Ep56: Dr Philip Blair MD – How Does CBD Oil Work?

In today’s interview I get to speak with US family physician & CBD oil expert, Dr Philip Blair.

We talk about how CBD oil benefits numerous systems in our body; helping us maintain to balance our health.

Dr Philip Blair helps us understand, how the endocannabinoid system works.

How we have CBD receptors in all our major organs; our gut, our brain, and also our nervous system.

Why CBD oil is essential in maintaining balance throughout our body.

I enjoyed this interview and after talking to Philip I have a better understanding about the mechanisms that allow cannabinoids to have such a large impact on our bodies.

Also, how we can incorporate taking CBD oil into our daily routine to see improvements in many different aspects of our physiology and psychology.

Special thanks to Philip for joining me on the show.

Enjoy the episode!

Listen On Your Favorite Podcast App

Hear episode 56 directly on your favorite podcast app by clicking a link below:

Speaker Links

Follow, or find out more about, Philip on these official links:

Show Notes with Timestamp Links

Find summarised highlights of what we talk about during the interview.

Use the clickable timestamp links to jump direct to those points in the audio file below:

[00:19] – Introducing, Dr Philip Blair, a family physician and consultant in disease management for workers insurance programmes. He is a retired US Army Colonel who was a combat physician in the Gulf war. Since 2014 he has been treating patients and consulting about CBD and how it can improve serious medical disorders.

[01:56] – Gary shares how his interest in CBD grew after getting some CBD spray then watching a The Scientist documentary on Youtube and learning more about Dr Raphael Mechoulam who discovered THC and CBD.

[02:24] – Philip shares his background going from being a family physician, to the military, to disease management.

[03:15] – What is cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD? It comes from the hemp/cannabis plant which comes in two varieties. Philip explains how marijuana contains the THC, which causes a high, whereas hemp contains CBD, which has the health benefits and has very little THC.

[04:16] – There are several different cultivars of hemp; sativa being the most common variety that contains the highest levels of CBD. There are other cultivars that contain different combinations of other important substances (including terpenes, flavonoids and phytols) that affect how CBD works. This combination of substances is hailed as the entourage by Dr Mechoulam.

[06:47] – Philip explains why the extraction process is important when it comes to the concentration of substances and the quality we are getting. Elixinol’s Super Critical Fluid Extraction technology uses CO2 as a solvent in their extraction process allowing them to pull all of the ‘entourage’ substances without containing any of the harmful ones.

[07:44] – Another factor people should be looking at is the certificate of analysis conducted by a third party that examines exactly what is in the product. Questions to consider are: How much CBD does it contain? Does it contain any THC? What other cannabanoids are present? No toxins, solvents, heavy metals, pesticides or biological contaminants such as bacteria should be present.

[08:39] – CBD is a small fat molecule not unlike other oils we consume, such as the medium chain triglycerides or coconut oil. Philip explains how CBD is processed by the fat metabolising mechanism in our body, using a system we don’t know a whole lot about, but it is important to the body’s overall function.

[09:30] – Ketone bodies seem to be good for our brain, CBD also seems to be following the same pathways.

[10:25] – Is hemp oil different to CBD oil?  It is important to look at the label closely to figure out the concentration of CBD in the product.

[11:53] – The body has its own system for managing CBD-like molecules which was discovered all the way back in 1992. This system controls many others in our body such as our appetite, emotions and neurotransmitter regulation, but there are many, many others. Philip explains more about how this works. Despite numerous research articles, there is still a lack of awareness by physicians and the general public about the key role the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays in our lives.

[14:10] – The body produces its own CBD molecules. When breastfeeding babies get a dose of it from the breast milk. Chocolate and some other foods also contains some of this molecule.

[15:18] – CBD receptors are in our gut, brain and multiple other systems in the body. But less than 5% of medical students in the US are being taught about this.

[16:39] – As it turns out, we can have an endocannabinoid deficiency. In fact, this deficiency is linked to numerous diseases. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, different types of cancers and Crohn’s disease are all examples of disorders that have disturbances in the ECS.

[17:44] – Is there any risk of toxicity with CBD? Philip explains that there is no toxicity and side effects are rare, occurring only at high doses. At high doses, well over 200 mg, there is the potential that CBD could interact with other medication but this has not occurred at normal doses with a high quality product.

[19:00] – In terms of common interactions, the only medications that have been identified as having been altered by the use of CBD are those used for epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease. Philip explains that positive interactions can also occur and that CBD can often successfully replace the need for antidepressant drugs.

[22:20] – How do supplements work with CBD? Philip recommends taking Omega 3 oil with CBD supplements, as the two work synergistically. Two other important supplements to consider are, vitamin D and Iodine.

[24:27] – Recent news has seen a mother have the CBD she needed for her epileptic son, confiscated at the airport. We know both ketones and CBD have benefits for the brain. Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, autism, and diabetes all respond to high-fat low-carb diets and CBD works on some of the same pathways.

[27:44] – It is a good idea to take CBD for prevention and maintenance; it down-regulates the inflammatory immune response that is prevalent in so many diseases, including atherosclerosis.

[29:34] – In addition to reducing inflammation CBD helps with pain by regulating neurotransmitters which are involved in the pain pathways. Philip explains how CBD does not always have a stimulating effect but can also act to depress certain areas.

[30:58] – Philip explains how in pain regulation CBD has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Unfortunately, studies looking at sciatica and the nerve pathways have not yet been done in humans.

[32:45] – Pharmaceutical products are often isolates; in this case they contain CBD only without the full spectrum of beneficial compounds that create the necessary balance.

[33:08] – CBD helps regulate the homeostasis in the body, in every system right down to the cellular level where it protects the normal cell from damage. Philip explains the benefits of CBD for cancer treatment; it promotes the death of cancer cells enhancing the chemotherapy while protecting the normal tissues against the side effects. CBD is an adaptogen instituting the right kind of response to a particular situation to maintain balance and health in the body.

[35:46] – Philip explains why oncologist are not currently using CBD with cancer therapy. As double blind controlled studies are normally very costly, he tries to empower patients to educate themselves and explains that CBD oil is a food substance without adverse effects. (Biohackers Lab Tip: Listen to Listen to Dr Nasha Winters ND explain the metabolic causes of cancer)

[37:58] – Anxiety can be controlled and regulated by CBD in 95% of the time with immediate results. Because there is no toxic dose individuals can adjust their dose to suit their own particular needs.

[39:43] – For seizure patients, the dosage guidelines are at around 1 mg per kg for a therapeutic dose, but this goes higher on rare occasions. For everybody else, Philip recommends they start with a standard serving on the bottle and double the dose until they can feel changes. Sharpening of the vision, clarity of thought as well as changes in performance often occur.

[44:23] – The benefits to sleep are often a more restful sleep and more REM. Paradoxically, CBD can also have a stimulating effect. Gary shares his experience taking CBD, the benefits he has experienced and feeling better overall. (Biohackers Lab Tip: Read a review of some good sleep trackers here)

[47:48] – Philip explains how CBD can help people with PTSD and put them in remission. He has seen great improvements with his own work with veterans in this area.

[49:58] – Taking exogenous ketones and CBD; MCT oil can enhance absorption through the gut. Both the ketones and CBD will be working on the nuclear receptors making epigenetic changes, enhancing the metabolism and reducing inflammation.(Biohackers Lab Tip: Listen to our interview with Dr Brianna Stubbs PhD about the health benefits of exogenous ketones)

[51:27] – There are potential benefits with taking CBD while fasting as its effects are enhanced, its mechanisms seem to improve and lower doses are needed. Exogenous ketones can then add to that further, making it even more effective.

[52:58] – When is the best times to take CBD? Philip recommends taking it with a fat, saturated is most likely best, and avoiding taking it with large meals. But, in terms of the best time of day, people should figure out what works best for them and their particular situation and lifestyle. Because it is a food product it can be taken as often as needed.

[55:02] – Is there a percentage we should aim for, for general health? Because all products are different we should look at the number of mg of CBD. Another consideration is that the bioavailability of each product can differ.

[56:27] – Taking it sublingually, underneath the tongue is the best way to get immediate effects. It can also be vaporised with 95% delivery efficiency or taken in capsule form, which can take a couple of hours for the effects to kick in. Another way it can be used is topically, by rubbing it onto an affected area for pain relief.

[58:20] – Rather than taking high doses of highly concentrated product, Philip recommends using a full spectrum product for better results. In addition we can use complements to the ECS, like the Omega-3 oils. For maximum improvements, it is important to consider their overall lifestyle habits including diet, meditation, sleep quality and exercise. (Biohackers Lab Tip: Read our review of good fish oils, krill oils or algae oils to help get more Omega-3’s)

[1:00:50] – How does CBD help someone with diabetes? It improves the signaling within the body and reduces inflammation, protecting different cell types from damage due to elevated glucose and reducing complications. Philip shares an example of one of his patient improvements.

[1:03:04] – To wrap up, we discuss the challenges of testing on humans and the barriers within the administration. Philip concludes by pointing out that CBD could result in significant financial savings and provide relief to the burden of the opioid epidemic, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia by getting people healthy and back to work.

[1:05:37] – To follow Philip find him on YouTube where he shares his lectures, he is also on Facebook and does interviews, podcasts, conferences and is available for consultations through the Elixinol company. He also has his own website drblairmd.org and recommends projectCBD.org as one of the best sources for people wanting to find out more about CBD.