CBD? Yes, cannabidiol. It’s something that you may or may not have heard of. CBD is one of the names that you have become familiar with. There are many questions surrounding CBD and other hemp related plants in general. What are the effects? What can CBD do to me? Does it hurt? Can it actually help? The real answer? It depends on your body and how CBD does affect you. Is hemp or CBD illegal? Or is it legal? What about THC or marijuana?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another name that you may have understood or misunderstood. THC is similar to CBD but is not the same. This is a common misconception and we will get into the details later. But you are here for one question, and one question only: What are the effects of CBD?
Cannabidiol: what is it?
CBD is one of the 113 cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plants. The Cannabis sativa plant is found naturally and comes in a variety of types. There are several types of the Cannabis sativa plant. The two main types of the Cannabis sativa plant. One is the hemp plant; the second is the marijuana plant. It is more likely that you have heard more of the marijuana plant than the hemp plant. This is because of the high amounts of THC versus CBD found in the marijuana plant. There are higher amounts of THC in the marijuana plant and lower amounts of CBD. However, there are higher amounts of CBD in the hemp plant and at or less than 0.3% of THC. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid found in the Cannabis sativa plants. CBD, however, has no psychoactive effects. But it may have other health benefits. What are the health benefits? What are the positive and negative effects? What are the neutral effects? What does it do to different types of people? Keep reading to learn more.
CBD Products
There are many products available for purchase that contain CBD as well as THC. But we’ll focus on the CBD.
Tablets: A tablet is placed in the mouth and dissolves there. It enters the bloodstream from the mouth as similar to how the tincture does. You can add or subtract amounts of CBD with a dropper, but tablets are made with the same amount every time making it easier to know how much CBD you are using.
Softgels: A softgel is a capsule that contains CBD and looks similar to a pill or vitamin supplement. Once the capsule is swallowed it goes through the digestive tract and then ends up in the stomach. Once there the CBD is absorbed as the capsule is broken down. The CBD is absorbed by the stomach and enters the bloodstream from there.
Edibles: Edibles and softgels are similar in the ways that they are able to reach the bloodstream. But instead of swallowing a pill you are chewing and eating, generally, a treat full of CBD. Edibles come in all sorts of different types. Gummies, cookies and even chocolate. These are fun and enjoyable ways to get CBD into your daily routine.
Vapes: This way of using CBD has a high rate of absorption as it directly enters the bloodstream via inhalation. Because the CBD gets right into your bloodstream, you feel the effects the quickest. This may be great for some, but, like inhaling anything, it could have negative effects on the lungs.
Topicals: CBD topicals are a bit different than the others as they don’t tend to ever reach the bloodstream. With that being said, you may be able to reap benefits from the pores on the surface of the skin. These are best used frequently and in the same area. They come in lotions, creams, salves and even hand sanitizer for antibacterial purposes.
Tinctures: This type of CBD gets into the bloodstream quickly similar to vapes. When the dropper full of CBD is placed in the mouth it is absorbed into the bloodstream from the pores there. A tincture is an oil like substance that is added to carrier oil like coconut or avocado oil. Some tinctures come flavored to mask the earthy hemp taste that some don’t particularly enjoy.
The Effects
So, what do these products have in common? They are full of CBD and will give you the effects of CBD. There are several different effects that come from CBD. There is still a lot of research to be done surrounding the cannabinoid but, here are a few popular reasons people use CBD.
Skincare: CBD topicals generally don’t make it to the bloodstream this doesn’t mean that they cannot assist in the health of your skin. In this study they concluded that those with and those without skin conditions had improved skin health after the use of CBD topicals. They used a few different tests to note before and after the use of a CBD topical. Their evidence was supported with photographic evidence.
Calmness: Giving a sense of calm in those who have feelings of anxiousness could be helpful to many. In this study, they used brain scanning to exam subjects who have SAD (social anxiety disorder). Those who were given CBD showed a decrease in their social anxiety disorder. Those who did not receive the CBD did not have any decrease and remained the same.
Medications: There are quite a few FDA approved medications that contain CBD. Epidiolex is the most well-known. This medication assists those with two severe types of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. There are also a handful of others that assist those going through anti-cancer treatments and the nausea it often causes. These are called Marinol (dronabinol), Syndros (dronabinol), and Cesamet (nabilone).
Anti-inflammatory properties: CBD has been researched for the possibility of joint health benefits. In this study they looked at dogs who are older and have joint health issues. During this study, pet owners were asked to administer CBD to their dogs two times a day for four consecutive weeks. The owners were to take a weekly test to show if anything had improved. At the end of the four weeks pet owners described their dogs to be more mobile. Therefore, the CBD may have helped with their joint health. Good news!
There are many other reasons that people choose to use CBD. What reason will you use?