Cannabidiol as a longevity supplement

Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis, may extend lifespan by slowing the aging of brain cells. This is suggested by an Australian animal study that appeared in GeroScience in 2022.

Study

Australian pharmacologists from the University of Wollongong exposed nematodes – scientific name: Caenorhabditis elegans – to cannabidiol. They then looked at whether cannabidiol had an influence on the aging of the animals.

Results
Exposure to cannabidiol extended the lifespan of the nematodes. Cannabidiol also ensured that the worms remained young and vital for longer. Not only did the life span increase, but also the health span.

Mechanism

In aging nematodes that received cannabidiol, the anterior touch receptor neurons [ALM] and posterior touch receptor neurons [PLM] functioned better than in equally aged nematodes that did not receive cannabidiol. This probably explains how cannabidiol made the nematodes live longer.

In tests with human brain cells, the researchers saw that cannabidiol activated anti-aging mechanisms. Cannabidiol activated the AMPK molecule and increased the concentration of the longevity molecule SIRT1.

Cannabidiol also forced brain cells to develop and create new neurite outgrowths.

Conclusion
The researchers speculate that cannabidiol slows down the aging of neurons and, through this mechanism, may extend lifespan and health span.

“Our results are the first to provide the anti-aging mechanisms of cannabidiol promoting lifespan and ameliorating neuronal aging, which forms a basis for the possible application of cannabidiol in improving neuronal health and longevity,” the researchers summarize.

Source:
Geroscience. 2022 Jun;44(3):1505-24.