents in marijuana products.

An individual would have to consume 1000 to 2000 mg of hemp oil per day! which would equate to approximately 3 to 6 mg of THC.

Nine out of 10 patients in our office start with a 500 mg 100 mL bottle. This means they would have to drink the entire bottle daily to even come close to testing positive for THC, and that the positive test would ONLY be positive during the initial screen because of potential cross-reactivity with non-THC cannabinoids, in other words a false positive. Because the confirmation test is more sensitive and specific, the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry confirmation would be normal.

Unfortunately, there are patients that have moderate to severe neurologic disease that require the high doses of CBD oil that in theory could test positive for THC, however it is common medical opinion that these patients have such debilitating disorders that it is unlikely that they would be able to maintain a substantial position in the workforce, and therefore would never be placed in the position of employee drug screening.

So, if you are a federal employee or an airline pilot etc., you can rest assured that you will be safe to utilize a high-quality/high purity CBD based hemp oil product like Charlotte’s web.

For those of you that are more interested in the specific cut off for the initial screening, it is 50 NG/ML and the gas chromatography cut off is 15 NG/ML and is specifically designed to only test for the 11 – nor – THCCOOH metabolite.

Question:  When is the optimum time to take CBD oil?

Dr Nevius: That is a great question and that is why we recommend physician counseling. Your physician (assuming they are familiar) will review your specific indication (diagnosis) for CBD use and during your initial loading dose your feedback will be important to determine future dosage regulation.

You have to realize that CBD oil in certain strengths are used for different reasons, for example people using CBD oil to help them focus will utilize the majority of their dosage in the morning (those with ADD or ADHD, for instance), while people utilizing a higher dose for sleep interruption will take their dosage after dinner and before bedtime.

People that require maintenance doses will typically take their CBD oil twice a day.

We offer a free consultation for every new patient to answer these exact questions, your physician will want to monitor your progress to determine future dosage adjustments.

Question:  What will I notice when I take CBD oil?

That depends on your dosage, frequency and long-term use, for example:

Young patients with no medical issues typically take a low maintenance dose for disease prevention, especially when there is family history of a specific disease process like dementia, arthritis, or anxiety. Patients utilizing low maintenance levels of CBD for prophylaxis report minimal effects during the first three to five days.

Your body’s metabolism, weight, and medical status determines your response to CBD oil, many patients report immediate response within minutes, while others relate a slow onset over a period of one hour, it is all related to the treatment indications.

Most physicians will start with a very low or conservative amount until you reach therapeutic levels, during this time your physician may choose to adjust your dosage up or down based on your response and the ultimate treatment goal.

CBD, like all cannabinoids, interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system. This central system’s role is the maintenance of the body’s homeostasis, defined as maintaining equilibrium in a system despite outside influences and fluctuations. Each day, the world around us tries to throw us off balance. The endocannabinoid system works to keep that from happening.

Essentially, cannabinoids like CBD work with your naturally occurring endocannabinoid system in order to promote balance. This balance allows you to reach peak performance each day and better adapt physically to outside stresses and changes in condition.

Regular users of CBD oil products report feeling increased energy and improved sleep patterns. When combined with the endocannabinoid system’s role in mood and immune system response, CBD oil consumers often experience greater overall performance each day.

Question:  Can I travel with it?

Dr. Nevius: Since it is simply a nutritional supplement, the only restriction to travel with CBD oil is the amount of liquid you can carry on board with you which applies to all carry-on liquid containers as a result of Homeland Security measures after 9/11, remember CBD oil is legal in all 50 states.

These are the current restrictions for carry-on containers posted by the FAA/TSA and homeland security, it is referred to as the 3-1-1 rule. 3.4 ounce or 100 milliliter bottle, 1-quart size clear plastic zip top bag, one bag per passenger placed in the screening been 1-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.

In other words, no carry-on bottles over 100 milliliter in size and I believe the glass or plastic container must be clear therefore your CBD oil should be put in a different container, CBD oil is put in a dark glass container to prevent degradation.

As always, these regulations may change so it is a good idea to go to TSA.gov any time you are preparing to travel.

There is so much new information being generated daily about the value, uses and extraordinary success stories of CBD that we will be discussing it in the weeks to come. We’d like to include your questions too! Send us an email to [email protected] and if selected, we’ll include your question and the answer in next week’s column!

If you are ready to find out more, Dr. Kyle Nevius can be reached at his office by calling (239) 596-4800 or email him at [email protected] or go online to drkylenevius.com.

Have ideas you’d like to add? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com, CEO of Moxie Creed www.moxiecreed.com, skincare beyond chemistry. You can reach her at [email protected]

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

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