Marketers often promote cannabidiol as a painkiller, even though there is not enough clinical evidence for it. That is to say, more research on CBD pain product efficiency is essential. Thankfully, Syracuse University researchers have performed a study on cannabidiol’s value as an analgesic product. They discovered that it might facilitate pain treatment because of people’s CBD pain relief expectations and the substance’s pharmacological properties.
The Placebo Power
The study’s lead author Martin J. De Vita explained why the piece of research was conducted. It has to do with whether the relief from CBD dosage for pain that consumers claim to feel is a placebo effect or because of pharmacological properties. As for De Vita, it is a fair consideration because even telling somebody that such a substance can relieve pain can robustly change their sensitivity. Those are known as expectancy effects, explained De Vita.
It is a follow-up study to previous research from De Vita, Syracuse University’s Stephen Maisto, and doctoral candidate at the university Dezarie Moskal.
That team’s previous work discovered that cannabidiol and the expectancy effects related to it did not make experimental pain less to the same extent as those made it even more bearable. Those were only making it somewhat less unpleasant, explained De Vita.
Separating Cannabidiol From Placebo
Up to 15 healthy Syracuse community members aged between 18 and 30 years and with no pain medication, were part of that study. The researchers did not include older adults in it. Why? Because earlier research has suggested that those individuals are likelier to have had altered pain sensitivity or reactivity, which could also skew experimental outcomes.
After utilizing heat to make the study’s participants feel pain safely, those researchers measured the nervous system reactions of their participants. After that, they administered a placebo, or a drug such as pure cannabidiol, and assessed the participants’ pain responses again to know how they react to one of those substances.
While the experiment utilized cannabidiol oil, De Vita also said that other types of cannabidiol might have different effects. The university researchers also wished to assess expectation-related effects. Therefore, they told some CBD participants that they got a placebo, while telling the rest that they would get cannabidiol rather than that other substance.
Thus, the researchers managed to have a better idea about what could have relieved their pain. The so-called placebo effect is all about one’s belief in the product instead of that substance’s therapeutic properties.