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Uses of Hemp Oil

May 25, 2010 | By Linda Tarr Kent
Uses of Hemp Oil
Photo Credit hemp image by Dmitri MIkitenko from Fotolia.com

Hemp oil mostly is marketed in the United States and Canada for use in cosmetics and for personal use via health food stores. While hemp and marijuana are both from the genus Cannabis, not all plants have high levels of THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, marijuana's active ingredient. Hemp oil is useful for a variety of purposes.

Fish Oil Alternative

Hemp oil provides your body with essential fatty acids. In fact, it has a balanced ratio of omega-3, -6 and -9 fats, or polyunsaturated fatty acids, according to The Guardian newspaper. Your body needs the correct balance for optimal health, but most people in the United States take in 14 to 25 times more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6 fatty acids, some of which can cause inflammation, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are needed to maintain bone health, regulate your metabolism, for healthy circulation and for cell growth. Traditional advice is to eat fish like salmon to gain omega-3s, but hemp oil provides an excellent vegetarian alternative, according to The Guardian.

Cosmetic Use

Hemp oil is used in cosmetics as an emollient, according to Paula Begoun, author of "The Original Beauty Bible." This fatty acid is a natural moisturizing factor or NMF that can help supplement your skin's intercellular matrix. Your intercellular matrix, in addition to your skin's lipid content, is responsible for much of your skin's feel and surface texture. This matrix also is your skin's first defense against water loss. Other claims about hemp oil's effect on skin when applied topically remains unsubstantiated, according to Begoun.

Alleviates Dermatitis

Hemp can help alleviate dermatitis thanks to its balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, according to a study by Finnish researcher J. Callaway in the 2005 Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Callaway found that symptoms of skin itching and dryness improved after people suffering dermatitis used hemp oil for 20 weeks and that use of dermal medication decreased following hempseed oil intervention.

Cardiac Ischemia Recovery

Hemp seed oil may help you recover from injury due to cardiac ischemia, according to a study on rats published in the 2007 American Journal of Physiology. With ischemia, blood flow and therefore oxygen is restricted in a part of your body. When there's a lack of flow to the heart, it's called cardiac ischemia, according to the American Heart Association. The hemp oil's high proportion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, appear to be responsible for aiding recovery, according to lead study author A. Al-Khalifa. Rats who received hempseed supplements recovered better heart contraction function than those that did not.

Diesel Fuel

Hempseed oil can be used to fuel diesel engines. The original diesel engine ran on vegetable oils, including hemp oil. These days, mineral oils have replaced vegetable oils. However, a diesel engine can still utilize hemp or other vegetable oils, according to BCMAF.

References

Article reviewed by M. Gladden Last updated on: May 25, 2010

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