If you’ve become interested in CBD oil, you might have heard that it offers some benefits to your health and general wellbeing. However, there’s still a lot of scepticism around the topic, so you could really use someone to help clear up the misconceptions and lay out nothing but the facts for you.
The truth is that research into CBD and cannabinoids, in general, has been actively suppressed for a long time, now, but we are starting to understand more about the effects and how CBD works. Here’s a closer look at what you need to know about this substance.
How CBD works
Unlike THC, the main active compound in marijuana, CBD is not psychoactive, which means that it’s not going to give you any kind of high. What it does do, however, is elicit a response from your endocannabinoid system. This is a series of receptors throughout the body, and the presence of CBD causes them to activate. As such, they can prompt a range of changes to mood, pain sensitivity, appetite, memory, even your immune system’s response.
The endocannabinoid system
This system is split into different kinds of receptors, primarily known as CB1 and CB2. They are found throughout the body, in the nervous system, liver, lungs, and kidneys, as well as in blood cells. These receptors respond to the presence of certain substances, like THC and CBD, and react by increasing the production and release of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, for instance, which can improve sleep.
While CB1 primarily releases neurotransmitters that influence mood, happiness, stress, pain response, and memory, CB2 receptors are primarily involved in different parts of our body’s natural immune response. CBD, the active component in hemp and the key ingredient of CBD oil, only triggers a response from CB1 receptors, while THC, the psychoactive cousin of CBD, triggers a response from the CB2 receptors, as well.
It’s this ability to cause the CB1 receptor to react and to increase the production and release of neurotransmitters that have the most potential benefit to offer users of CBD. The CB1 receptor, when stimulated, can increase the release of serotonin and anandamide, which reduce pain perception and fight inflammation. As such, it has already been proven to relieve arthritis pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
How CBD can help you
CBD oil has been touted to have a range of applications to improve comfort and wellbeing. However, when it comes to looking at its potential healthcare benefits, the strongest evidence by far is in regard to conditions and illnesses that cause seizures, such as epilepsy. It has proven especially effective in treating types of epilepsy-like Dravet syndrome that don’t respond as well to anti-seizure medication. Repeated clinical trials have shown that CBD is able to reduce the number of seizures or sometimes stop them altogether in patients.
Other people use CBD as a means to relax, to ease stress and anxiety, and others recommend it to help improve a night’s sleep, especially for those who suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia. Furthermore, there is some evidence that CBD may be able to help with the treatment of chronic pain, including inflammation due to arthritis.
CBD is also amongst the several different cannabinoids that have been proven to reduce the impact of nausea. It does this by interacting with the CB1 receptors that improve the release of serotonin, easing feelings nausea. While nausea isn’t necessarily bad, and is an important protective mechanism against infection, CBD can ease it in cases of motion sickness, pregnancy, and migraines.
Is CBD safe?
Naturally, before you end up relying on CBD oil, or any other substance for that matter, you want to know that it’s safe to use. There are no chemical compounds, organic or synthetic, without some risk of side-effects, and CBD is no exception. However, by and large, it is safe to use, providing that you get your CBD oil products from reliable, trustworthy, and fully transparent distributors.
Amongst the most common side effects of CBD are experiences of drowsiness and having a dry mouth, but even these are unusual, not experienced by most people. Even higher doses of CBD are well tolerated by the body. There are no serious safety concerns when taking CBD, it does not cause harm to the body, and there is no serious potential for abuse. There are none of the potential side effects of marijuana since those are all mostly caused by THC, the psychoactive component active in that particular plant.
However, while there is no inherent risk on CBD oil, you should be mindful of where you get it from and how you take it. Contaminants sold in CBD oil for unscrupulous distributors could be just about anything, so you need to make sure your CBD oil is tested and verified clean. Furthermore, if you need to, you should visit your doctor to talk about taking it. CBD could potentially interact with other medicines that you might be taking or may in some way affect an existing health condition.
Lastly, CBD oil is in no way an addictive substance, unlike THC, so users tend to have no problem stopping it when they find they no longer need it or if they decide it’s not helping them.
CBD Oil Dosage and How Long it Takes to Take Effect
When it comes to CBD oil dosage, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The amount of CBD you need to take and how long it takes for the CBD oil to take effect depends on a few factors, including the strength of the CBD oil and how it is consumed. This blog post will discuss how long it takes for CBD to take effect and some tips on finding the correct dosage for you!
Generally speaking, CBD oil starts to take effect within minutes of being consumed. However, the amount of time it takes for CBD to reach its peak effectiveness varies depending on the method of consumption. For example, CBD oil drops or vaping CBD enters the system quicker than edibles such as gummies.
We would suggest you need to take CBD regularly for at least two weeks to start feeling noticeable effects. However, it is essential to note that everyone’s body is different, and you may experience CBD oil benefits sooner or later than this.
If you are starting out with CBD oil, it is best to start with a low dosage and gradually increase the amount until you find what works best for you. Keep in mind that the CBD oil dosage will also depend on the strength of the CBD oil.
It is always important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting CBD oil, especially taking other medications.
If you need help deciding whether or not CBD oil is right for you, or you want to learn more about the different products on sale and how to make the most effective use of them, take a look throughout the site. We have plenty of products to check out, as well as resources and FAQs that can help you learn as much as you need to about CBD. Your ability to use it comfortably, responsibly and healthily is our number one concern.
