There is not a scientist alive that does not recognize the severe damage that excess free radicals cause to each cell in our body, including our actual DNA. The problem is that free radicals are a natural and inevitable part of our body’s normal function. We cannot breathe in oxygen without increasing the number of free radicals in our body. If that isn’t bad enough, the environment contributes many, many more free radicals to each person daily. Whether it be from sunlight itself, tobacco smoke, alcohol or thousands of other causes, free radicals are constantly undermining our health and accelerating cellular aging.

Briefly, when there are too many free radicals and too much cellular damage, oxidative stress occurs. This is associated with damaged proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. There are many studies that support oxidative stress’s role not only in the aging process, but also in the development of many conditions including macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, emphysema, alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ulcers and all inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and lupus.

Antioxidants are our first line of defense in the fight against free radicals. Antioxidants supply the positively charged particles that free radicals need to stabilize, inhibiting both cell damage and the onset of oxidative stress that results from an overabundance of free radicals. Antioxidants preserve the integrity of DNA, and that promotes anti-aging.

Antioxidants like blueberries, cacao, goji berries, grape seed and vitamins C and E get most of the attention, however, numerous clinical studies have shown the antioxidant power of various cannabinoids and terpenes, like those found in cannabinoid rich cannabis oil. Head to head, cannabinoids have been found to be up to 150% more effective than our most powerful antioxidant, vitamins. The evidence behind CBD for protection against free radical damage is so strong that the United States Government itself holds a patent for Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants (U.S. Government Patent PCT/US99/08769).

In addition, there is evidence suggesting that CBD and other cannabinoids may also be helpful in slowing the aging process by aiding in the reduction of the inflammatory response during illness and disease, protecting the organs and cell tissue from certain damage coming from prolonged inflammation.

As more research is done into the anti-aging effects of cannabis, there is a high probability based on the current collective of studies, that there won’t be a top shelf aging product manufactured that will not contain significant amounts of cannabis oil and terpenes.