Today’s quest for unconventional solutions to combat many serious neurological disorders has resulted in some scientific evidence. Using cannabinoids or CBD for Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is one of them.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is thought to bring non-psychoactive effects, which may help mental disorders, such as Tourette’s syndrome. In addition, as a chemical compound derived from cannabis and hemp plants, CBD has proved possible therapeutic application in neuropsychiatric illnesses.
In June 2018, the FDA approved a CBD-based medicine for epilepsy, opening doors for research in treatments associated with CBD. However, due to the lack of randomized trials and data, the scientific evidence is insufficient to place CBD among traditional medications for TS.
As for THC, which is an opposite element of cannabis, known for its psychoactive effect, a small number of case studies in adults demonstrate that THC may help reduce tics and other symptoms without causing significant side effects. Nevertheless, similar to CBD, more research and data are needed to approve THC and CBD for Tourette’s syndrome.
CBD in combination with THC showed excellent results. For example, according to a 2016 report, a male patient was given a daily dosage of Sativex (THC and CBD), and he showed more than an 80% reduction of motor and vocal tics after two weeks of treatment.
In a 2017 study, a 19-year old patient was given medicinal cannabis at a dose of 0.1 mg daily. After eight months, the symptoms improved, including speech fluency and other tics. After inhaling cannabis, positive effects remained for about an hour and a half. Although the result didn’t last long, the overall effect was impressive. A patient described a feeling of “high” only at the beginning of the trial.
In our view, it does make sense to try CBD for Tourette’s Syndrome, and that is for a reason. Available conventional treatments for TS are meant to mitigate symptoms, but they can’t eliminate tics entirely. TS patients usually take antipsychotics that come with many side effects, such as sedation, weight gain, metabolic changes, and acute dyskinesia. On the other hand, CBD with low levels of THC is less likely to trigger known side effects like:
So in light of this, some patients with TS unsatisfied with traditional treatment due to adverse side effects opt for alternatives, namely cannabidiol treatment. Besides, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that CBD is well-tolerated in humans and doesn’t create any dependence.
Since recreational marijuana is legalized in many states, many people with TS choose to use CBD formulations with THC concentration for self-medication without informing their doctor.
Yet, we urge people with TS never to use CBD products without consulting their health care provider. Despite CBD safety, there’s evidence that cannabidiol may cause adverse side effects (e.g., liver damage) when interacting with other medications a TS patient may take.
There are many alternative treatments of TS for controlling tics. For example, hypnotherapy is meant to enhance focus on positive thinking and provide relaxation.
When it comes to anxiety, antidepressants, such as imipramine, are known to improve depression. In the same way, CBD is believed to have the same qualities that can alleviate anxiety, bring stress relief, and contribute to relaxation.
A case review on a patient with PTSD showed that CBD transformed sleep quality. In addition, CBD, especially in the form of oil, decreased anxiety. In another clinical research, more than 70 adults were evaluated. Consequently, their anxiety and sleep levels improved.
This data suggests that CBD may benefit adults with Tourette’s syndrome.
You will find three types of CBD on Happy Garden online shelves: broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, and isolates.
The most in-demand types are full-spectrum products because they contain THC, which is considered to play a therapeutic role in patients with TS. So CBD in synergy with THC can be more effective than if used separately, like in isolate oils.
Although there are no official dosage instructions, studies revealed that doses ranging between 300 mg to 600 mg of CBD could decrease anxiety and sadness scores in people.
A daily dose of 160 mg of cannabidiol oil helped to have a better sleep. At the same time, even doses hitting 1,500 mg per day are reported well-tolerated by humans.
The best practice is always to start with a small CBD oil dosage, see how your body reacts, and gradually increase the amount.
CBD oils and tinctures are easy to dose because they have droppers. The oil can be added to food or taken sublingually.
The relaxation effect can be achieved using balms, salves, and creams. These are primarily used for relieving pain and anxiety.
Meantime, Happy Garden offers CBD edibles, like gummies. If you are a novice CBD user, you can add them to foods and beverages. Interestingly, cannabidiol doesn’t cause munchies.
Many people wrongly believe that CBD products with THC will make them “high.” However, this isn’t true. According to federal law, up to 0.3% of THC concentration in CBD products is considered legal, so it’s out of this concern.
But there’s another side of the coin. If you live in a state like California or Colorado, where recreational cannabis or marijuana is legal, you should know that smoking marijuana and consuming CBD oil with the approved level of THC is not the same.
Marijuana users can become addicted. Other harmful effects are short-term memory, the reaction to time, etc. Besides, marijuana smokers are exposed to potential lung cancer as tobacco smokers.
We are highlighting this because we don’t want you to take advantage of the legality of recreational marijuana to experiment on Tourette’s syndrome. To be safe, use high-quality CBD products with allowed THC levels that won’t cause addiction and health problems mentioned above.
There are three case studies treating TS with cannabis, and one of them is related to a 12-year-old boy who was given only 1% CBD and 22% THC, equal to 4.4 mg THC. The report said there was a “marked tic reduction and improvement in premonitory urges without any side effects.” However, the trials mainly study the THC properties, so we see less evidence of using cannabidiol in treating TS for minors. For this reason, we do not recommend CBD for young adults with TS. Or, you should discuss the possibility of using cannabidiol with your child’s doctor.
On the flip side, teens often use CBD as homeopathic therapy for depression, pain, acne, and insomnia. Although CBD doesn’t appear dangerous, parents should be aware that it isn’t a fully-investigated field and thus, may lead to serious adverse effects, like nausea, seizures, loss of consciousness, vomiting, and altered mental state.
If you are looking to mitigate symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome, and you intend to try CBD products, look for these signs:
Our CBD products comply with the law, but you should see your physician before using CBD for Tourette’s syndrome.
