What are benefits of CBD?
CBD reduces inflammation throughout your body and nervous system, including the brain. It helps your body’s immune system and natural neurochemicals work better. People report that CBD has helped them in many ways. Conditions being researched for CBD’s potential benefits include:
- Acne
- Anxiety and stress
- Anti-seizure in children, adults, and pets
- Arthritis pain and swelling
- Cancer
- Cancer treatment side effects
- Chronic pain, including back pain
- Nerve and brain disorders including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscle and joint pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sleep problems
What is it? How is it harvested?
CBD or cannabidiol is a bioactive compound found in cannabis, the plant that produces marijuana and industrial hemp.
Cannabidiol interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a system of nerve receptors located throughout your brain and the rest of your body. Unlike THC, the cannabis compound that causes the marijuana “high,” CBD provides helpful physical effects and doesn’t produce a “high.”
CBD is made primarily from industrial hemp. It can also be made from types of medical marijuana that have been bred to have high CBD and low THC content. Industrial hemp contains minimal (less than .03%) THC and much more CBD than marijuana. Industrial hemp is grown in fields like other crops. Hemp can be grown for seeds, fiber, and CBD oil. All parts of the plant except the seeds are used to extract CBD. If you see a product called “hemp oil,” it’s a nutritional or skin product made from hemp seeds: it contains no CBD.
How is CBD related to marijuana and THC?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of over 500 different compounds that have been isolated from the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant can be grown as marijuana or as hemp. CBD is one of over 120 cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis plant. The best-known cannabinoid is THC, which causes marijuana’s “high” effect.
Marijuana, whether it’s grown for medical or recreational use, is a kind of cannabis bred to have high amounts of THC. Industrial hemp, which can be used for rope, oil, and food, is the type of cannabis that’s naturally high in CBD and low in THC. The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow industrial hemp in the U.S. Before 2018, most of the hemp and CBD-based products you saw on the market, including hemp seeds and CBD, were made from imported industrial hemp. If you try to smoke industrial hemp, you won’t get high because it contains very small, or no amounts of THC. Companies will only be able to label items as CBD products if they contain 0.3% THC levels or less.
What are popular ways to consume CBD?
CBD comes in many forms. Because CBD is bioactive, it can work on different parts of the body to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and provide other beneficial effects.
CBD Vapes:
CBD vapes are made similarly to tobacco vapes. CBD vape juice is made from CBD extract. You can find vape cartridges and vape juice for refillable vapes. CBD vapes can have natural extracts for scent, flavor, and aromatherapy benefits.
CBD Oil:
CBD oil is extracted from hemp that’s high in CBD. You should look for full-spectrum CBD oil that contains other compounds including terpenes that come from the hemp plant. The most common way to take CBD oil is in a tincture. You put the tincture under your tongue and it’s absorbed into your bloodstream. You can put CBD oil mixed with olive oil or other natural oils on your skin. CBD oil tinctures can come with added natural flavors and botanical oils.
CBD Topicals:
From bath bombs to creams, salves, and ointments, CBD can be absorbed through the skin to provide local relief. CBD topicals are a good choice for muscle and joint pain, arthritis aches, stiffness, and skin problems. CBD also comes in transdermal patches which can offer time-release doses through your skin.
CBD Gummies:
CBD is least bio-available when it’s eaten, but any CBD your body doesn’t use right away is stored in your body’s fat deposits. It can be released over time, so CBD gummies can be a good choice for chronic health issues and digestive problems.
CBD capsules:
CBD capsules can provide concentrated doses of CBD. When you digest CBD, only a portion is used right away, and the rest gets stored. Your body will slowly release the unused CBD from oral capsules over time. One of the first studies that showed people had some relief for anxiety and poor sleep used CBD capsules.
CBD water, syrup and other edibles:
Some CBD water uses nano-CBD, which is CBD that’s been chemically modified into extremely small “nano” particles. Water with nano-CBD is more bioavailable than regular CBD taken orally. You can also find CBD in syrup that you can use to flavor any drink you want or drink it straight up. CBD also comes in cookies, brownies, chocolate bars, hard candy, and even CBD-infused honey.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about CBD
Does CBD cure cancer?
CBD has shown results in relieving symptoms from cancer treatment but there aren’t any human studies that show it can help or cure cancer. The studies conducted so far have been on cells in a lab. In labs, CBD has shrunk and killed cancer cells. Cancer organizations say CBD could help cancer symptoms including pain relief, inflammation relief, and potential relief for nausea.
Will CBD get you high?
CBD will not get you high. It is bioactive, not psychoactive. THC is the compound in cannabis that produces the “high” effect. CBD can even counteract the “high” symptoms and aftereffects of THC, which is why it’s sometimes combined as a “relief” or remedy for THC users. CBD can have calming effects. You may feel slightly more alert or calmer after taking CBD.
What is full-spectrum CBD?
Full-spectrum CBD includes terpenes, which are other oils found in the cannabis plant. Because CBD is a natural remedy, it works in synergy with terpenes. The holistic effect of CBD plus terpenes is referred to as an “entourage” effect.
Can pets have CBD?
Holistic and natural veterinarians have been providing CBD to pets for a while now. There is no evidence CBD is harmful to pets (or humans). Pets also have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) which responds similarly to humans. The American Kennel Club is funding research to determine if CBD can help dogs with canine epilepsy. So far, results of the research have been promising. Cats and dogs are smaller than people so their doses of CBD should also be smaller. Never give any pet THC. It is potentially toxic to dogs and cats. They do not enjoy the “high” sensation and some pets have even died after accidentally eating their owners’ THC edibles.
Are hemp seed products the same as CBD?
No. Hemp seeds don’t contain any CBD. They get processed into meal and oil for protein and nutrition. Hemp seed oil can be used in skin care products.
Can you overdose on CBD?
You can’t OD on CBD like people do on opioids or prescription drugs. No reported deaths due to CBD have ever been recorded. Extremely high doses of CBD (over 900 mg) have caused nausea or diarrhea in some people.
Can CBD interact with prescription drugs?
Have you heard that grapefruit juice can interfere with some medications? Grapefruit juice and CBD both alter enzymes pathways in your liver. Your liver metabolizes food and prescription drugs. CBD can potentially increase the effects of blood thinners (coumadin and warfarin) and sedatives. Other interactions are still being studied. You should check with your family doctor about potential interactions with CBD if you are using prescription drugs. It can also potentially increase the effect of over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen.
How long before CBD takes effect?
The length of time between when you take CBD and when you feel effects varies depending on how you use it. Vaped CBD produces some effects within five minutes, and reaches its highest effect within 20 to 40 minutes, and can last up to two hours. Topical CBD can have some local effects quickly (within minutes) of applying a salve or cream. If you take CBD under your tongue, it starts to show effects in about 20 minutes. Edible CBD, capsules or pills take about two hours to show an effect.
Is CBD legal?
Although it’s still unclear in every state, including the states where any form of hemp or cannabis product is illegal, most legal experts say it’s legal to buy and use CBD products that contain zero THC which are made from industrial hemp. CBD is 100% legal for use and purchase in the states that allow adult recreational and medical use. It’s also legal in the states that have specific CBD-legal laws. The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow and process industrial hemp in all 50 states. Industrial hemp is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance — but marijuana is.
Can CBD be addictive?
CBD has shown no addictive qualities so far. It doesn’t build tolerance either. The way it works in the body makes it unlikely to be addictive. CBD can even help your body to build more endocannabinoid receptors. In some cases it can even build “reverse tolerance” — you need less CBD to have the same effect the more you take it, not more.
What is the endocannabinoid system (ECS)?
Discovered in the early 1990s, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) includes nerve cells, neurochemicals, and enzymes. The ECS operates throughout our brain, nervous system, immune system, and other parts of the body, including the skin. The ECS is more extensive than the opioid receptor system that opioid drugs can influence when they reduce pain or create an opioid “high”. The ECS responds to endocannabinoids that your body creates naturally, including 2-AG and anandamide as well as compounds like CBD.
What are CB1 and CB2 receptors?
There are at least two types of receptor cells in the endocannabinoid system: CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are located primarily in the brain and spinal cord. CB2 receptors are found throughout your body and mostly play a role in our immune systems.
Can CBD products make you fail a drug test?
CBD products that contain zero THC will not make you fail a drug test.
How does CBD work?
CBD is a complicated compound that has several ways that it affects the body. The positive health effects that people say they get from CBD likely come from reduced inflammation (benefiting joints, muscles, and even the mind) and ways it supports the body’s natural immune system.