CBD oil, a product that only a few people knew several years ago is now used by all sorts of people and for all sorts of reasons. This is after several research studies and mounting anecdotal evidence suggests that it has a myriad of health benefits from weight management to pain relief. You may be one of the people looking to experience some of these benefits, but do you know how to use CBD oil?
CBD oil can be found in several forms and different products. Manufacturers are adding CBD in everything, from beauty products, tinctures, creams to foods, there is a way for everyone to indulge. However, this presents a different challenge as there is no universally accepted method or guide on how you should use CBD oil. Each method will deliver the cannabinoid to your body differently, meaning you first have to understand what you are taking it for.
The other thing that adds to the confusion is how your body responds to CBD oil. People react differently to CBD due to different factors including weight, age, and tolerance. This means there is no universal recommendation. Confused? This article will help you choose the type of CBD oil you should buy, dosage and how to deliver it to your system. Read on.
What CBD oil should I pick; Isolate or full-spectrum?
Before you start worrying about how to use CBD oil, you need to know which one you require. There are a lot of CBD products in the market today, making different claims, and made using different methods and ingredients. If you are keen enough, you will notice some are advertised as isolates or ‘pure CBD’ while others are described as full or broad spectrum. Which should you choose?
That depends on what you want to use it for. Full-spectrum CBD oils contain other cannabinoids, including THC while broad spectrum contains most cannabinoids except THC. This may help you get the full health benefits offered by different cannabinoids. Research suggests that cannabinoids may work better when taken together than when taken as isolates. This is called the ‘entourage effect’.
Broad and full-spectrum CBD products are also less processed. This helps preserve other organic compounds such as terpenes that affect the smell and taste of the products. They also have health benefits. However, if you are only looking for CBD benefits, you may purchase the CBD isolates.
How to use CBD oil?
This is determined by several factors. Such as what body organs you want to target, what you want to achieve, how fast you want to feel the effects and for how long you want to feel the effects.
Your goals
You need to specify what you want to achieve to determine how to use CBD oil. CBD has a lot of health benefits, focusing on the ones you require the most, will help in finding the dosage and delivery method much quicker. Do you want to relieve stress, relieve pain, or you just want to relax? Setting your goals will also help you gauge how effective the CBD product you are using is.
What is your target
Figuring out what body part you want to target is straightforward for most of the health benefits. For example, if you want to relieve pain near the skin, you may want to use a CBD cream as you can apply it where you need it. If you want it to reach your brain or other the immune system, CBD will have to travel through the bloodstream for you to experience the desired effects.
How fast do you want it?
How long are you willing to wait to experience the effects of CBD? How long do you want the effects to last in your body? Some delivery methods offer peak CBD concentration in the bloodstream quickly while others deliver it slowly but steadily over time.
To determine the product you need, you must figure out if you need a quick but short term effect or a steady supply throughout the day.
How to take CBD
- Edibles and capsules
Adding CBD oil to foods is a tastier, fun, easy and more discreet way to use CBD. There are a variety of CBD edibles available in the market including gummies, cookies, truffles, and even mints. Unlike THC edibles, CBD products will not make you high.
You can also make your own CBD edibles at home, such as cannabutter, cookies or pasta. However, you need to be aware of the amount of oil you add to the foods. Due to the ‘first-pass effect’ ingesting cannabinoids take a fairly long time to feel the effects as it is partially broken down by the digestive tract and the liver. It will, therefore, take 1 to 2 hours for it to kick in.
You will absorb between 20% -30% of the CBD in your edibles and the effects will last up to 6 hours. If you are concerned about the dosage, you may use capsules to keep track of the concentration and exact amount that you are taking.
- Vaping and smoking
These two methods deliver CBD direct to your bloodstream, making you feel the effects much faster than other methods. This method will deliver between 34% to 56% of the CBD in your product. The peak bloodstream levels are achieved within 10 minutes making these the quickest ways to get CBD circulating through your system. However, it also lasts for a short period.
You should keep in mind that smoking may expose you to carcinogens, and although vaping heats CBD to just below the combustion point, its health effects are still not well known. Ensure that you use quality vape tinctures from the Urgent CBD store in Coppell for the best experience.
- Topicals
These are CBD products designed to be applied directly to the skin. They include creams, balms, salves, transdermal patches, and lotions. Topicals are the best options if you are looking for a discreet localized solution, they target muscles, inflammatory cells and pain perceiving nerves. This method delivers very little CBD to the bloodstream (except if the products are designed for transdermal use).
Topicals are not subjected to the first pass effect so they will provide effects much quicker, however, due to the poor permeability of the skin, you may have to use generous amounts of higher CBD concentration products.
- Sublingual tinctures
These are CBD oil products designed to be absorbed under your tongue. They can be used in different forms e.g. sprays, lozenges, and tinctures. Due to the high concentration of capillaries under the tongue and along the gums and cheeks, sublingual products are absorbed directly into the bloodstream faster than in swallowing.
Effects usually start to kick in after 15 minutes and peak after 30 minutes to an hour after administration. It is suggested that you keep the CBD oil in your mouth for around one and a half minutes before swallowing it.
For those who cannot use CBD through those methods, there exist other products such as suppositories that can be taken vaginally or anally. Those work similar to topicals, however, due to high capillary concentration in those areas, some may be absorbed into the bloodstream.
CBD dosage
The proper dosage of CBD is determined by a range of factors including the CBD concentration in your selected product, your body weight, what you want to achieve and your CBD tolerance. It is recommended that you consult a doctor before using CBD products. If your doctor does not provide a recommendation, it is best that you start with a smaller dose and gradually increase it until you achieve the desired effects.
CBD is safe and well-tolerated in humans even in high doses, however, you may experience side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea, and appetite changes. It is also important that you stick to quality products such as those found on Urgent CBD as the FDA does not regulate the CBD market.
