You might have noticed that the market for CBD products is expanding more rapidly than ever before. This is thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized industrial hemp production at the federal level and opened the market for broader production and farming of this fantastic plant.
But now, with CBD available in so many different forms, you might be wondering how much you should be taking? To answer that complicated question, we need to explore the world of CBD and its fellow cannabinoids a little deeper.
Understanding Cannabinoids
If you’re unfamiliar with that word – cannabinoid – don’t worry. Many folks are.
Cannabinoids are molecules found in hemp plants. There are over a hundred of them, according to current research, though they keep discovering more. It just so happens that CBD, or cannabidiol as scientists call it, is one of the most abundant.
Cannabinoids are exceptional because of the way they can interact with your body. You see, inside your body is something called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). If that’s an unfamiliar bodily system to you, or you’re curious why you didn’t learn about it in school, it’s because it was only first written about in 1992.
We know so far that within the ECS are at least two kinds of receptors to which cannabinoids like CBD can bind. They’re called CB1R and CB2R, which is just short form for cannabinoid 1 receptor and cannabinoid 2 receptor.
Scientists have discovered that these little receptors are present throughout our body, including in our brain, liver, reproductive system, cardiovascular system, skeletal muscles, bones and GI tract.
When cannabinoids meet up with these receptors for a bit of chat and connect, there’s the potential for a lot to happen.
Shop CBD Oil at Head & HealMore About CBD, THC and Other Cannabinoids
Yes, we mentioned CBD is a cannabinoid, and there are over a hundred others. But what are they? And where do they come from?
Well, it would take a really long time to go through the whole list with you. And frankly, scientists are still working on figuring out how they all work.
Essentially, it all starts with the plant. Certain plants are now grown to produce an abundance of specific cannabinoids. Hemp plants usually have a high yield of CBD, but plant breeders have also developed some other varieties to pump out other cannabinoids like the mother cannabinoid known as CBG, or cannabigerol. Regardless, any high quality extract should contain various cannabinoids and other compounds like terpenes that are all quite good for us.
It has become evident to researchers that there is the potential for added benefits from CBD products when they feature minimally processed CBD from full spectrum hemp extract , like most of the products you’ll find from Head & Heal. This is thanks to something called the “entourage effect,” which basically means that cannabinoids and other beneficial compounds in hemp work best as a team. There may be some synergistic perks to using them together.
You may be wondering if full spectrum CBD products contain THC, another popular and probably more famous cannabinoid. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s the psychoactive one that can make you feel high, give you red eyes and inspire cravings for fatty foods.
Yes, full spectrum CBD products will contain THC but never more than 0.3 percent by law.
It’s also possible to find THC-free broad spectrum CBD products on the market. These still contain much of the goodness that the other cannabinoids will bring but remove THC from the equation. This means the entourage effect may not be quite as potent, but it’s better than nothing, right?
You’ll also see some products using something called CBD isolate. This is when CBD and CBD alone is isolated from all other cannabinoids and compounds in the hemp plant and extracted separately. Using this style of CBD product is a personal choice that some choose to make, mainly when there are worries about THC content.
One way to make sure your CBD products have the amount of cannabinoids in them that they should is by reading third-party lab results and the certificates of analysis for each product. Any company worth purchasing from is going to make these readily available on their site. Just click in, take a look and get the peace of mind you deserve when spending your hard-earned money.
How to Take CBD: Bioavailability
Now that you understand a little more about the science behind CBD and cannabinoids in general, let’s look at how you can introduce them into your body. Different delivery methods will affect the bioavailability of CBD to your ECS.
I know, another big word. We’re sorry! But bioavailability is pretty easy to understand.
Bioavailability is the amount of a substance that makes its way into circulation throughout your body after it is introduced. And there are three ways that CBD is typically introduced.
The first and probably most popular way is sublingual, which means under the tongue. This is done with CBD oil which comes with a handy little dropper, perfect for delivering your daily serving. This part of your mouth is significant because the soft, squishy tissue under your tongue absorbs the CBD quickly and puts it into circulation faster than other methods. So in this way, the bioavailability is high when taking CBD sublingually is considered.
Another way to take CBD is by ingesting it. A little less CBD will make its way into your system due to the digestive process, so the bioavailability can be considered lower. However, there are a variety of different CBD capsules on the market these days. Some offer a slow-release option that delivers more CBD into the small intestine, improving absorption.
The last of the popular ways CBD is used is topically, which just means on the skin. The total bioavailability for your body with this method tends to be the lowest. However, folks who use topical CBD products do so generally for specific ailments like aches and pains or post-workout muscle fatigue, and find that it absorbs quite well and acts quickly when applied to the skin . Since topicals can be applied directly to the affected area, they provide localized relief and overall bioavailability isn’t really a concern.
CBD Capsules Go Where You DoRead and Understand Your Product Labels
It’s going to be pretty hard to know how much of your CBD product to use if you’re not reading the labels. They can sometimes be confusing, so we’re going to explain that a little more here.
CBD concentrations in any product will be listed as a measurement of weight, typically in milligrams and abbreviated as “mg.” The higher the number, the more CBD that’s in that product.
When you’re dealing with something in liquid form, you’ll often see two numbers. The larger one will be the amount of CBD per bottle, while the smaller one will be per serving. Check the label and packaging for how much a serving is.
To give you a quick example, our super popular 1200 mg CBD Oil has 40 mg of CBD per serving, and each serving is 1 ml in size. This is easy to figure out because we’ve put measurement lines on our droppers to show 0.25 ml, 0.5 ml, 0.75 ml and 1 ml. Going by these measurements, you could take 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg or 40 mg of CBD at a time.
Understanding this is good for people starting out because you will want to begin at a lower amount of CBD and gradually increase it, being sure to remain consistent, taking it daily as you do.
Ingestible products like our 20 mg soft gels are usually easy to understand. Each capsule has 20 mg of CBD. Done. So, if you wanted to take 40 mg of CBD per day, you would need to take two capsules.
Topical products like balms, lotions and roll-ons usually list the amount of CBD per bottle. However, since these products are generally used for localized aches and pains, you’ll want to pay close attention to their effects. Are they providing you with the relief you need? If not, finding a product with a more potent concentration of CBD in it may be the answer.
Different Types of CBD Products and How Much to Take
Everyone will be a bit different when it comes to how much CBD they should take per day. It also varies a lot depending on the type of product you’re using. Tinctures and capsules tend to be for daily maintenance, while other forms are used when needed.
The most important thing is to listen to your body and not rush into it. But also, if you’re feeling nothing, it is probably time to increase the amount you’re taking.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the different kinds of CBD products available and how much to take.
CBD Tinctures: These are the CBD products that you’ve been hearing the most about and are recommended to be taken once or twice daily for best results.
Also called oils, they come in little amber bottles with droppers, and they’re most often taken sublingually.
Some folks have started adding their CBD oil to drinks such as coffee or to foods and ingesting them these days, just keep in mind, oil and water don’t always mix, so blending your CBD oil in can help. Another thing that makes tinctures such a hit is that they come in a wide variety of concentrations.
When using CBD tinctures, most people find starting with 10 mg to 20 mg per day is good. Increase by 5 to 10 mg per week until you reach a comfortable level for yourself. The most common average daily dose for most folks is around 40mg/day.
CBD Capsules: CBD capsules are also incredibly popular and usually ingested with water or another favorite beverage. Most of us CBD converts believe that consistency is vital in gaining the benefits from adding CBD to your regimen.
The portability, discretion and general convenience of capsules means you can add them to the part of your day that suits you best or take them when needed.
Similar to CBD tinctures or oil, capsules are generally a once or twice aday thing. Start with one per day and increase by a single capsule once every week until you find your sweet spot.
CBD Balms, Lotions and Roll-ons: These are different topical applications of CBD that are amazing for whatever’s bothering you, including your joints, muscles, hands, feet, temples, abdomen, neck and back. Wow! Lots, huh?
Products in this category will often feature other ingredients such as lavender, menthol and coconut oil for additional benefits.
It’s usually recommended to use these products as necessary for relief throughout your day. .
CBD Bath Products: Nothing says self-care like winding down at the end of the day with a relaxing bath punctuated with a CBD bath bomb or CBD bath milk.
When special water-soluble versions of CBD are used in these products, the absorption may be better than CBD oil. Just read the labels to find out.
What’s nice is they also incorporate other fantastic ingredients like lavender to promote that calm you deserve.
These types of products are usually used occasionally for additional relief.
Other Hemp Products: It’s possible to find CBD in other hemp products as well. It often shows up in other cannabinoid oils like CBN oil used for sleep or CBG oil used for focus.
This is important to know so that you can keep track of how much CBD you’re getting in a day if you end up using more than one kind of product.
CBD Oil and Treats for Pets: Lastly, as a bit of a bonus, did you know your dog and cat have an endocannabinoid system, just like you? Well, they do!
Now, we’re not saying you should go steal your cat’s CBD oil or your dog’s CBD treats, but it’s good to know that these products exist. And just like with your own CBD journey, it’s best that your pet progresses slowly on theirs. But when in doubt, consult your vet for guidance.
Some Additional Factors That Affect Potency
As we mentioned, every person will have a different experience when they introduce CBD into their routine.
There are a lot of reasons for this, including weight, diet and metabolism. Typically for those who are leaner and have higher metabolisms, CBD will have a quicker effect but leave your body faster as well. Those of us carrying extra weight may need more time to feel the effects of CBD, but it will also hang around a little longer as well.
These are essential factors to consider when deciding how much to take and how much to increase. It also shows the importance of those one-week intervals we mentioned above between upping the amount you’re taking daily.
Additional factors that may influence how much CBD you’ll need are any medications you might be on, your genetics and medical conditions you may have. If these are a concern for you, we highly recommend having a chat with a healthcare professional before adding CBD to your routine.
Just remember, it’s not a race to find the right amount. Go slow, enjoy your experience and give the CBD time to work for you in all the ways it can.
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