Although smoking marijuana is controversial, cannabis use has proven benefits. Cannabis can help you sleep, reduce pain, decrease glaucoma symptoms, ease symptoms of mental disorders like depression, stop bacteria growth, increase appetite, balance your hormones and improve cell growth.
Marijuana has been legalized in at least eight U.S. states, but many people don’t want to smoke it. Inhaling heated cannabis involves some risks. Cannabidiol, or CBD, oil delivers many of the same benefits as smoking marijuana, and you don’t have to smoke it to reap the rewards.
The American public became familiar with CBD oil when Charlotte Figi, a young girl who suffered from a rare form of epilepsy that caused frequent and serious seizures, began using it for her treatment. The oil was the only thing that stopped the child’s seizures. Since then, many others have used it to treat seizures. The product has also been used to treat many other physical and mental ailments.
If you’re wondering how to use CDB oil, read on for a detailed description.
What Is CBD Oil?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a cannabinoid that can be extracted from a marijuana or hemp plant. Although some states and countries prohibit CBD production from a marijuana plant, the oil that’s extracted from the hemp plant is very similar.
When marijuana plants are cultivated for higher THC levels, the female plants are not allowed to be pollinated. When hemp plants are grown, they are placed in fields with male plants. The resulting pollination of the female plants prevents high levels of THC from developing. These hemp plants are often used to make CDB products. CBD hemp plants typically have about 1 percent THC.
CBD hemp oil products are generally created from an extract obtained from the flowers of the plant. The THC is frequently removed from the final product. However, you may find products that do contain THC, depending on where you live and buy the CBD hemp oil oil product. These may or may not be legal where you live.
Products derived from a whole marijuana plant are often considered to be better quality than those made from hemp plants. Cannabis contains more cannabidiol than industrial hemp. Hemp also absorbs contaminants from soil. Therefore, hemp oil may contain more contaminants that products made from the whole cannabis plant.
Will CBD Oil Make Me High?
No.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the psychoactive element in marijuana. Not CBD. Although marijuana can help with many health conditions, many consider the risk of smoking it or ending up with a high to be too great.
CBD oil doesn’t have psychoactive properties. It has beneficial effects on the body without making your brain feel funky.
CBD engages cannabinoid receptors in the body. A 2008 study found that some people with chronic conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome may have endocannabinoid deficiency.
Because cannabidiol can help the body’s own endocannabinoids bind to receptors, it can help treat people with endocannabinoid deficiency. It also works on receptors that help manage pain, sleep and mood.
Can you pass a drug test if you take CBD products? Most experts say that a urine test will not pick up any marijuana if the oil contains no THC.
Some lab tests have found that when CBD is exposed to a chemical that’s similar to stomach acid in a test tube, it turns into THC. However, these findings have not been replicated in humans.
How To Use CDB Oil: Dosage
Maybe you know about the benefits of CBD products. You’ve purchased some, and now you need to know how to use CDB oil.
The dosing mechanism and amount depends primarily on the user’s preference. You can take it by mouth, inhalation or topical administration.
The dosage amount is highly individual. Everybody responds to the oil differently. To make things even more confusing, different brands recommend different dosage amounts.
The bioavailability of the oil also differs based on the administration technique. That means that its ability to be absorbed into the bloodstream varies.
A general recommendation is to start by taking 25 mg twice a day. Increase the dosage by 25 mg every month until your symptoms improve. If your symptoms get worse, reduce the dosage. You can increase the effectiveness by taking smaller doses throughout the day instead of one large dose.
The dosage may also depend on the product. You can take the same amount of CBD via an oral tincture or a gelatin-based capsule and feel different effects.
Can you take too much? The product can cause fatigue when taken in high doses. However, compared with the effects of overdosing on many prescription and over-the-counter medications, this outcome is minimal.
Many people who have relied on opiates for pain management are able to wean off of the medication when using CBD oil instead. The compound has few side effects and is considered to be generally safe for use by children and adults.
It’s important to get the product from a reputable company. Check out the other ingredients in the oil before taking it internally. CBD oil is not regulated by the FDA. However, herbal medicine is not controlled by the pharmaceutical industry.
Taking CBD Oil Orally
The most common way to take CBD oil is to ingest it. If you take it orally, about 6 to 10 percent of CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream.
This is not necessarily the most efficient way to take the oil, but it may be the easiest.
The digestive system acts on CBD oil as soon as it enters your mouth. Enzymes and bacteria in the saliva, stomach and gut change the chemical’s constitution so that it isn’t absorbed well into the body. The compound also changes as it goes through the liver.
Because CBD oil is fat soluble, you can increase its absorption by taking it with a fatty acid. This helps it get through the liver without metabolizing into different substances.
The advantage of taking the oil orally is that it stays in the system longer than when it is inhaled. This can make it have longer-lasting effects on the symptoms that it’s treating even though less of the chemical is absorbed into the blood. Orally administered oil can take as long as seven hours to be completely removed from the bloodstream.
If you want to improve the bioavailability of the oil, place it under the tongue. There are more capillaries in that area. They let the oil enter the bloodstream without being acted upon by digestive enzymes.
How To Take CBD Oil Orally
You don’t need any extra equipment to take the oil by mouth. If you have a spray, you can spritz it onto or under the tongue. Hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing it. If using a dropper, place a few drops under the tongue and hold them there for several seconds.
Make sure that you shake the bottle before administering the oil. The oil may not mix with the carrier liquid and can settle to the bottom.
If you get CBD in the form of a capsule, you can simply swallow it. CBD capsules may contain oil or powder. Those that contain coconut oil may be more absorbed better than powders or pastes.
Eating CBD Oil With Food
CBD oil is often available in the form of edibles, like chocolate, gum or candy. You can simply eat these as you would eat any food. You can also mix the product with other foods.
Drop some into your soups and smoothies. Mix the oil with your dinner. Many people don’t like the strong taste of the oil. However, a few drops mixed in with tasty food or beverages may go unnoticed.
When taken with food or in edibles, the CBD passes through your digestive system and breaks down easily. This may be the least effective way to take the product. However, it could be the most discreet.
CBD Tinctures
Cannabis tinctures are extracts that are infused into alcohol. Tinctures are a traditional method of preparing herbs for medicinal use.
To make a tincture, mix ground flowers or extract with grain alcohol. Let it sit at room temperature for several weeks, shaking it periodically. Filter out the liquid using a coffee filter.
It’s hard to gauge the potency of homemade tinctures. When using a tincture, take 1 mL on the first day. Take 2 mL on the second day. Gradually increase the dosage in this manner until you achieve the desired effects.
Taking the tincture sublingually, or under the tongue, will help the cannabinoid get into your bloodstream faster than eating it. You can mix it with food, though. Add it to any savory dish for a little bit of a kick. You probably won’t even taste it.
The effects of a tincture won’t last as long as the effects of an oil. Because CBD is fat soluble, it is absorbed better and lasts longer when it’s taken with a fat. Adding a tincture to fatty foods can help make its benefits last longer.
Inhaling CBD Oil
When inhaled, CBD oil is between 30 and 60 percent bioavailable. The lungs are filled with capillaries. They are more absorbent than the digestive tract. The high blood supply in the lungs lets CBD oil enter your circulation much faster. Plus, inhaling the substance prevents it from passing through the liver and the gut, where it becomes metabolized out of the system.
When you inhale CBD oil, you’ll feel the effects of CBD oil much more quickly than if you take it orally. You may feel the benefits up to one hour sooner than when you ingest it. However, it is also eliminated from the body faster when it’s inhaled.
The easiest way to inhale the product is by vaporizing e-liquid or concentrate. You can buy a one-time-use container for a vape pen or a bottle of concentrate to fill your vaporizer.
It can be difficult to determine exactly how much of the cannabinoid is in the product, however. Because CBD oil isn’t regulated, the labeling may misrepresent the product. The level of CBD in the product ranges from 25 mg to 300 mg.
Additives are also incorporated in vape oils to make them taste and smell better. Some of these chemicals can be carcinogenic when exposed to high heat.
Do your research before vaping the product. You may also find that different brands affect you in distinct ways. You may need to experiment before finding the type that works best for you. Some people use distinct products at various times of day.
One oil may make you feel more relaxed, which is ideal at bedtime. However, another may energize you, which makes it more effective in the morning.
If you’re new to vaping CBD, you may need a higher dosage at first. You may find that you don’t need as much to experience the advantages as time goes on.
Using CDB Oil Topically
You can use CBD-infused skincare products to treat localized ailments. Topical products can relieve pain, soreness and inflammation directly at the site. Transdermal products may also contain ingredients such as essential oils.
CBD isn’t absorbed into the bloodstream from topical products. However, many cannabinoid receptors are found in the skin. CBD interacts with these receptors to bring about positive effects. This allows topical products to treat acute conditions on or near the skin.
Topicals are popular treatments for the following ailments:
• Muscle aches
• Tension
• Swelling
• Psoriasis
• Dermatitis
• Itching
• Headaches
• Spasms
• Arthritis
• Acne
• Eczema
Studies are still being conducted to determine exactly how the oil can help treat different skin conditions. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that using topical CBD products improves skin problems.
Some topicals have different benefits than others. The advantages may depend on the strain of cannabinoid or the other ingredients in the product.
Cannabis has promising benefits for your general skincare routine. The plant is known to have antioxidant and anti-aging qualities. The fatty acids in hemp seed oil can protect the skin from sun damage and help it retain moisture.
Can I Make My Own CBD Oil Topicals?
If you can get your hands on a hemp plant, you can make your own oil. Most recipes call for using 14 to 30 grams of cannabis or hemp buds, leaves and stems per cup of high-quality carrier oil.
You can use coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil as the carrier oil. Adding beeswax makes the resulting product thicker and more stable. You can also add vitamin E oil or essential oils to the final product.
To make your own CBD topicals, you’ll need to grind the plant and simmer it in oil for several hours. This can be done in a crockpot or a double boiler. After the oil has simmered, strain the liquids from the solids.
A hemp salve made with a high-quality oil should last for a couple of months if kept tightly closed in the refrigerator.
Some people make their own soap for cleansing the skin using CBD oil, lye, carrier oils and fragrances. This traditional soap is less damaging to the skin than many commercial cleansers.
You can even cleanse your skin using CBD oil and a carrier oil together. Blend the oils, and massage them into the skin. Use a warm washcloth to wipe off the oil. You may not even need a separate moisturizer.
Add a few drops of CBD oil to your regular lotions and scrubs. Mix it with tea tree oil for an acne spot treatment. There’s almost no end to the types of topical products that can be made with cannabis.
How To Store CBD Oil
In liquid form, cannabinoid products usually come in tinted glass bottles. This prevents them from deteriorating from exposure to light. Keep the bottles in a cool, dark place. If you store the oil in the refrigerator, you may need to let it come to room temperature before using it.
When using a dropper, try not to touch the dropper tip. This will prevent it from contaminating the product when you reinsert it. Keep the cap closed tightly to prevent the product from deteriorating from exposure to air.
Should I Take CBD And THC Together?
Many experts say that the compounds work better when taken together. CBD minimizes some of the negative effects of THC, such as paranoia. CBD also slows down the metabolism of THC in the liver. This prolongs the effect of the THC.
Several studies show that the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids are more effective for treating medical ailments when the cannabinoids are taken together. CBD and THC may also be better at fighting cancer when they’re taken together rather than individually.
The ideal ratio of THC to CBD may differ depending on the condition that the cannabinoids are treating. Many people who take CBD for mood disorders, spasms or seizures say that high-CBD ratios work best. A more balanced ratio may be better for treating cancer and autism.
High-CBD products can provide more energy throughout the day. Oils with higher levels of THC may be calming to use at night.
CDB oil use is becoming widely accepted as a treatment for many medical conditions. Although CBD oil is considered to be an herbal medicine, many people take it for a sense of general well-being. It’s therapeutic and easy to use. You can tailor it to your specific needs. It also has few side effects. Although THC-free CBD oil won’t make you high, it may certainly make you feel great.