It seems like CBD, one of the two primary compounds found in the cannabis plant, and the non-psychoactive one is being touted as a solution for nearly everything these days. The cannabis plant, which consists of both marijuana and hemp, has been the subject of serious research ever since cannabis has become legal.
The Farm Bill
In 2018, the US passed the Farm Bill, which legalized growing industrial hemp nationwide, and many states have legalized marijuana either medically or recreationally in recent years. Studies thus far have shown promising numerous therapeutic benefits of CBD for the body, ranging from reducing anxiety to treating epilepsy to easing chronic pain. In fact, now research is finding that CBD may even have positive benefits related to sex and may just be able to improve a person’s sex life.
CBD could help to improve sex drive
The way CBD functions upon entering the body is still partially a mystery to scientists, but what they do know is that it acts on our endocannabinoid system (ECS) and thus causes the body to respond in many different ways. CBD has been seen acting as an anti-inflammatory, and anti-convulsant, a sleep regulator, a mood lifter, a stress reliever, in pain management, and so much more. Particularly related to sex, the body’s ECS receptors have been located in the genitals and the brain.
Up to this point, research has found that CBD can both raise and lower male sex drive. Other studies have shown that female sexual arousal can noticeably increase in the presence of CBD and CBD seems to be involved in female sexual functioning at large.
CBD and sexual performance
Studies that look into how CBD can affect a person’s sex life are rare. However, one study performed by the impartial health and wellness organization Remedy Review provided some interesting information on a survey given to over 5,000 Americans, particularly related to orgasm. Often, men find they have trouble with finishing too soon, while women experience the issue of not being able to orgasm at all. According to Remedy Review’s survey, CBD helped men to last 31 percent longer during sex before having an orgasm, and women reached orgasm 33 percent faster.
Additionally, CBD seemed to make orgasms more intense for both men and women. CBD was also found to provide assistance where sexual adventurousness was concerned. People often report their sex lives are dull or unfulfilling because it is monotonous. However, when using CBD, this survey reported that 77 percent of respondents felt that CBD gave them the courage to be more exploratory in the bedroom, ultimately helping to spice up their sex life.
While this information is by no means clinical, peer-reviewed data (in fact, it is self-reported survey results, which come with huge limitations), these findings might help to prompt additional research into how CBD can influence our sex lives.
CBD, anxiety, and sex
A lot of research into the impact of CBD on sexual function relates to how CBD may reduce anxiety. Anxiety about sex-related things, including performance and body image, can significantly reduce a person’s libido. Furthermore, anxiety, in general, can keep you out of the mood for sex. CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety at large by how it interacts with serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps to regulate mood. As such, CBD may assist with clearing out negative thoughts related to a person’s self-image and desirability so that they will be more likely to feel “in the mood” to have sex more often.
Lubrication
CBD has also been infused into sexual lubricant products because of its potential ability to increase blood flow to enhance sexual sensitivity as well as help the body increase its own natural lubricants. There are many cannabinoid receptors in our sexual tissues and organs, so there is a reason to believe that using a CBD lubricant could enhance sexual pleasure. CBD has also shown promising results as a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxer when applied topically, all of which could aid in making sex a more pleasant experience, especially for those who avoid sexual activity because of tension or pain caused by sex.
Resources
du Plessis, S. et al. (2015). Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651943/
Klein, C. et al. (2012). Circulating Endocannabinoid Concentrations and Sexual Arousal in Women. J Sex Med. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856894/
Remedy Review. (n.d.). Exploring CBD’s Effects on Sex. Retrieved from: https://www.remedyreview.com/data/cbd-effects-on-sex/
Blessing, E.M. et al. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/
Vuckovic, S. et al. (2018). Cannabinoids and Pain: New Insights From Old Molecules. Frontiers in Pharmacology. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6277878/
Remedy Review. (n.d.). Exploring CBD’s Effects on Sex. Retrieved from: https://www.remedyreview.com/data/cbd-effects-on-sex/Blessing, E.M. et al. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics.Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/
Vuckovic, S. et al. (2018). Cannabinoids and Pain: New Insights From Old Molecules. Frontiers in Pharmacology. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6277878/
