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New Study Says CBD Helps Improve Quality Of Life For Patients With Autism
According to statistics, approximately 1% of the global population have autism.
Considering these figures translate to over 75,000,000 individuals, that’s a large number of people. We likely have loved ones, family and friends, who are on the spectrum in one way or another; maybe they have been diagnosed with autism or maybe not. Regardless of how you look at it, autism affects one’s quality of life.
That’s because individuals who have symptoms belonging to the autism spectrum are affected by many different factors: including sensory, communication, social interaction, and so much more. That’s not all: behavior, mental health, and overall routine are also affected. This is why it’s vital for people with autism to invest efforts in improving their quality of life.
Thankfully, there is a range of therapies available today that can support people with autism spectrum disorder, no matter how old they ar. Depending on one’s age and the severity of symptoms, behavioral, educational, social skills, speech or language, and developmental therapies may be recommended. In addition, complementary or alternative therapies can be recommended to improve one’s sensory integration and family life. Medications and lifestyle changes also greatly help – and recently, studies show that the use of cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabis in general have been extremely helpful for people with autism.
Recently, a new study came out validating the efficacy of CBD in improving the quality of life for people with autism. The study, published in the medical journal Pharmaceuticals, revealed that CBD is found to be beneficial in reducing certain symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, resulting in better quality of life. For the study, researchers analyzed 30 participants with autism. Their ages ranged from 5 to 18, and they were all given doses of CBD daily for 6 months.
Assessments, particularly caregiver and clinical types, were given before and after the trials began. Researchers found significant improvements across several aspects including communication skills, learning, attention, irritability, and eye contact. However, some participants reported minor side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain though these were found to be effectively resolved once the doses had been reduced.
As a result, the authors concluded that CBD could be an effective option for those looking to treat autism.
The findings are similar to another study, whose results were published in 2022 in the medical journal, Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. For this study, investigators from the Imperial College in London analyzed the effects of cannabis among autistic adults with a mean age of 32, all of whom were enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry.
The subjects were then given either high THC, low CBD marijuana flower for inhalation or sublingual extracts, which they were meant to take for up to 6 months. The researchers found that the patients reported great improvements in autistic symptoms after consuming cannabis and they were also able to reduce their intake of prescription drugs.
“In this first published experience of clinical outcomes in adult patients with ASD treated with CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products], there wre associated improvements in general health-related quality of life, in addition to sleep- and anxiety-specific outcomes,” said the study’s conclusion.
“Moreover, there was a reduction in the administration of concomitant medications, some of which are associated with serious adverse effects with long-term use,” the authors added.
CBD Safe For Autistic Adolescents
Another recent study out of Brazil revealed that CBD-rich marijuana extracts have been found to be safe and beneficial among autistic children. The data, which was also published in the medical journal Pharmaceuticals, was taken from a study conducted by Brazilian researchers where they analyzed the impact of high CBD extracts (33:1 CBD:THC ratio) on 30 children with a mean age of 11 years.
The participants were analyzed by physicians at certain points during the 6-month trial period. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with their caregivers and parents.
According to the findings, 70% of the study participants showed significant clinical improvements after CBD therapy. The most dramatic improvements were observed in communication and attention, while 74% of the participants were also able to reduce or stop at least one prescription drug during the course of the study. Meanwhile, 67% of parents acknowledged positive changes in their kid’s behavior for 6 out of 12 categories when they were tested. It’s also good to note that no parent reported symptoms that worsened during the trials.
“In the present study, we show that the benefit of treatment with full-spectrum CBD oil for non-syndromic individuals with ASD are not only noticeable to the clinical eye but are also perceived and experienced by the families and caregivers,” the authors concluded. In short, the findings corroborate that this treatment, combined with a gradual and individualized dosage regimen, is safe and efficient for broader treatment of central and comorbid symptoms associated with ASD, being able to improve aspects such as social interaction, communication and quality of life,” they wrote.
Conclusion
There is a growing body of evidence pointing to the safety and efficacy of CBD and cannabis in general for autistic adolescents as well as adults. The studies mentioned here are only some of the available studies; when taken as a whole, we can see that CBD is greatly effective in reducing the symptoms of autism especially when it comes to aggression, sleep, behaviors, and social interactions – thereby improving their quality of life.
If you are interested to explore using CBD for autism treatment, we recommend doing so under the guidance of your doctor.