CBD oil for multiple sclerosis

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Alphagreen | CBD Blog | Educate, Empower, Enhance

20 min readMay 18, 2021

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered one of the most widespread disabling neurological conditions all over the globe. According to the data from the Multiple Sclerosis Discovery Forum, more than 200 new cases of this disease are diagnosed in the United States each week. Meanwhile, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that nearly one million people in the US are currently living with multiple sclerosis, while all over the world, this number reaches 2.3 million people.

One of the most recognisable symptoms of multiple sclerosis is memory problems. Although in fact, this is just the tip of the iceberg as there is a quite wide range of the most common symptoms of this disease.

There is an interesting tendency of multiple sclerosis rates. It was estimated that the incidence of MS differs significantly depending on the distance from the equator. For example, the rate of multiple sclerosis cases in northern US states that are located above the 37th parallel is about 110 to 140 cases per 100,000. At the same time, in the southern states above the 37th parallel, the rate is twice as low and is about 57–78 cases per 100,000.

This multiple sclerosis tendency was also confirmed in European countries. It was demonstrated that people living in Northern European descent have the highest risk of developing the MS, regardless of where they live. At the same time, Asians, Native Americans, and Africans have the lowest risk of this disease. This assumption is backed by statistics from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, which compared the rate of MS disease per 100,000 individuals all over the world. While comparing this data, we can see that northern countries are leading in the multiple sclerosis rates. For example, in Canada, the rate of the disease is 291, 227 in Denmark and 189 in Sweden, while in Germany, it reaches 149 cases per 100,000 individuals. But of course, there is a wide range of other different factors influencing the development of MS, such as nutrition, lifestyle, and genetic predisposition.

Multiple sclerosis experts still don’t fully understand the cause of this disease, as well as why the rate of its progression is so difficult to determine. Most of the researchers working on this issue state that, most probably, the MS cause lies in both genetic predisposition and environment. The good news is that people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis usually don’t develop severe disabilities and have a normal or near-normal life span. Although, as with any other disease, in the case of MS, timely diagnostics and correctly chosen treatment is the key to success. How not to miss the first signs of the disease and what we can do to prevent it? Let’s take a look at what the experts say.

The early warning signs of MS

Multiple sclerosis belongs to progressive, immune-mediated disorders. It means that our immune system, which has been initially designed to keep our body healthy, starts to mistakenly attack parts of our organism that are vital for normal everyday function.

In the case of multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks myelin — a protective covering of our nerve fibres. Serious damages of this protective layer lead to reduced function of our central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. The myelin injuries cause inflammation and scar tissue, or lesions, which, in its turn, makes it hard for our brain to send signals to the rest of our body.

Multiple sclerosis is characterised with unpredictable symptoms that can vary significantly from one patient to another. Some people can experience light symptoms, such as numbness and fatigue, while patients with severe cases of multiple sclerosis can get vision loss, paralysis, and diminished brain function. In order not to skip the very early signs of multiple sclerosis, specialists highlight the most common “alarm bells” that our body tells us to immediately undergo diagnostics and choose an appropriate MS treatment. These symptoms include:

Weakness and fatigue: According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, unexplained fatigue and weakness affect eight from ten people with multiple sclerosis in its earliest stages. In addition to this, fatigue conditions may become chronic when nerves deteriorate in the spinal column. In most cases, fatigue symptoms appear suddenly and last for weeks. The symptom of weakness, which usually occurs with fatigue, is most noticeable in the legs.
Balance problems and dizziness: Problems associated with coordination and balance or dizziness can decrease the mobility of patients with multiple sclerosis significantly. People with MS often feel dizzy and lightheaded. This is known as vertigo symptoms. In most cases, vertigo is unnoticed by people with multiple sclerosis. This condition may appear even when you stand up. Often, a doctor may suspect the MS disease, even evaluating the gait problems of a patient.
Numbness and tingling: The main “message centre” of our body is located in the brain and spinal cord. When multiple sclerosis affects our central nervous system, it can send conflicting signals around the body or even don’t send them at all. These “errors” in signal transmission often result in numbness, which usually affects legs, fingers, arms, and face. Tingling sensations and numbness belong to the most common early warning signs of multiple sclerosis.
Bladder issues and bowel dysfunctions: Another symptom that occurs in up to 80% of people with multiple sclerosis is a dysfunctional bladder. Usually, MS patients feel strong urges to urinate, frequent urination, or inability to hold in urine. Often, urinary-related symptoms are manageable, although in some cases, people with multiple sclerosis may experience diarrhoea, constipation, and loss of bowel control.
Pain and spasms: Involuntary muscle spasms and chronic pain are also common with multiple sclerosis. According to one study held by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, half of the people diagnosed with MS had chronic pain. Muscles spasticity and stiffness also belong to the common symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Patients with this disease may experience painful and uncontrollable jerking movements of the extremities and stiff joints or muscles. The legs are most often affected by these symptoms, although back pain is also common.
Vision problems: Blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision are also in the list of the most common MS symptoms. Inflammation caused by multiple sclerosis affects the optic nerve and disrupts central vision. Such a disruption often results in vision problems, which usually go unnoticed by the MS patients as degeneration of clear vision can be very slow. Pain, which occurs when looking up or to one side, can also precede vision loss and be the sign of multiple sclerosis. To date, there are a wide number of different ways to cope with MS-related vision problems. For example, the use of cooling vests or neck wraps to maintain body temperature during outdoor or physical activity can increase the ability of a demyelinated nerve to conduct electrical impulses, reducing blurring vision and other MS symptoms.
Cognitive problems: According to statistics, about half of people with multiple sclerosis develop some kind of issues with their cognitive functions. Such cognitive problems may include:

— Language problems

— Memory problems

— Shortened attention span

— Difficulty staying organised

Besides this, anxiety, depression, and other changes in emotional health are also common for multiple sclerosis. The stresses induced by multiple sclerosis can also cause mood swings, irritability, and a condition known as pseudobulbar affect. This involves attacks of uncontrollable laughing and crying.

Sexual dysfunction: Decrease of sexual arousal can also be a problem for MS patients, as it begins in our central nervous system — exactly where multiple sclerosis attacks.

As we mentioned above in this review, not everyone suffering from multiple sclerosis has the same symptoms. Different symptoms can manifest during MS attacks or relapses. Along with the earliest and the most common symptoms of this disease, multiple sclerosis can also cause:

Uncontrollable shaking
Seizures
Breathing problems
Hearing loss
Slurred speech
Swallowing difficulties

Multiple sclerosis doesn’t belong to hereditary diseases. However, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, people who have a close relative with multiple sclerosis have a higher chance of developing the disease. Statistics claim that if you have a parent or sibling with MS diagnosis, the chance of multiple sclerosis developing increases to 5%, while for the general population, it is equal to 0.1%. Nevertheless, heredity isn’t the only factor in determining multiple sclerosis. For example, an identical twin only has a 25% chance of developing the disease if their twin has MS. Undoubtedly, genetics is a risk factor, but it’s not the only one.

Today, there is a range of ways to diagnose multiple sclerosis, although there isn’t the only procedure which would be able to reveal this disease. Most often, neurologists perform several tests to diagnose MS and to determine its stage. Among the procedures that are usually prescribed to patients with MS symptoms are:

Eye exam: A doctor performs a series of different tests to evaluate the patient’s vision and check for eye diseases.
Neurological exam: This procedure is performed in order to check for impaired nerve function.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: This diagnostic technique uses a powerful magnetic field and radio waves to create cross-sectional images of the patient’s brain and spinal cord. In most cases, MRI is performed with intravenous administration of a contrast agent based on gadolinium. It leads to its accumulation in the places of demyelination — the plaques that form in multiple sclerosis. MRI with contrast allows a doctor to identify even the smallest plaques and track their growth dynamics, as well as to detect active and inactive lesions throughout your brain and spinal cord.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT): OCT is a test allowing to evaluate thinning of the optic nerve by taking a picture of the nerve layers in the back of the patient’s eye.
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap): The procedure of lumbar puncture is prescribed in the case when a doctor wants to check the patient’s spinal fluid for abnormalities. A spinal tap can help to exclude infectious diseases and look for oligoclonal bands (OCBs), which can be used to make an early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Blood tests: Blood tests are often prescribed to eliminate other conditions with similar symptoms to multiple sclerosis.
Visual evoked potentials test (VEP): The main aim of this test is to stimulate the nerve pathways of the patient in order to analyse electrical activity in his brain. Some years ago, brain stem auditory and sensory-evoked potential tests were also used to diagnose MS, although currently they are considered insufficiently informative.

All these tests and diagnostic procedures are performed to look for the damages of the central nervous system (CNS) and evaluate the demyelination occurring at different times in more than one area of your brain, spinal cord, or optic nerves. In addition to this, it allows excluding other conditions that have similar symptoms, such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, Lyme disease, and other conditions. Multiple sclerosis can vary significantly in both its severity and the ways that it affects people. MS attacks can last a few weeks and then disappear. However, relapses of the disease can get progressively worse and more unpredictable, and come with different symptoms. Early diagnostics may help prevent multiple sclerosis from sharp progression and allows choosing an appropriate treatment.

However, despite the wide range of modern methods of diagnostics and tests, misdiagnosis is also possible. According to a study, nearly 75% of surveyed multiple sclerosis specialists had seen at least three patients over the past year who had been misdiagnosed. One of the members of the MS community claims that when his symptoms started, specialists thought it was a pinched nerve. When the treatment appeared to be ineffective, and things progressed, doctors decided it had something to do with his spine. Right before his hospitalisation, it was thought it had something to do with his inner ear, and only after a year of being sick, the patient was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It is only one example of misdiagnosis, and, unfortunately, due to the peculiarities of multiple sclerosis, it still remains difficult to definitely define this disease.

Foods to avoid and natural remedies for multiple sclerosis

It is not surprising to hear that our health and wellbeing directly depends on what we eat. What do we do then? Of course, nothing. The problem is — when everything is good with health, and we don’t notice any malfunctions in our body, there is hardly a place for the word “diet” in our lexicon.

Unfortunately, everything can change in a moment. As the final cause of the multiple sclerosis occurrence has not yet been determined yet, experts believe nutrition plays far from the last role in this. Usual products that we eat every day can benefit our health, as well as worsen our condition if there is a predisposition to multiple sclerosis. Eating nutritious, healthy food is an important part of not only feeling well but also successfully managing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Diet can become an effective tool when it comes to living with such MS symptoms as fatigue, vision problems, numbness, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and movement problems.

Let’s take a look which products may help the MS condition or, vice versa, harm it.

But first, we should learn one simple rule from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society — no single diet can treat or cure multiple sclerosis. Another MS feature we should put up with is that measuring the effectiveness of a diet is difficult as multiple sclerosis symptoms typically come and go. However, even without a strict diet, there is a list of products that are considered to be beneficial for people with multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Many of these products are similar to those from the list recommended by the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society and include a high-fibre, low-fat diet. Among the main nutrition rules recommended by MS specialists are:

Limit saturated fats: The first low-fat diet for people with multiple sclerosis was introduced in 1948 by physician Roy Swank. He believed that saturated fats in tropical oils and animal products could worsen MS symptoms. However, Swank’s research is considered controversial as it was performed before MRI diagnostics could measure the multiple sclerosis progression. In addition to this, his studies lacked a control group. Nevertheless, it was one of the very early steps toward the MS diet and today, reducing our saturated fats intake to less than 15 grams a day makes sense for our overall health. However, it isn’t recommended to eliminate all fats, as there are beneficial unsaturated fatty acids which are important for our brain and cellular health. These fatty acids contain vitamin D and omega-3s, which may have a protective effect on multiple sclerosis. Among the foods containing vitamin D and omega-3s are tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Studies investigating the link between MS progression and nutrition are still ongoing, although opting for a diet low in saturated and trans fats can serve as another protective strategy which is able to improve our overall health and reduce the risks of MS appearance.
Forget about diet drinks: The number of diet drinks available today on the supermarket shelves is overwhelming. However, behind the bright packaging and rich taste are caffeine, aspartame, and alcohol that can irritate the bladder. As bladder and bowel dysfunction belong to the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis, nutritional guidelines from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommend staying away from these drinks if you have bladder-related MS symptoms.
Controversial gluten: According to the results of the study published in BMS Neurology, patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and their family members had a higher incidence of gluten intolerance in comparison with the general population. However, it doesn’t mean that all the patients with multiple sclerosis should go on a gluten-free diet. MS specialists recommend sticking to a gluten-free diet, which eliminates all barley, rye, wheat, and triticale foods on a case-by-case basis. The researchers also recommended early detection and treatment of gluten intolerance for patients with multiple sclerosis.
More fruits, less refined sugars: Currently, there is no scientific evidence that refined sugars can cause multiple sclerosis or be linked to the MS flare-ups. However, refined and processed sugar is highly inflammatory and may have a highly negative impact on our overall health. Limiting sweet foods can also help manage weight, which is also important for people with multiple sclerosis. Food rich in sugar and calories can pack on pounds which, in turn, can increase MS-related fatigue. Moreover, being overweight may also contribute to mobility problems and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It doesn’t mean you should forget about sweets, the occasional slice of a cake is fine, but on an everyday basis, it is still recommended to choose fruit as your snack or dessert option. In addition to this, high-fibre fruit helps ease constipation, which also belongs to multiple sclerosis symptoms.

What about herbs and supplements? Can they help combat MS symptoms?

Although no supplement or drug can cure multiple sclerosis, some of the treatments may help people to slow down the progression of the disease, prolong periods of remission, and alleviate its symptoms. Along with the usual treatment with medications, people with MS all over the world use complementary and alternative medicine. More and more people stop their choice on non-pharmaceutical treatments when Western medicine doesn’t work to improve their symptoms and provide the results expected. Regardless of what was the initial reason for choosing herbal and supplementary MS treatments, you should always consult your health care provider as some herbs, supplements, and alternative therapies can cause adverse health conditions, drug interactions, and medical complications when used incorrectly. We collected the most common supplements and herbs that people with multiple sclerosis use to alleviate their symptoms.

Ashwagandha: This Ayurvedic herb is also known as Asana, Withania somnifera (scientific name), and Indian ginseng. Berries, roots, and extracts of this herb are used for:

— Fatigue

— Anxiety

— Stress relief

— Inflammation

— Chronic pain

There is some promising research that Ashwagandha can protect the brain and effectively treat multiple sclerosis or its symptoms, although it has not been studied well enough to officially state this.

Chyawanprash: Chyawanprash is a herbal tonic which is also commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. Animal studies of this herb demonstrate it may protect cognitive function by aiding memory, although there is not enough evidence to determine whether Chyawanprash can be effective or helpful for humans in managing MS symptoms.
Gotu Kola: Gotu Kola is another popular traditional medicine in Ayurvedic and Chinese history. It is believed to prolong life and improve symptoms of inflammation, swelling, eye diseases, skin conditions, and fatigue. Some research demonstrates neuroprotective and neuroregenerative potential of this herb, although Gotu Kola has been studied very little. To date, this herb is available in variable forms and is considered safe in low doses.
Ginkgo biloba: This herb has been used for a wide variety of ailments over the centuries and is renowned for its potential to improve mental clarity and memory. In accordance with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Ginkgo biloba extract or its supplements can be potentially effective for:

— Reducing dizziness and vertigo

— Affecting eye and vision problems

— Improving thinking and memory difficulties

— Pain relief and overactive nerve responses

The herb hasn’t been widely studied in individuals with multiple sclerosis, although it may help MS patients to reduce fatigue and inflammation. Ginkgo is considered safe and can be taken in supplement form, although it may interact with a wide variety of other herbs and medications. Thus, it is obligatory to consult with your doctor prior to including this supplement in your MS treatment.

Huo ma ren (Chinese hemp seed): This herb also belongs to traditional Chinese medicine. Huo ma ren is known for its sedative properties for different illnesses and is believed to soothe problems of the nervous system. Extracts from the plants in the cannabis family are actively studying for their ability to reduce inflammation, neurodegeneration, and spasticity.
Bilberry leaf: Bilberry, which is also known as huckleberry, is a relative of the blueberry. Its berries and leaves are often used in foods and can be used to derive plant extracts for supplements and other medicinal uses. This herb is used to treat almost everything, starting from scurvy and vision problems, and to circulation problems and diarrhoea. There is evidence suggesting bilberry leaves are rich in antioxidants and can be used to:

— Reduce inflammation

— Improve vision

— Protect cognitive function

Chamomile: Good old chamomile has been used for centuries both orally and topically for such conditions as:

— Gas or diarrhoea

— Stomach upset

— Skin diseases

— Anxiety

— Sleeplessness

A common use of camomile, along with its availability in a variety of forms, make it a popular remedy for people with multiple sclerosis. Chamomile provides MS patients with antibacterial and antioxidant effects, reduces anxiety and depression, and improves sleep. Moreover, this herb is being studied for its ability to prevent tumour growth in people with gastrointestinal cancer.

Dandelion: Although it’s not about Ray Bradbury’s dandelion wine, dandelion has long been used in Korean medicine as a herbal remedy for energy improvement and general health. Arabic and Native American medicine have also used it for skin and digestive problems. Studies on animals show the potential of dandelion to promote immune health and reduce fatigue. It is also believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. For today, there is no research on the impact of dandelion on multiple sclerosis, although the plant appears to have medicinal properties that might be helpful for patients with MS symptoms.
Elderflower: This plant is also known as elderberry, European elder or Sambucus nigra. The flowers and berries of this tree are commonly used for:

— Swelling

— Fevers

— Colds

— Infections

— Skin conditions

— Pain

Limited research supports the use of elderflowers for chronic inflammatory conditions and flu, while animal studies also suggest its extract plays a role in regulating the immune response in the CNS.

Despite the fact that there is no medicine to treat multiple sclerosis, and its initial cause hasn’t been revealed yet, people are getting used to living with this disease. Moreover, a significant part of MS patients worldwide choose complementary and alternative medicine instead of traditional pharmaceutical treatment. As the global medicine more and more involves natural ingredients, there is a high chance that in the future, most of the drugs for MS treatment will consist of herbal components and natural supplements with similar or higher effectiveness than usual drugs.

CBD for reducing MS symptoms — a myth or reality?

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that causes our immune system attacks its own central nervous system. MS is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and is considered an extremely debilitating disease that gets progressively worse over time. More than 100,000 people in the UK suffer from this disease, while over 5,000 people are diagnosed with this condition every year. It means that one in 600 people in the UK has or will develop multiple sclerosis one day. Search for the medication to cure this disease or prevent it remains the task of a global scale. Nowadays, MS symptoms can be managed with different medications, diets, herbs, and natural supplements. However, in many cases, it is not enough for MS patients. They still need a remedy which would allow them to return to their normal life and continue living without any restrictions. We have already mentioned that the scales tilt in favour of natural medications as they may have similar effects but with less side effects for our organism. While the studies investigating the therapeutic potential of different compounds to treat MS are ongoing, some chemicals have shown promising results.

Such cannabis compounds as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have long been known for their health benefits. These cannabinoids have already demonstrated their ability to alleviate and treat a wide range of different conditions and diseases, starting from depression and anxiety and to chronic pain, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases. Currently, CBD and THC are actively being studied as potential medications for multiple sclerosis treatment. According to a range of studies, CBD can help to lessen or even treat MS-induced seizures, as well as minimise pain and inflammation caused by this condition. Other multiple sclerosis symptoms, such as depression and general fatigue, can also be alleviated with this cannabinoid. The combined overall effect of alleviating these symptoms results in a noticeable increase in patients mobility and therefore improves the quality of their life. Many people with multiple sclerosis are successfully taking CBD, claiming it helps with their symptoms and repairs damaged nerves.

Despite the fact that CBD can be effective in reducing spasms and pain in multiple sclerosis patients, it is considered that CBD alone has limited potential for relieving MS symptoms. According to MS experts, adding THC can significantly improve the CBD therapeutic properties. However, it entails the number of complications and restrictions for patients as some people can have negative reactions to the intoxicating effects of THC, especially if their symptoms require higher doses of medicinal cannabis. According to Dr Ben Thrower, a physician at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA, the importance of THC in multiple sclerosis treatment shouldn’t be underestimated. He states that many of his patients diagnosed with MS had used CBD products with 0.3% THC or less for the management of spasticity and central neuropathic pain, although most of them needed higher THC concentrations. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is a well-known pain reliever, which explains the needs of higher THC levels in CBD products for treating multiple sclerosis symptoms.

To date, a whole plant-based mouth spray with the brand name Sativex is available to treat MS-induced muscles stiffness and spasticity. Sativex is made by British pharma manufacturer GW Pharma and is available in 28 countries. Sativex spray belongs to the cannabis-based medications. It contains an equal mix of two cannabinoids — THC and CBD. Initially, this oromucosal spray was developed to treat spasticity, although many MS patients say it helps with other multiple sclerosis symptoms as well. Anecdotal evidence state it can be effective for:

Difficulty sleeping
Bladder problems
Uncontrolled shaking of the limbs

The spray has side effects as well. Among them are:

Diarrhoea
Headaches
Feeling sick
Feeling sleepy
Tiredness
A dry mouth
Dizziness

Side effects of this medication tend to fade after a few weeks of taking and can be reduced by taking fewer doses. It is recommended to start off taking one dose of this medication a day, which consists of 2.5 mg of CBD and 2.5 mg of THC. Then, you can slowly increase the dosage until you get the most relief from your symptoms, although it is not recommended to exceed 12 doses a day (30 mg of CBD and 30 mg of THC). Sativex doesn’t have a 100% effectiveness for all MS patients. However, those of them it does work for, state their spasticity symptoms get significantly better. If your spasticity symptoms haven’t got better by at least 20% after four weeks of the medication taking, you should stop taking the spray.

Nevertheless, Sativex works and has several undoubtable pros in comparison with other cannabis-based medications. First of all, it is easier to use, and you can control dosing and feel the impact of this drug in a different way. Then, it is a mouth spray, that means it works faster than cannabis edibles and has a higher bioavailability index. Another great benefit of this medication is that, unlike most of the cannabis-based products, it is covered under health insurance. However, there are also some significant disadvantages of this drug, and the most important of them is the presence of THC in its composition. Of course, it improves the overall effectiveness of the drug, although the psychoactive nature of this cannabinoid entails a range of restrictions and may cause negative reactions in MS patients. Also, cannabis may cause problems for some people with their mental health, memory, and thinking. However, these problems aren’t seen in people who use Sativex, despite it having THC in its composition. Moreover, some studies have shown equal ratios of CBD to THC may not work for certain people, which doesn’t make Sativex the absolute cure for all people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

If you are considering consuming CBD for the MS symptoms, it is always recommended to consult with your doctor before starting the treatment. Also, you should carefully check the dosage you take, whether symptoms have been alleviated, and what side effects occurred. If you feel improvements, then you may continue treatment, but if there is no effect or you feel worsening of symptoms, you may consider an alternative treatment method.

The bottom line

What will happen next in global medicine and in multiple sclerosis treatment, in particular?

Nobody knows. The one thing that is clear is that Sativex will not go away as medicinal cannabis reform continues to gain momentum in Europe and not only. Another prediction from MS experts is that Sativex will not be the only solution, and there will be lots of analogues available on the market. World pharma market is changing significantly, and the vector of these changes is directed to new and natural ways of treatment.

Multiple sclerosis is a complicated disease, and its treatments may vary significantly from one person to another. However, CBD has shown promising results in the treatment of MS symptoms, and, while the world research is still ongoing, lots of people have already found their relief in cannabis-based medications. Additional studies and trials are needed to reveal the whole potential of cannabinoids to treat the symptoms of this disease and avoid potential complications and unexpected side effects.